Incidents involving personal injuries can happen anywhere. Anytime a person is injured as the result of another person or company’s reckless or negligent conduct, you have the basis for a personal injury case. Perhaps you suffered an injury as the result of a car accident caused by another driver, or maybe you suffered a slip or fall incident as the result of wet floors at your local grocery store. These types of accidents are common, and can result in serious injuries and financial losses due to medical bills and lost wages.
It is important to know what to do after a personal injury incident in order to ensure you protect both yourself and your right to receive compensation for your injuries. Regardless of how severe your injuries may appear at the time, even a minor incident can result in major impacts on your life and livelihood.
Negligence in Personal Injury Incidents
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidental and unintentional injuries constitute the fourth leading cause of death in this country, and result in millions of hospital emergency room visits each year. While nobody intends for these types of injuries to occur, there is often someone or something responsible for the conditions leading to the injury.
Negligence is a legal theory under which injured people can recover damages. Negligence is generally defined as reckless conduct, or failing to take reasonable care to avoid situations that could cause injuries. Oregon is a comparative negligence state, which means that, under Section 031.600 of the Oregon State Statutes, the amount of damages for a personal injury claim a responsible party may have to pay can be reduced if it can be proven that the injured person was also somewhat to blame for the injury.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim
If you are involved in a personal injury incident, what you say and do in the immediate aftermath of your injury is of tremendous importance. Insurance companies will get involved and attempt to get you to either admit to being at fault for the accident yourself, or to drop your claim. If you persist in seeking compensation for your injuries, the insurance adjuster will likely try to persuade you to settle for far less than what your claim is actually worth.
In order to get the compensation you deserve for your injuries, you will want to speak to a knowledgeable Oregon personal injury attorney about filing a claim or lawsuit. In order for your personal injury claim to be successful, make sure you do the following:
- When an incident occurs, request medical care for your injuries immediately;
- Be careful not to accept or admit any blame when making statements for police or incident reports;
- Get a copy of the police or incident report as soon as possible;
- Get the names of people involved in the incident, as well as any witnesses;
- Keep thorough records regarding medical treatments and expenses, as well as any recommendations as far as ongoing care and potential recovery times; and
- Keep records regarding lost wages and any other expenses incurred as a result of the injury, such as property damage and repairs.
Before making any statements to insurance company representatives or claims adjusters, speak with our experienced personal injury attorney first.
Contact Our Portland Personal Injury Attorneys
If you or someone you know has suffered a personal injury, contact our experienced Portland personal injury attorneys immediately. At the Johnston Law Firm, we have the experience you need in handling personal injury cases and will get you the full amount of compensation you deserve for your injuries. Do not settle for less than what you deserve. Before speaking with the insurance company, call our Portland personal injury attorneys today for a free review of your case.