Monmouth Car Accident Attorney

Auto Accident Lawyer Representing Injury Victims in Monmouth, OR

Life is filled with surprises but unfortunately not all of them turn out to be positive. Car accidents are among those negative surprises that some of us may go through during our lifetime. These events can spin us into a world of confusion and stress, but that does not mean that hope is lost. We at the Johnston Law Firm will be here to help you if you or a loved one is injured in a car accident. We will listen to you and help give you our best and most honest legal advice. Give us a call today at 503-546-3167.

Most Common Types of Car Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are so varied in so many ways, but one aspect of a car accident that has similarities is the cause. Human error is one of the most common causes of car accidents. Some of the most common causes are listed below:

Illegal lane changes
Driving too fast for the current conditions
Speeding
Distracted driving
Failing to avoid an oncoming vehicle

What Types of Damages are Monmouth Car Accident Victims Eligible For?

In car accidents in the state of Oregon, there are two types of damages eligible for compensation, both of which are designed to compensate the victim.

Economic Damages: compensate an injured plaintiff for direct financial losses, such as medication costs, hospitalization stays, surgery bills and lost wages. Economic damages are defined by Oregon law as “objectively verifiable monetary losses including but not limited to reasonable charges necessarily incurred for medical, hospital, nursing and rehabilitative services and other health care services, burial and memorial expenses, loss of income and past and future impairment of earning capacity”.

Noneconomic Damages: compensate an injured plaintiff for more subjective losses such as emotional trauma or distress. Oregon law defines these as “subjective, non-monetary losses, including but not limited to pain, mental suffering, emotional distress, humiliation”. These damages are more difficult to quantify, as emotional pain can be traumatic and long-lasting, as well as difficult to recover from.

How to Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Monmouth

If you or a loved one are injured in a car accident, your first step will be to get to safety and call your insurance company to report the accident. Do not give a recorded statement without first reaching out to us at the Johnston Law Firm.

When you contact us, we will listen to what happened and assess whether we can help you or if we can find some help for you. If we feel that we can best represent you and your family in this difficult time, we will invite you in for an in-person meeting to discuss your case further. We will then give you the necessary documents to sign should you choose to hire our team. Reach out to us as soon as possible, we are here to help.

Determining Liability in Monmouth Car Accidents

In car accident cases, one of the most vital aspects that will have a large impact on the entirety of the process is determining liability. Liability is who will accept blame, who will accept the consequences. If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident in Monmouth and were rear ended, liability might be accepted very quickly. In other circumstances, this will be the first hurdle insurance companies and their clients will need to clear. To determine liability, insurance companies and other interested parties will investigate the following items:

Driving records of drivers involved
Physical evidence at the scene
Vehicle damage to all vehicles
Possible witness accounts of the accident
Police reports

Common Injuries from Car Accidents

Unpredictable events such as car accidents have unexpected results. In some cases, major crashes result in little to no injury, while in other cases, minor accidents result in life-altering injuries. Therefore it is so important to follow the necessary steps after an accident, including seeing Urgent Care or your primary care physician as soon as possible. The injuries listed below are some of the most common seen from car accidents in Oregon.

Whiplash
Lower body trauma
Head trauma
Bulging discs in back
Herniated discs in back
Lower back stiffness
Neck soreness and stiffness

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I get my vehicle damage paid for?

This will depend on who claims liability for the accident and the at-fault driver’s insurance. For example, if you are rear ended and the at-fault driver’s insurance accepts liability, it is likely that they will either cover the damage or offer a check to buy your vehicle. If they deem it totaled, they will offer you a check to buy the vehicle from you.

How do my medical bills get paid for?

In many cases, when you begin a claim with your insurance and you are found to not be at fault, your insurance will cover any medical bills to a certain extent while the at-fault driver’s insurance will cover anything to do with the vehicle. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) can also help with these bills. PIP coverage comes from your own, or from another person’s auto insurance, and provides at least $15,000 of no-fault medical bill coverage so you can seek the treatment your need—even before health insurance kicks in to pay bills.

Should I give a recorded statement?

Do not give a recorded statement before calling us at the Johnston Law Firm, your dedicated and experienced Monmouth car accident lawyer. You will get calls every week to request this statement but you can simply ignore these calls or tell them you are not ready to give that at the moment.

Johnston Law Firm, located in Portland, handles car accident claims throughout Oregon, including Monmouth.

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