News

Meeting with and Choosing Your Wrongful Death Attorney

Choosing a lawyer is of course a crucial step in the process. You should interview several lawyers, and you should ask them hard questions. Take notes, and feel free to bring a trusted friend or relative with you. But do be aware that the presence of a friend may negate the confidentiality of the meeting,… read more

More Oregonians are Dying in Car Crashes this Year, Compared to 2014

Oregon roads are more dangerous this year ending on September 23rd than last year. The state saw a 31% increase in traffic fatalities since the period the year before. This year there were 312 traffic fatalities as compared to 238 last year. Motorcycle deaths soared to a 15% increase to 46. Pedestrian accidents saw the greatest… read more

A Wrongful Death Lawsuit is a Commitment – Are You Ready?

You may be surprised to hear this from a lawyer who focuses on personal injury and wrongful death claims, but a wrongful death claim is NOT for everyone. It will require a commitment of both time and energy – probably yours – to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. We write “probably yours,” because it is the… read more

Crosswalk Safety Every Pedestrian and Driver Should Know

Some people get confused when a well-marked crosswalk (sometimes called “zebra-stripped”) also has a traffic signal because they think that cars must stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk.  However, when there is a cross walk AND a signal, a pedestrian must obey the signal.  If not, he/she commits the offense of failure to yield (or… read more

Portland Bike Commuting Reaches a New High, Public Transit Stays the Same

The number of Portlanders who commute by bike on regular basis topped 7% last year as the new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau were announced. About 23, 347 Portland workers commute by bike, representing about 7.2% of all commuters. In 2010, around 6% of commuters rode their bikes. Portland is well ahead of all… read more

What is the Role of the Personal Representative?

Even if you are not considering hiring a professional, thought still must be put into who should be the PR. For example, if a woman dies leaving behind a husband and two children, ages 19 and 21, which of the three would make the best PR? One of the children may get more sympathy from… read more

Hiring a Lawyer or Other Professional to Serve as Personal Representative

Sometimes a judge may appoint a personal representative who is not a beneficiary. When this happens, the person appointed is usually a professional who does this sort of thing for a living, often a lawyer. Because it’s a job, the person gets paid. This is usually done when the only beneficiaries are all under 18,… read more

Tips to Avoiding Construction Zone Car Accidents

Distracted drivers are responsible for more than a dozen deaths on American roads every day, and Portland personal injury attorneys have noted that construction zone car accidents are especially perilous places for drivers to be taking on cell phones or worse, texting. The prevention of construction zone car accidents is purely dependent on drivers being… read more

How the Personal Representative is Chosen in Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The personal representative has to be approved by a judge. Usually, all of the beneficiaries will agree upon one of them to be the personal representative. There is a specific order that the law states (ORS 113.085) is the preferred way to choose a P.R. Here is the order: Executor named in a will Spouse… read more

Wrongful Death Claim: What does Estate mean?

When a person dies, and leaves behind anything that is worth money, the law creates an “estate.” If John Doe dies, then it will be called “The Estate of John Doe.” For example, you may sometimes see “Estate Sales,” where the possessions of someone who has passed away are being sold. What has happened, legally,… read more