Beaverton Motorcycle
Accident Lawyer

We Handle Motorcycle Accident Claims in Beaverton and Throughout Oregon

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Known for its diverse community and its blend of small-town charm and big-city living, Beaverton is a great place to put down roots. With the coast and the mountains both within reach, it’s also a great place to ride. But whether you’re commuting along Canyon Road, merging onto Highway 217, or heading out of town on the Sunset Highway, motorcyclists face risks that drivers of enclosed vehicles never do. When a careless driver causes a crash, a rider can suffer life-changing injuries in an instant.

Johnston Law Firm is based in Portland, but we also represent injured motorcyclists in Beaverton, Washington County, and communities throughout Oregon. Led by attorney Marc A. Johnston, our team understands how insurance companies evaluate claims and how they often try to blame riders for crashes they didn’t cause. We use that knowledge to fight for the full compensation you deserve.

If you were injured in a Beaverton motorcycle accident, call Johnston Law Firm at (503) 546-3167 or complete our contact form for a free consultation. We are available 24/7, and you pay nothing unless we win your case.

How Our Attorneys Can Help With Your Beaverton Motorcycle Accident Claim

Motorcycle accident claims are rarely simple. Insurers often assume the rider was speeding or reckless, and the injuries involved tend to be severe and expensive to treat. When you hire Johnston Law Firm, our attorneys take on the work of building your case so you can focus on healing. We will:

• Investigate your crash thoroughly by gathering police reports, scene photographs, witness statements, and any surveillance or dashcam footage that shows what really happened.
• Work with accident reconstruction experts to counter claims that you were speeding, weaving, or otherwise responsible for the collision.
• Document the full extent of your injuries by working with your doctors and medical experts to establish your long-term prognosis and future care needs.
• Calculate the true value of your claim, including future medical costs, lost earning capacity, and the impact your injuries have on your daily life.
• Handle all communication with insurance companies so that nothing you say can be used to shift blame or reduce your compensation.
• Explore every source of recovery, including the at-fault driver’s policy and your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
• Take your case to trial when necessary. We prepare every case as if it will go before a jury, which gives us leverage during settlement negotiations.
• Represent you on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no upfront costs and owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Our approach has produced strong results for injured riders, including a $1.5 million recovery for a client hurt in a motorcycle accident.

The Unique Toll of Motorcycle Accidents

A motorcycle may be one of the most exhilarating ways to get around, but it can also be one of the most dangerous. Without the protection offered by a car, motorcyclists can sustain severe injuries if they come off their bikes. In 2024, Oregon recorded 911crashes involving motorcycle riders, which claimed the lives of 84 riders and left 391 more with serious injuries.

Also, unlike pedestrians and bicyclists — the other two most vulnerable groups of road users — motorcyclists can travel at highway speeds. Even at lower speeds, however, riders have no steel frame, airbags, or seat belts to shield them, which leaves them vulnerable to serious injuries when they collide with another vehicle or a stationary object, or are thrown from their bikes. Per mile traveled, motorcyclists died at a rate almost 27 times higher than passenger car occupants in 2024, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Injuries in motorcycle accidents

Not all motorcyclists walk away from their accidents. In 2024, 6,228 motorcyclists were killed nationwide, representing 16 percent of all traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Per mile traveled, motorcyclists died at a rate almost 27 times higher than passenger car occupants. 

If you are grieving the loss of a beloved family member in a Beaverton motorcycle accident, you have our deepest sympathy. 

We are ready to hear your story. Our wrongful death attorneys can advise you on whether you have the right to sue a negligent driver for damages.

Injuries in motorcycle accidents are often serious, with the following among the most common:

• Lower extremity injuries: The feet and legs are very vulnerable in a motorcycle accident, as they are exposed. The motorcycle itself may fall on the rider during the crash, exerting hundreds of pounds of pressure and causing crush injuries.
• Upper extremity injuries: We naturally put our hands out to protect ourselves when thrown from a motorcycle. However, this can result in serious arm and shoulder injuries that may require surgery and rehabilitation.
• Head injuries: Helmets massively help to reduce the severity of many accidents, but they cannot completely protect the head from all injuries. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can lead to permanent disabilities in the most severe cases.
• Spinal cord injuries: When the spine is damaged in a motorcycle accident, the result can be paralysis. This life-changing injury affects your ability to work and enjoy a normal family life.

Even relatively minor motorcycle accident injuries can cause your medical expenses and lost earnings from time off work to mount very quickly. It’s crucial to talk to an experienced Beaverton motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Your personal injury attorney can advise you on the compensation you may be entitled to and fight for the best possible settlement if he or she agrees to take on your case.

The long-term impact of serious motorcycle accident injuries

When the force and speed of a motorcycle collision combine to cause catastrophic injuries, your life may never return to the way it was before. While your work and family life may change, a fair settlement can help you get the best out of life and explore new possibilities.

Johnston Law Firm motorcycle accident lawyers are not interested in closing cases quickly and moving on. We care about our clients and take time to fully understand the impact their motorcycle crash has had on every aspect of their lives. 

Our attorneys may examine the following to give you the best chance of securing maximum compensation for life-saving injuries:

• Detailed medical records, including your diagnosis, treatment plans, and notes on your progress
• Evidence of surgeries, therapies, and rehabilitation completed
• Photographs of your injuries immediately after the accident
• Testimonies from medical expert witnesses who can speak to your long-term prognosis and future care needs
• Witness statements from friends and family testifying to the impact of your injuries on your everyday life

Why strong evidence matters

The more details you can provide, the more compelling the evidence will be, and the stronger a case your motorcycle accident attorney may be able to build for the compensation you deserve. However, you may wonder how it is possible now to estimate the cost of living with a disability for the rest of your life.

Our motorcycle accident lawyers may at times work with financial experts, along with medical professionals, to uncover the true cost of your future care. The testimony of experts, along with the evidence compiled on the impact of your injuries, can give your attorney the ammunition needed to battle hard for a fair outcome.

Understanding Your Beaverton Motorcycle Accident

Before your motorcycle accident lawyer can present evidence of the impact of your injuries, he or she needs to prove that another person’s negligence was the cause of your motorcycle accident. Each Beaverton motorcycle accident is unique, but there are common patterns that repeat themselves in many accidents. Understanding why your motorcycle accident happened is crucial to identify the responsible party.

Common motorcycle accident scenarios

The following are explanations of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents and who may be responsible for them:

• Left turns: The most common cause of motorcycle accidents in the world, misjudged or reckless left turns can cause T-bone accidents that can cause catastrophic injuries to motorcycle riders and passengers. Drivers who fail to take motorcycles into account when executing left turns are the most likely liable parties in these scenarios. In 2024 alone, 85 Oregon motorcycle riders were seriously injured, and four were killed in crashes where a driver failed to yield the right of way or changed lanes improperly.
• Distracted driving: Talking on the phone, texting, operating vehicle controls, and eating are all part of the scourge of distracted driving that causes many motorcycle accidents each year.A distracted driver who failed to notice a motorcyclist and executed a negligent maneuver will probably be the liable party.
• Reckless driving: Sudden lane changes, abrupt braking, tailgating, and even opening car doors unexpectedly can all cause motorcycle crashes that cause severe injuries.The liable party will likely be the negligent driver who drove without appropriate care for other users or failed to look before opening his or her car door. 
• Poor road conditions and lighting: Roadway conditions that are relatively safe for cars can be extremely dangerous for motorcycles. Potholes, uneven surfaces, hazardous joints, gravel, standing water, and inadequate lighting can have a disproportionately greater impact on motorcyclists, causing them to lose control of their motorcycles and suffer injuries. The local municipality responsible for road maintenance and lighting may bear some liability.
• Alcohol and drugs: Sadly, many motorcycle accidents involve at least some negligence on the part of the rider. In 2024, 1,606 motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes nationwide were alcohol-impaired, about 25 percent of all riders in fatal crashes, according to NHTSA. A rider who was impaired may bear some liability. However, under Oregon’s comparative fault rule, a rider who was 50 percent or less at fault may still recover compensation, reduced by their share of fault.

Proving liability

Our Beaverton motorcycle accident attorneys can dig deep to uncover evidence of what actually happened in your accident. However, to make a claim of liability stick, the evidence must be compelling enough to convince an insurance company or jury that the other party’s negligence directly caused your injuries and the resulting damages.

Strong evidence for liability may include:

• Photographs from the accident scene
• Surveillance camera or dashcam footage
• Witness statements
• Reports from accident reconstruction specialists
• Police reports, especially when they include citations or traffic violations

Gathering compelling evidence and building a strong case can be a complex process. In motorcycle accident cases, the tendency is to blame the rider. Your Johnston Law Firm attorney can fight hard to build a strong case to prove otherwise.

Legal Rights of Beaverton Motorcycle Accident Victims

Beaverton motorcycle accident victims can benefit from Oregon’s fault-based insurance system. It requires a negligent or reckless at-fault party to pay damages for the injuries he or she caused the motorcycle rider.

Depending on the circumstances of your case, you could be entitled to the following damages:

• Economic damages: Funds to reimburse the motorcycle accident victim for financial losses, including medical bills, lost wages, and property damage
• Non-economic damages: Financial compensation for intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life
• Punitive damages: In cases involving reckless, unlawful behavior, a court may award punitive damages to punish the at-fault driver and discourage future wrongdoing

It is crucial to act promptly after a motorcycle accident in Beaverton. In general, Oregon residents only have 2 years to sue for motorcycle accident injuries.

Without legal representation, you will be all alone facing the might of the insurance company, which is likely prejudiced against motorcyclists and also determined to protect its bottom line. However, with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney on your side, the pressure is taken off your shoulders. You focus on healing, while we concentrate on fighting for fair compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Beaverton Motorcycle Accident Claims