Were you hurt in or near Beaverton during a car accident caused by another motorist? If so, you have a claim for compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, and financial losses from the crash. Even insurers who accept liability for such crashes may later dispute the extent of your injuries or the reasonableness of treatment, especially if you had an earlier similar injury or other injury accidents. Insurer commercials paint themselves as trusted friends. But make no mistake, insurance companies are in the business of making money, not doling it out. As a result, insurers will fight hard to minimize your claim in any way they can. A Beaverton car accident lawyer can help you fight back.
Richard Rizk, founder of Rizk Law, understands the tactics insurers use to defend, deny, and delay claims like yours — because he was once on the insurer’s side. He is a former injury claims defense attorney and high-exposure claims manager for some of America’s largest, most well-known insurers. He knows what motivates insurers to pay claims and the circumstances when insurers will likely deny or lowball a claim. Richard knows what it takes to compel them to pay accident victims fair compensation. Let his experience for the other side work for you
To effectively stand up to the insurance companies you need to know how to play multiple games of chess simultaneously. Don’t play checkers with chess masters. Contact Rizk Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation so you can even the playing field. Learn how our car accident law firm can help you on your road to recovery for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
Benefits of Hiring a Beaverton, Oregon, Attorney for Your Car Accident Claim
Insurance companies use various tactics to get injured car crash victims to accept less than the maximum value for their claims. When you hire a car accident attorney in Beaverton from Rizk Law, you benefit from legal counsel with extensive insight into how insurers defend against injury claims.
While you focus on your treatment and rehabilitation, let our firm handle the details of preparing and pursuing your car accident case, which includes:
- Investigating the crash to secure evidence we can use to build your claim
- Identifying the at-fault driver(s) and other liable parties
- Evaluating your options for financial recovery, including PIP claims, liability insurance claims, or a car accident lawsuit
- Documenting your injuries and calculating your ongoing and future expenses so we can pursue the maximum financial recovery you deserve
- Handling communications and negotiations with insurance adjusters and defense attorneys to take the stress of the claims process off you
- Negotiating a fair and full settlement of your car accident claim or going to court, if necessary, to demand a favorable payout for your case
What to Do After a Car Accident
If you get into an auto wreck in Oregon, you can take steps to improve your chances of recovering fair compensation. Things you can do to protect your rights after an auto collision include:
- Notifying your car insurance provider to file a claim for PIP benefits
- Seeking medical treatment and following your doctor’s recovery plan
- Obtaining copies of medical records from your treatment and rehab
- Requesting a copy of the police crash report if law enforcement responded to the accident scene
- Keeping all bills, invoices, and receipts for expenses you incur during your medical treatment
- Finding copies of pay stubs or income statements to calculate your lost earnings if you had to take time off work or transfer to a lower-paying position during your recovery
- Contacting a Beaverton car accident attorney from Rizk Law as soon as possible to discuss your legal options for obtaining financial recovery for your ongoing and future expenses
How We Investigate Beaverton, Oregon, Car Accident Cases
Our car accident law firm understands how a thorough investigation of the auto accident could affect the outcome of your car accident claim. Persuasive evidence can give you the best chance of maximizing your financial recovery in an insurance settlement or car accident lawsuit.
At Rizk Law, our firm builds compelling car accident cases using evidence such as:
- Police crash reports
- Accident scene photos and videos
- Eyewitness testimony
- Surveillance camera, traffic camera, or dashcam footage
- Car computer logs
- Driver cell phone records
- Car repair or maintenance records
- Post-accident vehicle inspections
In many cases, we also work with accident reconstruction experts to review evidence from the crash and develop persuasive reports and testimony. In doing so, we can explain what happened in the motor vehicle accident and identify the driver or drivers who caused the collision.
Compensation You Could Recover in a Beaverton, Oregon, Car Accident Claim
In a car accident claim, you could have the right to seek car accident compensation for financial or personal losses you incur due to your injuries. Let a Beaverton car accident lawyer from Rizk Law fight to secure a financial recovery for your:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses, including hospitalization, surgeries, prescriptions, pain management care, and physical or occupational therapy
- Costs of long-term care and personal assistance for prolonged or permanent disabilities
- Lost wages from missed work or reduced earnings in a part-time or light-duty position
- Loss of future earning potential and employment benefits if you become permanently disabled from work
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment or quality of life due to permanent disabilities, disfigurement, or scarring
Parties Who Could Be Held Liable for a Car Wreck in Beaverton, Oregon
In most cases, the driver or drivers who cause the car wreck will bear liability for accident victims’ injuries and losses. However, other parties could also share financial responsibility for a car accident injury under certain circumstances. For example, if a driver causes a vehicle accident while working, the driver’s employer might also share liability for any injuries or losses crash victims suffer.
The owner of the at-fault driver’s vehicle might also bear liability for an auto collision if they negligently entrusted their vehicle to the driver. For instance, they could be liable if they lent their vehicle to a visibly intoxicated driver. They could also bear liability for allowing a person to drive their vehicle when they knew or should have known the driver posed a substantial risk of causing a collision.
Finally, under Oregon’s dram shop law, a bar, restaurant, or social host could bear liability for car accident injuries caused by a drunk driver. If the bar, restaurant, or social host serves alcohol to a visibly intoxicated guest or patron, they could bear vicarious liability for subsequent drunk driving accidents.
Could You Recover Compensation if You Are Partly to Blame for a Car Accident?
Yes. Even if you share some blame for a car crash, you could have the right to recover compensation for your injuries and losses. Oregon follows a modified comparative negligence rule for injury claims. Under this rule, you can pursue compensation for injuries you suffered in the car accident if your share of fault for causing the crash does not exceed 50 percent.
However, even if you can pursue a car accident claim, any responsibility you bear for the accident can reduce your financial recovery in proportion to your percentage of fault for the accident. If the other driver or insurance company tries to shift the blame for the car crash to you, you need an experienced attorney from Rizk Law to advocate for your interests.
How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Oregon?
Oregon law imposes a strict deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit after a crash. Specifically, you have two years after a car crash to file a lawsuit against an at-fault driver and other liable parties. If you wait too long to act, you could lose your right to sue for compensation.
You can best protect your rights by talking to a Beaverton accident lawyer from Rizk Law as soon as possible after a crash to get your claim filed on time. Otherwise, you might lose the opportunity to seek financial recovery for your injuries from the at-fault driver and insurance company.
Common Types and Causes of Car Accidents in Beaverton, Oregon
At Rizk Law, our team represents clients who have suffered serious harm in car accidents, such as:
- Delivery truck accidents
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Multi-vehicle pile-up accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Hit-and-run accident
- Drunk driving accidents
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist accidents
- Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare accidents
Many car accidents in Beaverton, Oregon, occur due to negligent or reckless behavior by drivers. Some of the most common causes of auto wrecks in Beaverton include:
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for weather, visibility, traffic, or road conditions
- Tailgating or following too closely
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Not using turn signals or checking mirrors before turning or changing lanes
- Unsafe or illegal turning, lane changing, or passing
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence
- Drowsy driving
- Reckless driving, including excessive speeding, street racing, or swerving through traffic
Typical Injuries Resulting from an Auto Collision
Common examples of car accident injuries include the following:
- Severe lacerations and abrasions
- Dislocated joints
- Ligament sprains and tears
- Muscle and tendon strains and tears
- Broken bones
- Herniated spinal discs
- Nerve damage
- Whiplash
- Internal organ injuries or internal bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Burns from post-crash car fires
- Traumatic amputation or limb loss
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Beaverton, Oregon, Today
If you get hurt in an auto accident caused by a negligent or reckless driver, you deserve to recover compensation for the harm you have suffered. Contact Rizk Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let a car accident attorney in Beaverton discuss your options.