Portland Government Vehicle Accident Lawyer

We Handle Government
Vehicle Accidents in Portland and Throughout Oregon

When another driver crashes into your car and causes you injury, you can file a claim against their insurance policy or even file a claim against the negligent driver in civil court to seek compensation for your medical bills and other losses. However, what happens if the driver who hit you was operating a government-owned vehicle at the time of the crash?

Car accidents involving government vehicles can be significantly more complicated than cases involving privately owned vehicles. But nonetheless, it does not mean that you will not be able to financially recover for your losses. 

At Johnston Law Firm, we represent individuals injured in accidents involving government vehicles in Portland and throughout Oregon. If you have questions about your rights or the claims process, contact us today for a free consultation. Call 503-546-3167 to discuss your case with an experienced Portland government vehicle accident attorney.

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How Our Portland Attorneys Can Help You With Your Government Vehicle Accident Claim

Government vehicle accident claims are often subject to different legal rules than ordinary car accident cases. Our Portland attorneys understand the Oregon Tort Claims Act and work diligently to protect your rights while pursuing the compensation you deserve.

• Investigate the collision: We gather evidence to establish how the crash occurred.
• Determine government liability: We identify the responsible agency and applicable legal standards.
• Meet critical deadlines: We ensure required notices and filings are submitted on time.
• Preserve important evidence: We secure records before they become unavailable.
• Handle insurance communications: We protect clients from unfair tactics during the claims process.
• Calculate full damages: We evaluate both current and future accident-related losses.
• Prepare every case thoroughly: We build strong claims whether settlement or litigation becomes necessary.

Our goal is to make a complicated legal process more manageable while giving your case the attention it deserves. From the initial investigation through final resolution, we remain committed to protecting your interests and maximizing your financial recovery.

Government Vehicles
That Commonly Cause Collisions

While you may not always realize it, government vehicles are regularly driving next to us on the streets of Portland. There are many different types of government vehicles that can be involved in collisions and the following are only a few examples.

• Police cars – Law enforcement officers drive special vehicles supplied by their police department. Whether the cars are marked or unmarked, police officers have the duty to operate their vehicles in a safe manner. Especially when police are involved in high-speed chases, they should always be aware of the safety of other motorists. When an officer does not use the proper care or becomes aggressive on the road, injuries and/or fatalities can result.

• Fire trucks – When someone calls the fire department with an emergency, time is generally of the essence. While the fire department employees need to rush to the scene, they should always be aware that they are operating a large vehicle that can cause serious damage and injury if it crashes.
• Ambulances – Similar to fire trucks, ambulance drivers are often in a hurry to get to a patient or transport a patient to a medical center. However, ambulances should always use their lights, sirens, and right to violate traffic signals in a responsible manner to avoid collisions.
• Agency vehicles – Many employees of the state of Oregon drive government-owned vehicles on a daily basis. If such employees are engaged in their job duties at the time of the crash, the government should be deemed responsible. However, if an employee was using the vehicle in a private capacity, they would be held responsible on their own.

The Oregon Tort Claims Act and Your Government Vehicle Accident Claim

If you were injured in an accident involving a government vehicle that was operated by someone on the job, you likely assume you will simply have to file a personal injury lawsuit against the government entity that owned the vehicle.

While this is a natural assumption, the law in Oregon protects the government and its employees from being sued. This protection is set out in the Oregon Tort Claims Act and is based on the concept of sovereign immunity, which mandated that British civilians could not sue their king.

While the government is technically immune from lawsuits, it can – and does – waive that immunity in certain situations. One such situation occurs when someone is injured or killed in a car accident with a government vehicle driven by an employee performing their job duties. While Oregon will generally waive its immunity in these situations, it does not mean that the legal process of filing a claim is simple.

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.

What to Do After an Accident Involving a Government Vehicle

The actions you take after a collision with a government vehicle can significantly affect your health and your legal rights. Acting promptly also helps preserve evidence that may become more difficult to obtain over time.

• Call emergency services: Report the accident immediately and request police and medical assistance if anyone has been injured.
• Seek medical treatment: Obtain a medical evaluation as soon as possible, even if your injuries initially appear minor.
• Document the scene: Photograph the vehicles, road conditions, traffic controls, visible injuries, and any relevant property damage.
• Identify the government agency: Record the vehicle number, agency name, driver’s identity, and any identifying information available.
• Gather witness information: Obtain names and contact information for anyone who witnessed the collision.
• Preserve all records: Keep medical bills, repair estimates, correspondence, photographs, and receipts related to the accident.
• Consult an attorney promptly: Government claims involve strict deadlines, making early legal guidance particularly important.

Government vehicle accident claims often require compliance with unique procedural rules that do not apply to ordinary car accident cases. Speaking with an attorney early can help ensure important deadlines are met, and valuable evidence is preserved before it disappears.

Requirements For a 
Government Lawsuit

You have two years to prepare and file a lawsuit in regular car accident cases. However, under the Oregon Tort Claims Act, you only have 180 days to file a claim after the injury. If you have been hindered by your injury, you only get an extra 90 days. In cases of wrongful death, the time limit is lengthened, but only to one year.

In addition to stricter time limits, there are also strict limits on how much you can recover from the Oregon government. If you are the only injured person, you may seek up to $2,718,200 (as of July 2026), and multiple people involved in the same crash may only seek $5,436,300 together. Moreover, if the claim is against a local public body like a city or county rather than the state government, a separate set of caps applies under ORS 30.272, which limits recovery to $902,700 for a single claimant and $1,805,300 for multiple claimants during this same timeframe.

Seeking Compensation for Injuries After a Crash Involving a Portland Government Vehicle

A government entity’s involvement does not prevent injured victims from pursuing compensation when negligence causes an accident. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to recover damages for both your financial losses and the personal impact of your injuries.

You may be able to recover compensation for:

• Medical expenses: Compensation may include emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medications, rehabilitation, physical therapy, follow-up appointments, and the anticipated cost of future medical care related to your injuries.
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity: If your injuries prevent you from working temporarily or permanently, you may recover compensation for lost wages, diminished earning potential, employment benefits, and future income losses.
• Pain and suffering: Oregon law may allow recovery for the physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, inconvenience, and reduced quality of life resulting from serious accident-related injuries.
• Property damage: You may seek compensation for repairing or replacing your vehicle, along with other personal property damaged during the collision, when supported by the available evidence.
• Wrongful death damages: When a government vehicle accident results in a fatality, certain surviving family members may pursue compensation for funeral expenses, financial losses, and other damages allowed under Oregon law.

Recoverable damages depend on the specific facts of each case and may also be affected by the Oregon Tort Claims Act. Our attorneys carefully evaluate every available category of compensation to pursue the fullest recovery permitted under the law.

Frequently Asked Questions About Government Vehicle Accident Claims