Fewer Cases Better Results
We appreciate that you have taken the time to read this book. You are going through a very difficult time in your life, and we know that you have a lot going on. We very much hope you have found this book helpful, as our primary goal was to help educate you about Oregon wrongful… read more
If your loved one had life insurance, that policy should pay separately from any wrongful death claim. People usually name specific beneficiaries in their life insurance policies. If the life insurance policy does name specific beneficiaries, then the life insurance company should pay those claims. Some people also have Accidental Death clauses added to their… read more
Insurance Policy Limits Oregon
Every insurance policy has limits. This is the maximum amount that the insurance company will have to pay. Automobile insurance limits are typically quoted as two numbers with a slash between them. For example, as of this writing, ORS 806.070 requires that an automobile policy issued in Oregon must have liability limits of at least… read more
Liability Insurance and Policy Limits
Every driver in Oregon is required to have liability insurance. Liability insurance is meant to protect you if you are legally responsible for an automobile accident. It is also a possible source of compensation in a Portland wrongful death case resulting from a car crash because the deceased person’s family can bring a claim against… read more
“Venue” means where a lawsuit is filed. The options are Federal Court or State Court, and then within the State Court system, a particular county must be chosen. This is a complicated decision that depends upon the specific details of your case, but here’s an overview of why “where” is very important. In general, State… read more
Possible Beneficiaries In An Oregon Wrongful Death Case
When we wrote our first legal book, Seven Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case, we were very careful to write it simply, with a minimum of technical “legal speak.” The idea was to write a book that would help non-lawyers settle their own cases, or decide if a lawyer was warranted. This… read more
If alcohol was involved in a death, and if the server of the alcohol was partly responsible for the death because they served an already visibly intoxicated person, or served a minor, or failed to perform their server duties correctly in other ways (which are defined by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission), you may be… read more
Meeting with and Choosing Your 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
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