Following an accident, drivers in Oregon should file an Oregon Traffic Accident and Insurance Report, within 72 hours. This reporting is mandatory if the accident resulted in property damage of $2,500 or more, there were injuries or death, or a vehicle was towed from the scene. If you were involved in an accident in Portland and believe that the other party was responsible for it, you can consider asking compensation for your damages. That said, it is also in your best interests that you call an experienced Portland injury attorney.
Know the laws and your rights
You need a personal injury attorney by your side to know your rights. Your lawyer is also the best person to explain the laws in depth. For example – What if you had a share of responsibility in causing the accident? In such cases, the “modified comparative negligence” rule comes into action. This simply means that a person can still recover car-accident-related expenses and losses through compensation, but their share of the awarded compensation will reduce by percentage of their blame. Also, to get compensated, your share of the blame should be less than the other party. There is also the statute of limitations in Oregon, which allows only two years to file a car-accident-related lawsuit against the party at fault.
Find your options
Filing a personal injury lawsuit is not the immediate step after an accident. You have to first report the incident to your insurer and the insurer of at-fault party. You need to file an insurance claim as soon as possible, and your attorney can help with that. Your attorney will then discuss things with the claims adjuster to come to a respectable settlement. While most car accident lawsuits are resolved through negotiation, there is still a chance that your claim will be denied. After this, your lawyer will file a personal injury lawsuit against the party at fault. You need an attorney because you want to be realistic with your claim and lawsuit.
Contingency fee
Most personal injury lawyers in Portland work on a contingency basis, depending on the facts of the case. This means that they will only charge if they win. Their fee is usually a part of the compensation amount. However, do ask about other costs that are necessary for the lawsuit.
Hiring an attorney is the best way to protect your interests in a personal injury lawsuit or accident claim.
