Portland Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have suffered a personal injury due to the actions of another person, it is important to understand your legal rights. You may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit to obtain financial compensation for the costs and expenses that may be associated with your recovery.

… I would highly recommend reaching out to Richard and his firm if you require sound legal advice.
– Client of Rizk Law

At Rizk Law, our Portland personal injury lawyers charge no upfront fees and have experience successfully handling personal injury lawsuits – having recovered millions in compensation on behalf of our clients.

Our founder and Senior Lawyer Richard Rizk is a former defense attorney for national insurers and is licensed to practice law in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Call us today at 503-245-5677 for a free consultation with a personal injury attorney at our firm. We only get paid if we obtain a recovery on your behalf.

No Upfront Fees. Contact Us Today.

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How Can a Portland Personal Injury Attorney Help Me?

Seeking compensation after an accident can seem overwhelming and stressful. Even if you are not at-fault for your injuries, it will be your word against that of the insurance company.

Injury victims that hire a lawyer recover more compensation compared to those that have no legal counsel.

Insurance companies will always look out for their best interests and do everything they can to downplay your injuries and diminish the value of your personal injury claim.

Our Portland personal injury attorneys can help provide vital resources and years of experience to build a strong case when filing a claim for compensation. This also includes:

  • Conducting a detailed investigation of the accident scene to prove negligence occurred
  • Obtaining all relevant medical records detailing your injuries and how they are being treated
  • Photographing the scene and hiring accident reconstruction experts to help us determine what happened
  • Reviewing relevant state and federal laws to determine if any were violated by the at-fault party
  • Recovering any Police records that may have recorded the details of the incident
  • Determining an accurate value of your claim by calculating any damages you have suffered
  • Handling all the communication and settlement negotiations with insurance companies
  • Making sure your claim, court documents and other paperwork are correct and filed before deadlines pass

At Rizk Law, our Portland personal injury law firm is prepared to provide aggressive legal representation on your behalf.

Have Questions? Call 503.245.5677.

Compensation Available for Personal Injuries

There are various forms of compensation to recover from a personal injury claim depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident and your injuries, such as:

Medical Expenses

You may be entitled to recover medical expenses for all past, current and future medical care of your injury. This includes:

  • Any treatment provided at the scene
  • Ambulance services
  • Surgeries
  • Medical imaging, such as CT scans or X-rays
  • Laboratory testing
  • Physical therapy
  • Rehabilitation services
  • Medical equipment needed to aid in your mobility such as wheelchair or walker

Lost Wages

If you are unable to work due to your injury, you may recover compensation for any wages you have lost. This includes wages lost when you were physically unable to perform your job duties or your doctor prohibited you from working. An attorney can help you determine how much income you have lost as a result of your accident. Ask your employer to provide you with documentation of your normal rate of pay, hours lost from being unable to work, and the total amount of compensation lost.

Loss of Earning Capacity

If you suffer a permanent disability, you may be able to recover compensation for loss of earning capacity. A permanent disability could include things like a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or the amputation of one or more limbs.

Property Damage

If your car or any other personal property was damaged in the accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for the cost of repairs or the fair market value of your property. This also includes any damage to clothing, jewelry and other items.

Pain and Suffering

Although this type of compensation is difficult to calculate, you may be able to recover damages for physical pain and suffering you have experienced due to the accident. This includes any emotional distress, trauma or severe discomfort associated with your injury.

Contact a personal injury lawyer in Portland, OR today to see how we can help determine the damages you have suffered and an accurate value of those damages. We know that no amount of compensation can change what happened, but it can hopefully help you get closer to the physical, financial and emotional state you were in before the accident.

Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form right now.

What If I Am Partially at Fault?

Not every personal injury case is straightforward and, in many instances, may not be as easy to determine who was at-fault for the accident that caused you harm. Luckily, you can still file a claim for compensation even if you are partially at-fault for your injuries.

Our state does however limit the amount of compensation you may recover from a lawsuit if you are partially to blame for the accident. This includes lawsuits over injuries sustained from vehicle collisions, slip and falls and bicycle accidents, among others.

Under Oregon Revised Statutes sections 31.600 to 31.620, the state follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means that the amount of compensation you may be entitled to recover will be reduced according to your percentage of fault as long as it does not exceed 50 percent.

For example, if you are 40 percent at fault, your compensation would be reduced by 40 percent. This means a compensation award of $80,000 would be reduced to $48,000. If you are 50 percent or more at fault, the law prohibits you from recovering any compensation.

A qualified personal injury attorney can help build a strong case to try to ensure you are not assigned more fault than you deserve so that you can recover the all compensation you are entitled.

Contact our firm today by calling 503.245.5677 for a free consultation.

Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in Oregon

Each state has strict deadlines for filing a personal injury lawsuit and things are no different here in the Beaver State. According to Oregon Revised Statutes section 12.110, these deadlines include:

  • Personal injury – Within two years from the date of the accident. This includes lawsuits filed for car accidents, nursing home abuse and more.
  • Wrongful death – Within three years from the date of the injury that resulted in the victim’s death.
  • Claims against the government – An injury claim against the state government must be filed within 180 days of the injury. The 180-day deadline also applies to claims for damages to persons or property against the City of Portland. You can fax or email the claim form or print it out and bring it to the City of Portland Risk Management office. This building is just 10 minutes from our office, which is located at 434 South Iowa Street.

If you miss any of these filing deadlines, the court will dismiss your case and you will not be able to recover compensation for your injury by filing a lawsuit. This is why is critical to contact our Portland personal injury attorneys as soon as possible. We understand Oregon state laws and can help you file your claim within the relevant deadline to obtain the compensation you deserve.

We look forward to helping you. Call 503.245.5677.

Proving a Personal Injury Case

Every personal injury case has four elements of negligence that must be proven in order to obtain compensation for your injury:

  • Duty of care – You must prove the at-fault party had a duty of care or legal responsibility to act in a way a reasonable person would in a similar situation to prevent you from suffering harm. An example of duty of care is the obligation a driver has to follow traffic laws to prevent a crash.
  • Breach of duty of care – You must prove the at-fault party breached his or her duty of care. An example of a breach of duty of care is driving while impaired or distracted.
  • Causation – This means that there is a direct link between the breach of duty of care and your injuries. You must show that you would not have been injured if it were not for the careless actions of the at-fault party.
  • Damages – You must show that your injuries resulted in financial, physical, or emotional damages. This can range from medical bills and loss of income to pain and emotional distress.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Portland is a great place to live for many reasons, from the friendly attitude toward strangers to the variety of food, numerous parks and hiking trails, and other outdoor attractions. However, personal injury accidents still happen and the consequences can be severe or life-altering.

We have experience handling a number of personal injury cases including, but not limited to:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

5 / 5 stars
… What three attorneys could not accomplish over a decade, Richard was able to settle within a year’s time.
 
– R.A

If you believe you may have a personal injury case, you should seek legal representation from a licensed personal injury attorney who understands exactly what you are going through.

Various parties could be held liable for these situations, from property owners, dog owners, and commercial truck drivers to nursing homes and ski area operators. If you were injured in a public park at an event for which a permit was issued, the permit holder can be held liable for losses, damages, or injuries if they resulted from the permit holder’s negligence, according to Portland city code 20.08.040.

Permits must be issued by the Parks Reservation Center for a variety of activities, including those involving:

  • 150 people or more
  • Placement of a permanent structure, such as a stage, fence, tent, table, or bench
  • The activity may require more police or fire protection, placing, removing, or opening bollards, gates, or fences

The park is being used in a manner that is not consistent with the uses for the park that have been designated by the director of the park, including charging admission, serving or consuming alcoholic beverages, or conducting business.

Our personal injury attorneys are familiar with different types of personal injury cases and can help determine if you have a valid claim.

Complete our Free Case Evaluation form.

Steps to Take After Being Injured in Portland, OR

While our entire legal team can help to obtain the information that we need to build a robust argument for your compensation claim, there are several things you can do immediately following an accident to help ensure your well-being and help support your case to recover the compensation you deserve:

Seek Medical Attention

The first thing to do after an accident is to seek medical attention. Even if you think your injuries are minor, it is still important to be examined by a qualified medical professional. Certain injuries may not become apparent until days or even weeks later, only to become more serious over time. A doctor can conduct a detailed examination to diagnose all of your injuries and start a treatment plan.

Waiting to seek treatment could lengthen your recovery time and give insurers and attorneys for the at-fault party reason to doubt that your injuries were caused by the accident.

Collect Evidence at the Scene

Gather as much information at the scene as possible If you are physically able and it is safe to do so. This includes writing down a description of what happened, where it happened, and how it happened. Use your cellphone camera to take pictures of the accident scene, including the area where you were injured, any property damage sustained, and your injuries, including visible marks and torn or bloody clothing.

If there are any witnesses present, ask them to describe what they saw and take detailed notes. You should also write down their names and contact information so you and your Portland personal injury attorney can reach out for more information or follow-up questions at a later date. It may be very difficult or impossible to find witnesses days or weeks after the accident, which is why it is so critical to talk to them right after the accident.

Hire an Experienced Portland Personal Injury Attorney

After receiving the appropriate medical care, you should strongly consider contacting an experienced attorney to discuss your legal options. Our personal injury lawyers in Portland can investigate your case and begin collecting evidence to help hold any at-fault party responsible for your injury.

We can review your situation during a free consultation to determine if you may be entitled to compensation and the types of damages that could be available.

Speak to an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney in Portland, OR Today

Suffering a personal injury can be a devastating experience, often causing life-altering injuries for victims and their loved ones. Receiving medical care and being unable to work due to the accident can lead to mounting bills that may affect your physical and emotional well-being.

Contacting a knowledgeable Portland personal injury attorney at Rizk Law can be a positive step in your path to recovery.

We work on a contingency fee basis and will not charge any fees or costs for our services unless we help you recover favorable compensation.

Local Call 503-245-5677 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury in Portland

How long is the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Oregon?

In most cases the Oregon statute of limitations 2 years from when the loss occurred or for hidden injuries two years after the injured person knew or should have known of the injury.  For minors, a suit should be filed no later than 10 months after the minors’ 18th birthday. Exceptions do exist. Never wait until the last minute as Portland personal injury attorneys need time to prepare and evaluate a claim for a suit.

How long will my personal injury take to settle?

In most injury claims, the settlement requires that the injured person reach a maximum level of medical improvement so the injured person’s damages are known or at least can be reasonably estimated. In other words, resolution follows medicine. Settlement is a voluntary agreement between two or more parties. If all do not agree on terms, no settlement will occur.

Should I hire a personal injury lawyer?

Yes. A 2018 study by the All-Industry Advisory Council found that claimants who hired a personal injury lawyer received significantly more  ( up to 3.5x more) with the help of a qualified personal injury attorney compared with those who did not hire one. While hiring a personal injury lawyer does not guarantee anything, hiring one dramatically increases the probability of a good outcome.