Car accidents can leave you reeling, both physically and emotionally. They also can leave you with huge financial burdens that make it hard to get the help you need. Thatās where our Oregon car accident attorneys come in. Located in Salem, Oregon, our lawyers serve the entire state; no matter where your accident occurred, we can help. With the support of the aggressive advocates at Swanson, Lathen, Prestwich, PC, you can put the trauma of your car accident behind you for good.


CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
Bounce Back from a Car Accident in Oregon
When you get into a car accident in Oregon, you can be left with some major physical and psychological trauma.
Issues such as TBI, spinal cord and back injuries, broken bones, internal injuries, burns, and disfigurement are all too common. Beyond physical injuries, the horrible experience can also leave you with PTSD, anxiety and emotional trauma that requires professional medical help to overcome.
Getting the support and healing you need comes with some major price tags. In Oregon, itās not uncommon to incur expenses that add up to tens of thousand or even more than $100,000.
You shouldnāt have to pay for that alone. Our experienced car accident attorneys can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Tirelessly Advocating for You
With the award-winning legal team at Swanson, Lathen, Prestwich, PC, youāre not alone. Our car accident attorneys walk you through the entire process, start to finish. Hereās how:
Step One
FILE YOUR CLAIM
Our expert car accident attorneys start by helping you navigate the claims process. Weāll manage the critical legal paperwork and handle all communication on your behalf. We take over all of this so that you can focus on getting better and getting your life back.
Step Two
RECEIVE AN OFFER AND MAKE COUNTEROFFERS
Once you have recovered, weāll gather up the rest of the documents that make up the evidence in your case, put together a demand letter which lays out the legal theories and arguments, and fight for you. Insurance companies then make an initial offer and this is where the seasoned experts at Swanson, Lathen, Prestwich, PC really do their best work. We negotiate with the insurer and donāt back down or give up; if we canāt negotiate a fair agreement with the insurance company, weāll file your case in court. There, weāll serve as an advocate for you against the insurance companies to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Step Three
GET YOUR PAYOUT
Finally, once weāve come to an agreement on your settlement amount, weāll prepare your case for final resolution. Weāll negotiate and pay any liens, confirm your medical bills have been paid and that nothing remains outstanding, and then get a check for your settlement funds. We only take a fee if we win your case. That way, we guarantee that youāre getting exactly what you deserve.
Donāt risk losing out on the compensation you deserve. Get in touch with our law firm and work with someone who knows not just what to do, but can perform at a high level for you to maximize all sources for you; weāre proud to have won multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in Oregon for victims just like you.
FAQs About Car Accident Claims
Car accident claims can be confusing. To help clear things up, weāve put together a list of frequently asked questions.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in oregon?
Tricky question. Oregon law requires you to file an accident report within 72 hours after the accident occurs. For the injury claim itself, you typically have two (2) years from the accident date to either settle your case or file a lawsuit. Some cases do have shorter timelines and crucial evidence can disappear quickly. That means that thereās no time to lose when it comes to contacting a car accident attorney and getting the assistance you need.
Insurance companies begin right away to build a case against you. They know that if they can get to you early, theyāll get a recorded statement from you, get you to sign authorizations and even accept a small amount quickly to resolve your case. They are experts at what they do. For this reason, you need your own expert. The lawyers at Swanson, Lathen, Prestwich, PC, have decades of experience and have handled tens of thousands of cases. Contacting us early in the process will ensure your case is best positioned for you.
What should I do immediately after an accident?
As soon as an accident occurs, you need to stop at the scene of the accident. Then, call 911 and report the accident, even if there are no injured persons at the scene of the crash. In Oregon, police and emergency personnel donāt always respond. In that case, youāll need to do some work on your own to protect yourself and your rights.
In every accident, it is critical to take photos. Most of us carry cell phones these days. Take photos of the cars, i.e. yours and the others involved. Take photos of the scene for any debris or skidmarks. Exchange information with the other drivers. This includes driverās license, insurance and personal contact information. Take a photo of these things so you can get accurate information. Then contact Swanson, Lathen, Prestwich, PC, and allow us to take over for you and make sure youāre protected.
What types of losses am I entitled to recover from a car accident?
You can recover both economic and non-economic losses from a car accident. These include:
- Medical costs: coverage for ambulance rides, medical stays, medications, injury treatment, and future medical treatment to name a few;
- Property damages: damage to your vehicle as well as tow truck expenses, storage fees and rental car costs while you wait for your vehicle to be repaired. If your car is repaired, you may also qualify for diminished value (DV), i.e. the difference between your carās value after an accident versus its worth before.
- Wage losses & income impairment: coverage for time during which you were unable to work due to your injuries, future loss of earnings, the value for losses in benefits or other compensation you earned as part of your job.
- Pain and suffering: compensation pain, suffering, disruption of your life, inconvenience, permanent disability, death of a loved one, disfigurement, and PTSD caused by the accident are just some examples.
An expert car accident attorney can help you determine which of these losses are owed to you.
What if the driver who caused the accident was uninsured or underinsured?
In the event that an at-fault driver had no insurance or insufficient insurance to cover your losses or pay you compensation, your own insurance will provide the compensation that the other driver should have provided. This is called uninsurance (UM) and underinsurance (UIM) benefits in your Oregon insurance policy. It is mandatory coverage and really is the best way to protect yourself from serious financial harm.
We strongly advocate that clients carry higher insurance limits so as to protect themselves from situations where the at-fault driver has no, or very little, insurance. Most insurance companies charge relatively little to increase your insurance limits of coverage for this.
After getting my settlement, can I go back for more money later if my injuries get worse?
The short answer is no. For this reason, it is critical that you know all the facts and all possible outcomes for your case. Having a skilled and experienced car accident lawyer can help ensure that you get all the compensation you deserve because, once the case settles or goes to a hearing, thatās it. There is no way to re-open your case for more, even if the circumstances change
Does it make sense to hire a car accident lawyer?
Absolutely. We tell people all the time, even in smaller cases, that it is to your serious advantage that you have a highly skilled and experienced car accident lawyer on your side. And the sooner the better for you to help make sure you donāt make mistakes early in your case and to be your advocate from start to finish.
In addition, having a car accident lawyer working for you increases the chance that youāll get a significantly higher settlement from your accident. Moreover, we wonāt charge a fee unless we win your case.
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