Vernonia Car Accident Attorney
About Johnston Law Firm
What do I do after getting in a car accident in Vernonia?
The focus for any victim after a car accident is to ensure your safety, whether that means getting home safely or seeking medical attention, or both. There are a few crucial steps to take to properly prepare you and your loved ones for this upcoming process.
- Find a safe place to pull off the road, with or without your vehicle
- Ensure the police are called and that everyone is safe
- Take photos of the other driver (s) drivers license, license plate and insurance card.
- Take photos of all vehicle damage and street signs (speed signs, street names, etc.)
- Call your insurance company and report the accident (do not give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney’s office)
- File an auto accident report through the DMV
- Call the Johnston Law Firm
Common Injuries from Car Accidents
There is no telling how these accidents will affect the involved individuals, physically or emotionally. In many circumstances, the emotional toll can never go away, while sometimes a victim can heal from their injuries. Regarding the clients we have represented, we have seen these injuries listed below, many times:
- Whiplash
- Lower back pain
- Neck stiffness and soreness
- Lower back stiffness
- Lacerations
- Head trauma
- Lower body trauma
- Herniated discs in back
- Bulging discs in back
Damages Eligible for Compensation
In car accident cases, victims can be eligible to pursue two types of compensation to recover from their losses. Both types are designed to do just that, compensate for losses.
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.
Determining Liability in Car Accidents in Vernonia
When a car accident occurs, there are various moving parts that will dictate how the case progresses, either in your favor or against it. One of the main aspects of the case will be determining liability. All involved insurance companies will investigate the accident. We at the Johnston Law Firm will as well. We will all consider the following factors:
- Driving records of all involved drivers
- Physical evidence
- Property damage
- Type of accident (rear end, side impact collisions, collisions involving pedestrians)
- Witness information
- Police reports
Testimonials
Sally Martinez
– Michelle E.
Mr. Johnston and his firm were incredibly thorough in getting us a fair settlement from our insurance company with little to no pressure. We really appreciated having someone who truly cared about us every step of the way. I would highly recommend the Johnston Law Firm to anyone in need of personal injury representation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you call us at the Johnston Law Firm, we will do our best to help you in any way we can, even if you do not hire us. If you do choose to hire us, we will not require any payment until we win a settlement for you. We will conduct a thorough investigation and fight to obtain a settlement that is fair and just to you and your loved ones. We do not get paid until you get paid.
“PIP” stands for Personal Injury Protection Insurance. If you were injured as the driver or passenger of a car, and even as a pedestrian or bicyclist, you will most likely have PIP coverage. 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 you need—even before health insurance kicks in to pay bills.
An experienced Vernonia car accident injury attorney can level the playing field. An attorney can help guide you through this process to ensure you get back what you lost, and ensure that you obtain all available benefits, including coverage for medical benefits, future medical expenses, lost wages, impairment of your earning capacity, pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life, etc.
Johnston Law Firm, located in Portland, handles car accident claims throughout Oregon, including Vernonia.
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.