Portland Single Car
Accident Lawyer

We Handle Single Car Accident Claims in Portland and Throughout Oregon

Single car accidents happen all the time in Portland, and all over Oregon. A tire can lose grip on rain-slick pavement along the Sunset Highway, a driver may swerve to avoid a car drifting across the line on I-5, or a deep pothole on SE Powell Boulevard can send a vehicle into a guardrail. Because no other car was hit, many people assume they have no claim at all. That assumption costs injured Oregonians a great deal of money every year, and a lot of financial stress in terms of covering medical bills.

At Johnston Law Firm, our Portland car accident lawyers know that a single car crash rarely has a single cause. Road defects, faulty vehicle parts, careless drivers who leave the scene, and negligent repair shops can all play a part.

Led by attorney Marc A. Johnston, who has handled more than 800 personal injury and wrongful death cases, our team looks at every angle to find who is legally responsible for your injuries. We are available 24/7; we return calls the same day, and we can start work on your case right away. Call (503) 546-3167 or contact us online for a free consultation.

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How Our Portland Attorneys Can Help With Your Single Car Accident Claim

Single car accident claims are often harder to win than multi-vehicle collisions. Insurers tend to treat the driver as the obvious culprit, and the evidence that proves otherwise (skid marks, road debris, a recalled part) can vanish within days. That is why we move fast, and why our process follows a clear sequence:

• Free consultation: We listen to your account, review your photos and reports, and tell you honestly whether you have a viable claim.
• Investigation: We secure the police report, document the crash site, preserve your vehicle and its event data recorder, and bring in accident reconstruction experts when needed.
• Liability analysis: We identify every party whose negligence contributed to the crash, from a public road agency to a parts manufacturer.
• Negotiation: We send a documented demand to each insurer and push back when adjusters try to pin the crash on you.
• Litigation: If talks stall, we file suit (usually in Multnomah County Circuit Court at the Central Courthouse on SW 1st Avenue) and prepare your case for trial.

We handle these cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We also handle all the paperwork related to your case, keep you informed about every development (from new evidence to settlement offers), and meet every filing deadline, taking all the case’s burden off your shoulders, so that you can focus on recovery. 

Causes of Single Car Accidents We Typically Serve in Portland

Portland’s steep hills, winding roads, and packed commuter corridors create plenty of ways to lose control without touching another car. The causes we see most often include:

• Dangerous road conditions: Potholes, crumbling shoulders, faded lane markings, and poorly banked curves, such as the bends along SW Terwilliger Boulevard and the Sunset Highway descent through the West Hills.
• Weather hazards: Rain leads to hydroplaning on I-5 and I-84, while winter ice storms turn bridges and overpasses into skating rinks.
• Illegal or evasive maneuvers: For example, a driver may cut across lanes on I-405 or run a red light on NE 82nd Avenue, and can force you off the road with no contact at all.
• Vehicle defects: Tread separation, brake failure, steering problems, and airbags that fail to deploy can cause a crash or make injuries far worse.
• Debris and obstacles: Unsecured truck cargo, construction materials left in a lane, and branches downed by a windstorm.

Heavy traffic makes all of these risks worse. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, most crashes in Oregon’s urban areas happen at intersections, and serious injuries statewide have climbed sharply since 2021. In a city where thousands of commuters squeeze across the Marquam and Fremont bridges every morning, a split-second swerve can end in a concrete barrier.

Parties We Can Hold Accountable for Your Single Car Accident

The phrase “single car” describes how many vehicles crashed, not how many people were at fault. Depending on the facts, we may pursue a claim against:

• Government agencies: The Portland Bureau of Transportation, Multnomah County, or ODOT may be liable when poor road design, unrepaired potholes, or missing warning signs cause a crash.
• Vehicle and parts manufacturers: Oregon’s product liability statutes (ORS 30.900 to 30.920) allow claims against makers and sellers of defective tires, brakes, steering components, and airbags.
• Repair shops: A mechanic who botched a brake job or ignored an open recall may share the blame.
• Other drivers: A driver who forces you off the road can be liable even without contact.
• The driver of your vehicle: Injured passengers can file a claim against the driver’s liability policy, even when the driver is a friend or relative.
• Employers: When the driver was on the job, the employer and its commercial policy may be responsible.

Here is a common example. A client’s car slides off a curve where neighbors had reported a crumbling shoulder for months. The insurer blames the driver, but the real claim may run against the public agency that knew about the hazard and did nothing. Finding that paper trail is exactly the kind of work our attorneys do.

Compensation We Can Help You Recover After a Single Car Accident

Your first source of payment is often your own auto policy. Oregon requires every auto policy to include Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which covers at least $15,000 in medical expenses no matter who caused the crash. Serious injuries burn through that quickly, which is where a liability claim comes in.

• Medical expenses: Emergency care at OHSU Hospital or Legacy Emanuel Medical Center (Portland’s Level I trauma centers), surgery, rehabilitation, and future treatment.
• Lost income: Wages missed during recovery and reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to your job.
• Property damage: Repair or replacement of your vehicle and belongings.
• Non-economic damages: Pain, emotional distress, scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful death damages: Funeral costs, lost financial support, and the loss of companionship for surviving family members.

Claims against public bodies are subject to damage limits under ORS 30.272, so the strategy for a road defect case often differs from a product defect case.

Steps to Take After a Single Car Accident in Portland

What you do in the first few days can make or break a single car accident claim. When possible, take these steps:

• Get medical care: Some injuries, including concussions and internal bleeding, show no symptoms for hours.
• Photograph everything: Capture the road surface, signage, debris, tire marks, and your vehicle from several angles.
• File a DMV report: Under ORS 811.720, you must report a crash to the Oregon DMV within 72 hours if anyone was injured or vehicle damage exceeds $2,500.
• Preserve your vehicle: Do not let the insurer salvage or repair it until we inspect it, since a defective part or its data recorder may be the key evidence.
• Call us before giving a statement: Insurers often record early statements and use small details to blame the driver.

Oregon Laws and Deadlines That Affect Your Single Car Accident Claim

Most injury lawsuits in Oregon must be filed within two years under ORS 12.110. Claims against a public body move much faster: the Oregon Tort Claims Act (ORS 30.275) generally requires formal notice within 180 days of the injury. Miss that window and a strong road defect case can disappear.

Oregon also follows modified comparative fault under ORS 31.600. You can recover damages as long as your share of the blame is not greater than the combined fault of the parties you are suing, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. So even if you were driving a little too fast for the rain, a defective tire or an unmarked hazard may still entitle you to compensation.

Settlement vs. Trial

Most single car accident claims settle. A settlement is faster and more predictable, while a trial takes longer but can produce a larger award when an insurer refuses to be reasonable. Cases tend to slow down when injuries are still being treated, when several insurers point fingers at each other, or when a government agency is involved. We prepare every file as if it will go to trial, which usually leads to better offers sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions About Single Car Accident Claims

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