Portland Wrongful Death Attorney
About Johnston Law Firm
Removing Stress From Your Life
When a loved one dies, the focus should be on grieving, not on financial concerns. The Portland wrongful death attorney at the Johnston Law Firm assists family members of the deceased in their time of need. We are experienced and successful. We are compassionate toward your loss, and aggressive in your representation. We handle a wide range of wrongful death cases related to car, truck, bike, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, as well as medical negligence and misdiagnosis, pharmaceutical errors and product liability cases.
WE HANDLE YOUR CASE WHILE YOU GRIEVE IN YOUR OWN WAY
Johnston Law Firm understands the stress and worry you are feeling. Coupled with the grief of having a loved one killed in a car accident, you are concerned about your financial future. You don’t want to think about finances while you are grieving, but the reality is that you have to, especially if you’ve lost a significant wage earner in your family. We will take as much of the concern and worry off your shoulders as possible while you are grieving. We will fight and negotiate on your behalf, so you don’t have to worry about that aspect of your case.
Types of Wrongful Death Claims
- Car accident;
- Auto accidents;
- Truck accidents;
- Pedestrian accidents;
- Motorcycle accidents;
- Slip and fall accidents;
- Bicycle accidents;
- Dangerous product accidents; and
- More.
If your loved one has been killed in an accident and you’re not sure if you have a wrongful death claim, please call our law firm. We will review your case for free and provide you with an honest, straightforward answer about your options.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Action?
If you have lost a close friend or a loved one, you may be thinking about the possibility of bringing forth a wrongful death action on their behalf. However, you can only bring forth a wrongful death action if you are related to the decedent in some way. To be sure. Oregon statute holds that only the personal representative of the decedent can bring forth an action for wrongful death, and that that action can only be brought forth for the benefit of the “surviving spouse, surviving children, surviving parents,” and other individuals who would be entitled to inherit personal property of the decedent through the laws of intestate succession.
Wrongful Death & Fatalities in Oregon
It is an odd and painful concept to place a dollar value on a human life, but that’s essentially what is required in a wrongful death case. Our firm will complete a detailed investigation of your case, in an effort to determine the value of the claim. We will investigate the scene of the death when possible, and consider all factors related to fault. We typically hire top experts to assist with your case, including accident re-constructionists and economists, who will be available to testify if your case proceeds to trial. When your case is fully prepared, we will make a demand on the wrongdoer’s insurance company on behalf of you or your family. If the insurance company will not fairly compensate you for your loss, we will take your case to trial. We routinely seek compensation on behalf of family members of the deceased for:
- Loss of expected future earnings of the deceased
- Pain and suffering for the survivors
- Benefits lost due to the victims death
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of parenting benefits from parent to child
- Reimbursement for medical, burial and funeral expenses
- Any other costs applicable to your case.
Our goal is to settle your case quickly, efficiently, and for the full and fair compensation you are owed.
The reality is that most insurance companies will challenge or deny your claim in an attempt to protect their own assets. We have experience negotiating with insurance companies, and we will diligently investigate and prepare your case to ensure you receive a fair settlement. Contact our office to take advantage of a free case evaluation by an experienced lawyer.
How Can Our Oregon Wrongful Death Attorneys Help?
- Reviewing your case free of charge: The first thing that our law firm will do for you is to provide you with a free case consultation. During this time, we ask that you bring as much evidence and information about your case as possible. We will review everything that you have, and then advise you of your options and give you our professional opinion about how you can proceed. Because this is offered at zero cost and with zero obligation to hire our firm, it’s a service worth taking us up on - you have nothing to lose.
- Investigating your case: If you decide to work with us, our lawyers will start by opening a thorough investigation into your case. We will work with accident reconstruction experts, talk to witnesses, travel to the accident scene, get copies of the police report and medical records, and more in order to determine what went wrong, who’s to blame, and who should be held liable for your loved one’s death and the related damages experienced by your family.
- Calculating your damages: As explained above, you may be entitled to a range of both economic and noneconomic damages following the wrongful death of a family member. Our lawyers will work with other professionals and experts to calculate the value of your claim. From there, we’ll file a demand letter requesting compensation on your behalf.
- Handling your claim documents: It’s the responsibility of our lawyers to handle all of the documents related to your claim, including medical bills, claim filings, letters from an insurance company, and more. We will be responsible for collecting, organizing, and safeguarding these documents, and others, and then using them appropriately to support your case throughout the claims process.
- Negotiating your settlement: After liability has been established, damages have been calculated and proven, and a demand letter has been issued, the next step is waiting for the responsible insurance company to offer a claimant a settlement. In most cases, the first settlement offer is less than the claimant deserves, and a back-and-forth process will ensue. We’ll represent you during the negotiations process and aggressively advocate to get you the amount you deserve.
- Litigating your case: While most wrongful death and personal injury claims are settled out of court, sometimes, these cases go to litigation. If filing a lawsuit is necessary, our team will be ready to go. Our lawyers have trial experience and a track record of success in the court.
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Free Confidential Case Evaluation
Contact us today at
503-546-3167
to get a FREE, confidential case evaluation
We’re conveniently located in downtown Portland, and we offer flexible hours by appointment.