Keizer, OR Truck Accident Lawyer

We Represent Victims of Truck Accidents in Keizer, OR and Throughout Marion County

X

Truck crashes in Keizer can change a family’s life in a matter of seconds. One moment you are commuting along River Road or heading toward Keizer Station, the next you are facing serious injuries, damaged vehicles, and mounting questions about what to do. In these situations, the path forward is rarely simple.

At Johnston Personal Injury Law Firm, led by attorney Marc A. Johnston, we help injured people make sense of that chaos. From our Portland office, we represent clients throughout Oregon, including Keizer and nearby Salem, Woodburn, and other Mid-Willamette Valley communities. Our role is to protect your rights, manage the details, and pursue full compensation while you focus on healing.

We Hold Truckers & Trucking Companies Accountable for Accidents That Happen Due to Their Negligence

Truck drivers and trucking companies must follow strict safety rules. When they cut corners on rest breaks, maintenance, training, or route planning, the results can be devastating for everyone else on the road. In Keizer, where local streets intersect with regional freight routes, negligent trucking practices place everyday drivers at risk.

Our firm focuses on holding these corporations and their insurers financially responsible when their choices cause harm. We investigate not only what the truck driver did, but also the systems behind that driver: hiring practices, safety policies, dispatch pressures, and past violations. By looking at the full picture, we build cases that address both individual mistakes and company-wide negligence.

Where Most Truck Accidents Happen in Keizer, OR

Keizer sits along Interstate 5 and just north of Salem, which means local drivers share the road with a steady stream of commercial trucks. Collisions often occur at or near familiar corridors where traffic is heavy, speeds vary, and visibility can be limited.

• River Rd N and Chemawa Rd NE: Busy cross-traffic, frequent turning movements, and nearby businesses create congestion and sudden stops that increase rear-end and side-impact crash risks.
• I-5 near Keizer Station and Chemawa interchange: High speeds, complex merging, and vehicles entering or exiting the shopping area contribute to lane-change collisions and multi-vehicle pileups.
• River Rd N between Lockhaven Dr NE and Hayesville area: Heavy commuter traffic, multiple driveways, and limited gaps for left turns make it difficult for trucks to maneuver safely.

These examples are not the only dangerous areas in Keizer, but they reflect common patterns where truck traffic and local driving habits collide. Wherever your accident occurred, careful investigation of the roadway, traffic flow, and visibility can play a crucial role in proving what happened.

What to Do if You’re Injured in a Keizer Truck Accident?

In the moments after a truck crash, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. You may be in pain, worried about passengers, and facing pressure from multiple people at the scene. A few deliberate steps can greatly strengthen your claim and protect your health and legal rights.

• Call 911: report the crash, request medical help, and ensure law enforcement documents the scene and gathers preliminary information.
• Get medical attention: accept treatment at the scene or visit an emergency room or urgent care as soon as possible, even for seemingly minor symptoms.
• Photograph the scene: capture vehicle positions, skid marks, road conditions, traffic signs, and any visible injuries before vehicles are moved.
• Collect information: exchange contact, insurance, and employer details with the truck driver and obtain names and numbers of any witnesses.
• Avoid discussing fault: do not apologize or speculate about what happened, keep your statements factual and brief.
• Notify your insurer: report the crash promptly, but do not provide recorded statements before speaking with a truck accident lawyer.
• Contact an attorney: reach out to an experienced Keizer truck accident attorney as soon as you can for guidance before dealing with the trucking insurer.

These actions help preserve critical evidence and reduce the chance that an insurance company will misinterpret your words or exploit gaps in documentation.

Don’t miss out on these common personal injury mistakes.

Get the legal counsel you need to guide you through the process of filing an injury claim.

Your Rights After a Truck Accident

Truck accident victims often underestimate the protections they have under Oregon law. You are not required to simply accept the trucking company’s version of events or the first number an insurer offers.

• You have the right to seek medical care from providers you trust.
• You have the right to refuse recorded statements to opposing insurers.
• You have the right to pursue compensation for economic and non-economic losses.
• You have the right to hire an attorney to negotiate and litigate for you.
• You have the right to be free from retaliation for asserting your legal claims.
• You have the right to take your case to court if a fair settlement is not offered.

Exercising these rights can feel intimidating when you are recovering from injuries. A knowledgeable attorney can stand between you and the trucking or insurance companies, ensuring your rights are actually enforced, not just theoretical.

Compensation for Keizer Truck Accident Victims

A serious truck crash affects more than just your vehicle. It can change your health, your work life, your family routines, and your long-term plans. Oregon law recognizes these broad impacts by allowing injured people to pursue several categories of damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages cover the tangible financial losses tied to your injuries. These losses are often documented through bills, receipts, and wage records, but may also include future costs that require expert analysis. Our firm works with medical, vocational, and financial experts to project these needs accurately.

Typical economic damages include:

• Past and future medical bills and rehabilitation costs
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Prescription medications, assistive devices, and medical supplies
• Property damage, including repair or replacement of your vehicle
• Travel expenses for medical appointments and therapies

By presenting a clear, well-supported economic picture, we help ensure you are not left paying for injuries that someone else’s negligence caused.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages address the very real human experiences that do not show up on an invoice. Pain, anxiety, loss of sleep, and the inability to participate in activities you once enjoyed are all serious consequences of a truck accident. These damages recognize how your daily life and relationships have changed since the crash.

Courts and insurers evaluate non-economic damages by considering the severity and duration of your injuries, the impact on your independence, and the emotional toll of the event itself. While no amount of money can undo trauma, recovering non-economic damages can provide a measure of justice and support as you rebuild your life.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are not awarded in every case. They are reserved for situations where a truck driver, company, or other party engaged in especially reckless or outrageous conduct. Examples might include driving while highly intoxicated, intentionally disabling safety equipment, or knowingly forcing drivers to violate hours-of-service rules.

These damages are meant to punish egregious behavior and deter similar conduct in the future, rather than to compensate you for specific medical bills or wage losses. When the facts support a claim for punitive damages, raising that issue can significantly change the dynamics of negotiation and litigation, particularly with large trucking carriers.

Every truck accident claim is unique, which is why a careful analysis of both financial and personal harm is so important. Our goal is to identify all available categories of compensation, so you are not left managing long-term consequences without adequate support.

How Johnston Personal Injury Law Can Help

Facing a trucking company and its insurer on your own is a bit like stepping onto the field against a seasoned team without a coach. At Johnston Personal Injury Law Firm, we provide that guidance. We bring experience from hundreds of personal injury and wrongful death cases, including complex insurance coverage disputes, and apply it to your specific situation.

• We handle all the paperwork: manage forms, filings, medical records, and insurer communications so you are not buried in administrative tasks.
• We investigate the crash thoroughly: gather evidence from police reports, electronic logging devices, witness statements, and company records to understand what really happened.
• We protect you from insurance tactics: screen calls, advise you on communications, and prevent adjusters from twisting your words or pressuring you into low settlements.
• We coordinate with your medical providers: help ensure your injuries are properly documented so that treatment and long-term needs are reflected in your claim.
• We calculate your full damages: work with experts to assess future medical needs, lost earning capacity, and non-economic harm, not just initial bills.
• We negotiate from a position of strength: use evidence, preparation, and litigation readiness to push for fair settlement offers.
• We are prepared for trial: if negotiations fail, we take your case to court and present your story clearly to a judge or jury.

In every step, our focus is on clarity, preparation, and advocacy. We want you to understand what is happening in your case, why it matters, and how each decision fits into a larger strategy for recovery.