Our Eugene, OR, car accident lawyers understand car accidents can be traumatic, even if injuries are not serious. With mounting medical expenses, car damage, and less income coming in because you cannot work, the time after an accident is stressful. You might even lose the ability to enjoy family events and activities, or you might have lost a loved one in a car accident.
Additionally, car accident claims can be complex, especially if more than one party is responsible for your injuries or the death of a loved one. Insurance company representatives will take every step they can to cut their costs and encourage you to settle for the lowest amount possible. An experienced attorney with deep knowledge of Oregon laws can address every element of your claim to ensure you get the compensation you are due.
If your Eugene car accident claim becomes a lawsuit, the level of complexity increases. Even when the car accident involves you and just one other person, there may be the defendant, his or her insurance company, the defendant's attorney, and the insurance company's attorney involved in the case.
Don't leave your future to chance. Get the best possible outcome and all the compensation you deserve. Call our Eugene, OR, car accident lawyers at Strong Law at 206-737-7108 for a free case evaluation.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Eugene, OR
Sometimes after a car accident, your injuries prevent you from doing anything. However, if you can move around without causing further injury, you should take several steps while you are still on the scene:
- Take photos of the accident scene. Be sure to get pictures from all angles, and be sure the images are clear. Also get photos of any damage to the road and nearby property.
- Obtain contact information from others involved in the accident, including passengers. Obtain the drivers’ insurance and registration information.
- Obtain a good contact number and / or email for any witnesses. You can also ask witnesses what they saw. Be sure to take notes. Their initial observations could be helpful to your case.
- Let the emergency medical technicians check you over even if you think your injuries are minor.
Once the police release you from the accident scene, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you believe your injuries are minor, you should get them examined. Some injuries do not manifest for hours or even days after the accident. Also, there is a document you must file with the state. In Oregon, you must file a Traffic Accident and Insurance Report within 72 hours of most types of car accidents.
Don’t wait to contact our Eugene, OR, car accident attorneys at Strong Law for a free case evaluation. We will explain what you should and, more important, what you should not say to insurance company representatives. Once you set up your appointment, you can also contact the insurance company to notify it that you were in an accident. Only give the insurance company your name, the other driver’s policy number, the date and location of the accident, and your attorney’s contact information.
Gathering Evidence
After the accident, if you are able, you should retrieve a copy of the police report and any medical records. If you can bring them to the free case evaluation with our Eugene car accident attorneys, we can better evaluate your case.
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Recoverable Damages After a Eugene, OR, Car Accident
Our car accident lawyers in Eugene, OR, can help you recover damages after a car wreck. We will negotiate skillfully on your behalf to get you all the compensation you are due for your injuries and losses. If the settlement amount is not appropriate, we can take your case to trial. In a car accident case, the court orders compensatory damages – economic and non-economic damages – in an attempt to make you whole again. The court orders punitive damages to punish the defendant’s grossly negligent or intentional actions or inactions.
Economic Damages
Special damages, sometimes called economic damages, have a monetary value and include:
- Past medical expenses for those incurred in the accident and prior to a settlement or a trial award.
- Future medical expenses for those incurred in the accident and after a settlement or a trial award. Past and future medical expenses also include costs for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and cognitive and other psychological therapies.
- Past lost wages for those you lost from the time of the accident until you settle or receive a trial award.
- Future lost wages for those you lost because of accident injuries or disabilities that continue after a settlement or a trial award.
- Replacement or repair of destroyed or damaged personal property, including personal property inside your vehicle that suffered damage, such as computers and clothing.
- Funeral, burial and / or cremation expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
General damages, sometimes referred to as non-economic damages, do not have a monetary value and include:
- Pain and suffering, including emotional distress.
- Loss of quality of life if your injuries cause long-term or permanent disabilities that require medications, ambulatory aids or other medical changes for the rest of your life.
- Loss of companionship if you can no longer enjoy family time, including family events and activities.
- Loss of consortium if you can no longer have a physical relationship with your spouse.
- Loss of use of a body part such as a hand or a leg.
- Loss of use of a bodily function such as your bladder, bowels or eyesight.
- Amputation of a limb or digit.
- Excessive scarring and / or disfigurement.
- Inconvenience if you have to hire someone to do chores such as grocery shopping, home maintenance and repair, lawn maintenance and house cleaning.
Punitive Damages in a Eugene, OR, Car Accident Case
To collect punitive damages in Oregon, which is a punishment for the defendant, you must show that the defendant’s actions or inactions were grossly negligent or intentional (Or. Rev. Stat. § 31.730). While asking for punitive damages increases the time you need to wait to obtain compensation after a car accident, sometimes it’s worth the wait. This is especially if your doctors expect your injuries to cause long-term or permanent disabilities. While the court does not order this compensation to cover specific costs, nothing states that you cannot use it for medical expenses and other expenses related to the accident, including lost wages.
If you believe you should recover punitive damages, you should retain a car accident attorney in Eugene. The process of proving gross negligence or intent is complicated and requires detailed knowledge of Oregon laws. Our team in Eugene, OR, can skillfully argue why your case merits punitive damages and will ensure that you receive full compensation for all damages related to your car accident.
Recovering Future Damages Related to Your Car Accident
In some cases, people try to represent themselves in settlement negotiations. Once the insurance company gets you to settle, you can no longer go after the insurance company for additional medical expenses. In some cases, it might take two or more surgeries to repair injuries from a car accident. If you sign a settlement with the insurance company, you might not have enough money to cover the additional surgeries. This is why it is important to work with our car accident lawyers in Eugene, OR, to help you with your case.
Our car accident attorneys have years of experience with reviewing medical documents and helping people with similar injuries. We work with medical professionals to understand whether you might require additional medical care and what the associated costs may be. We also work with medical professionals to help determine whether you will require physical therapy, occupational therapy, or even cognitive and other psychological therapies because of car accident injuries.
If you are receiving therapy now, your therapist can give us a good idea of how long you will require these therapies, which helps us determine a fair and reasonable settlement amount. Additionally, if the type of injuries you suffered in the car wreck typically require physical and / or occupational therapy, we can also have medical professionals testify as to the average length of time people with the same types of injuries need to recover.
Determining future medical expenses is difficult, at best. If you try to settle a case on your own, you have a high risk of not getting the compensation you deserve, including the medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Contact our experienced car accident attorneys in Eugene for help to be sure you get all the compensation you deserve. Call our team at Strong Law today at 206-737-7108.
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Just wanted to say thank you to Jed and his team at Strong Law. Not only was I happy with the outcome, but the entire process as a whole. I would definitely recommend this firm to anyone. Thanks again.
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I had a claim involving my own insurance company. I tried to negotiate with them, and they completely denied my claim – two times. I then hired Strong Law, and the change was instant. The insurance company immediately began negotiating, and Jed was able to secure an unbelievably good settlement. I will never again attempt to take-on an insurance company without Strong Law in my corner. Thank you!”
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“I hired Strong Law after my car accident. Jed and his team worked hard on my case. They were professional and compassionate through my surgery and as I recovered, and they were awesome on communication. I got justice and awesome compensation. I would recommend Strong Law to anyone in my situation.”
Proving Negligence in Your Eugene Car Accident Case
When someone is not careful enough and causes a car accident, his or her actions or inactions could be deemed negligent. A negligent person that causes accidents has a legal duty to pay for the injured person’s damages. An example of negligence might include running a stop sign and causing an accident.
Gross negligence is when a person has a reckless disregard for the safety of others. Examples might include driving under the influence or speeding through a street with lots of pedestrians or bicyclists. Even driving while distracted, such as texting while driving, could be considered gross negligence.
Our car accident lawyers in Eugene, OR, understand how to prove that another’s actions or inactions were negligent. Negligence has four elements:
- The defendant had a legal duty to others.
- The defendant breached his or her legal duty to others.
- The plaintiff – you – suffered an injury as a result of the defendant’s breach.
- The defendant’s breach caused you to suffer damages.
Communicating with Insurance Companies
Many people are tempted to either settle their cases themselves or to give the insurance company a statement. However, insurance companies are in business to make money. Every claim they pay out, regardless of how small, decreases their profits.
Insurance companies have several strategies they use to try to blame to you for the accident so they can deny your claim – or offer a pittance that might not cover your medical expenses, never mind the rest of the damages that you deserve. They may twist what you tell them to make it appear you were at least partially at fault for the accident.
Your best option is to talk with our Eugene car accident lawyer before you speak with the insurance company. We can handle the communications on your behalf and prevent issues that arise related to any statements you could make to them.
Another advantage of working with our team is that you are more likely to get a settlement offer that is appropriate. Insurance companies know we do not shy away from litigation. If they don’t give you a settlement offer that compensates you fairly for your injuries and losses, we will take the insurer to court rather than take a low-ball settlement. When an insurance company has to defend a case in court, their costs increase quickly, so it is in their interest to negotiate fairly and give you the compensation you deserve in a settlement offer.
Our skilled Eugene car accident lawyers will negotiate strategically on your behalf to ensure you get the best settlement possible. Give our Strong Law team a call today at 206-737-7108 to talk about your case.
Car Accident Statistics
According to the most recent report from the NHTSA, there were 42,795 car accident fatalities in 2022, a 0.3 percent decrease from 2021.
- Drunk driving: Drunk drivers cause an average of 10,850 fatalities every year. In 2021, there was a 14 percent increase in drunk driving fatalities over 2020, with 13,384 drunk driving-related deaths.
- Lack of seatbelt use: Of those fatally injured in a passenger vehicle, 44 percent of drivers and 41 percent of passengers were wearing their seatbelts.
- Speeding: 29 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths in 2021 involved speeding.
If you have been injured in a crash, make sure you have a skilled car accident lawyer advocating for you.
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How Strong Law will handle you case
Gather evidence, interview witnesses, and assess the circumstances surrounding the accident to establish facts and liability.
Determine the extent of damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Engage in discussions with the opposing party or insurance companies to reach a fair settlement outside of court.
If negotiations fail, proceed to court where legal arguments and evidence are presented before a judge or jury for a final decision.
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Prior to representing accident victims, Jed worked for GEICO insurance company as one of its in-house attorneys – representing the insurance companies. After learning the inner workings of insurance companies, he quit and began representing accident victims.
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Frequently asked questions
Have other questions? Get in touch with our team at info@stronglawattorneys.com
What Is the Value of My Case?
The value of an injury case depends upon many factors related to the extent of your injuries and any other losses associated with your claim. You may have medical bills, lost income, costs associated with pain and suffering, among other possible damages. To learn the possible value of your case, contact the team at Strong Law. In a free case evaluation, we’ll let you know how much your case may be worth.
What Are Your Hours?
Strong Law is open five days a week between 9am and 5pm. In addition, we offer after hours return calls, weekend calls, and online chat.
What Kinds Of Cases Are Personal Injury?
Call us to know for sure, but a good rule of thumb is when an “accident” that happened to you because of the acts of or misdeeds of another party. Examples are: Auto accidents; motorcycle accidents; semi-truck accidents; wrongful death; medical malpractice; slip, trip and fall; boating accidents, faulty equipment, nursing home abuse; and many others.
Will I Be Charged To Consult Or Talk With You?
No, not ever. Strong Law is a contingency personal injury firm offering specialized experience along with access when you need it. Our goal is to gain the best settlement and provide comfort in the process, so easy access to us is part of our best practices.
What Does Contingency Mean?
Contingency in a legal matter means an expense to the client based on the outcome of a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty. Said another way, Strong Law gets paid only if your case settles.
Can You Give Me An Assessment Of My Case?
Absolutely. While we cannot guarantee anything, nor do we imply a settlement, our willingness to take your case (and do it on contingency) is our voice that we feel your case has strong merit. After speaking with you, we can provide a merit assessment over the phone. However, we caution that accepting your case does not promise anything, your outcome is reflected in the law firm you choose.
What Should I Do If I’m Having Problems, Like Their Insurance Company Is Calling Me?
Always secure an attorney first. If you sign up with Strong Law now, you can advise their insurance company that you have representation and give them our name and contact information. From that time forward, they should not be contacting you again; it’s the law. If you do not sign with an attorney, like Strong Law, you will need to speak with them and represent yourself to resolve your injury. We strongly urge against this; insurance companies are skilled at ensuring their best interests over yours.
What Are Common Reasons For Insurance Injury Denials?
Make sure you receive medical treatment as soon as possible after an accident, otherwise insurance may argue your pain is from an unrelated incident.Insurance companies will be going out of their way to find some proof that the accident was your fault. Don’t be intimidated.If you have preexisting medical conditions that make you more likely to suffer an injury, it is not uncommon for insurance agencies to deny claims based on this.
How Long Does A Case Take To Settle?
It depends on many factors like medical care, future needs, evidence, proof of liability, and many others. Some cases take months while others can last a couple years. Ultimately, our goal is to represent you and what is going to be best for you in the long run.
Why Can Cases Last Years?
Because the law dictates it. There are many layers to make sure the insurance companies treat you with optimal care. For example, there will be time spent for medical treatments you might need. There is time to gather the needed medical reports and discover any long term impacts this injury will have on your life today and into the future. There is time for the other side to review our demands, research, and respond as well. It can feel like a long time, but we follow the law and strategize for the best benefit to you. We are with you the whole time.
