| Protect
your family's rights.
When a loved one dies, you need to protect the rights of family
members left behind. The last thing you want is to be taken
advantage of by the an insurance company or the party who
is at fault. During these tough times an experienced Oregon
Wrongful Death attorney can help those left behind to protect
their rights and maximize their recovery.
Why should you hire attorney Michael Colbach?
You need an Oregon Wrongful Death attorney who will work hard
to maximize your insurance settlement and minimize the nightmares
of dealing with the insurance companies. You need an experienced
and aggressive Oregon trial lawyer with PROVEN
RESULTS who will fight for you. Having an experienced
trial attorney can make the difference between getting what
you deserve and getting nothing.
I
am an experienced aggressive trial lawyer who has tried over
100 cases. I am not afraid to take your case to trial if that
is what it take to maximize your wrongful death insurance
recovery. I offer one-on-one service, and I wil not hand
your case off to an inexperienced lawyer or a paralegal.
Wrongful
death can turn your family’s life upside down. Once I take
your case, you can stop worrying about dealing with the insurance
companies and focus on putting your lives back together and
preparing for the future. I take care of all of the paperwork,
phone calls, and negotiations, so your family can work on
preparing for the future.
I
handle Oregon Wrongful
Death cases on a contingency fee basis.
This means:
YOU
DON’T OWE ME A LEGAL FEE
UNLESS I RECOVER MONEY FOR YOU.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Q:
Who can make an Oregon Wrongful Death Claim?
The deceased’s spouse, children, parents,
partner, family members, and other persons who would be entitled
to inherit the deceased’s property.
Q:
Do
I need a lawyer to help me pursue my Oregon Wrongful Death
claim?
A:
Oregon Wrongful Death claims can be difficult claims to pursue.
Oftentimes insurance companies will try and settle these claims
quickly for far less than they are worth. These claims are
very complicated. You will likely need an economist to determine
future earnings of the deceased. You also may need an expert
to determine the life expectancy of the deceased to determine
the amount of the deceased’s lost earnings.
Q:
Will I get to talk to a lawyer if I call?
A:
Yes. Everyone who calls for a free consultation gets to talk
to a lawyer. I do not have my staff screen cases. Usually
you will get to talk to a lawyer right away or later the same
day.
Q:
Should I call you even if I want to handle my claim myself?
A:
Yes. In a few minutes over the phone I can usually give you
an estimate of what your claim is worth so you don't get ripped
off by the insurance company. If they give you an offer and
you later hire me, I will not charge you a fee unless I can
increase the amount that goes into your pocket.
Q:
What
damages can the survivors recover in an Oregon Wrongful Death
Claim?
A:
Oregon
law limits noneconomic damages, (commonly known as pain and
suffering) in wrongful death claims to $500,000. This does
not limit wrongful death claims recovery for other damages,
such as lost future earnings, medical expenses, loss of companionship,
burial expenses, and punitive damages.
Q:
How long do you have to pursue
an Oregon Wrongful Death claim?
A:
The
Oregon laws regarding wrongful death allows survivors three
years to pursue a claim from the date the injury that caused
the wrongful death is discovered.
Q:
Can
the survivors still pursue an Oregon Wrongful Death claim
if the deceased was partially at fault in causing their own
death?
A:
You
can still pursue an Oregon Wrongful Death claim if the deceased
was partially at fault. The amount of the recovery will be
diminished by the percentage of fault that a jury apportions
to the deceased, as long as the portion of fault of the deceased
is not greater than the fault of those who you seek recovery
from.
Q:
What do you charge for recovering medical expenses?
A: I do not charge
my clients a fee recovering past medical expenses. Many lawyers
charge a percentage of the total recovery, including the medical
expenses. I base my fee on what is recovered in addition to
the medical expenses. If your lawyer charges you for recovering
medical expenses it can significantly reduce how much goes
in your pocket. For example, if your family member had $50,000
in medical expenses and a $100,000 settlement, your lawyer
would get $33,000, $50,000 would go to repay the medical expenses,
and you would be left with around $17,000. In a case like
that, I would base my fee off of the $50,000, putting $33,000
in your pocket instead of approximately
$17,000. The only time I charge a fee for recovering past
medical expenses is when someone other than the client, usually
my client's insurance company or healthcare provider, pays
me to recover the medical expenses.
Q: I don’t want to bankrupt somebody. What happens to the person I sue?
A: Although the lawsuit will have the other driver’s name on it, we are actually going after the
insurance company’s money. In virtually every case, the person we sue does not have to pay a
penny, as their insurance company pays the settlement or verdict amount, as well as all of the
legal fees. In the three cases where I have received verdicts bigger than the policy limits, the
insurance companies still paid, as it was there fault for not settling for the policy limits.
Q: Are there any hidden fees?
A: No. I do not charge
you fees for consultations, opening your file,
copies, long distance, etc. Before you hire a lawyer, make
sure you
find out what they will be charging you, as these hidden fees
can add
up.
Q:
Lawsuits can be expensive, will it cost me any money
up front for filing fees, court costs, expert witness fees,
and any other costs?
A:
Filing a lawsuit, paying court costs and expert witness fees
can be very expensive. Every year I spend thousand of dollars
in litigation costs. I know that most people cannot afford
these costs up front, so I forward these costs up front in
every case I take. Spending a few thousand dollars on a good
expert witness can make the difference between getting thousands
of dollars and getting nothing for your family's wrongful
death claim. Before you hire a lawyer, make sure that they
are willing to forward the money to adequately pursue your
family's wrongful death case. Otherwise, you may be forced
into taking a minimal settlement if your family cannot afford
to spend thousands of dollars to pursue a wrongful death claim.
Q:
What parts of Oregon do you handle cases in?
A:
Although I am located in Portland, Oregon, I will handle take
cases throughout the state of Oregon including the following
counties and cities:
Counties:
Multnomah County, Washington County, Clackamas
County, Marion County, Polk County, Columbia County, Hood
River County, Yamhill County, Clatsop County, Wasco County,
Linn County, Benton County, Lane County, Clatsop County, Tillamook
County, Sherman County, Jefferson County, Linn County, Benton
County.
Cities:
Portland, Salem, Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton,
Tigard, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, McMinnville, West Linn, Tualatin,
Troutdale, Sherwood, Molalla, Aloha, Albany, Corvallis, Cascade
Locks, Astoria, Wilsonville,Woodburn, The Dalles, Fairview,
Oregon City, Silverton, Sandy, Rainier, Monmouth, Newberg,
Keizer, Gladstone, Forest Grove, Estacada, Canby, Philomath,
Newberg, Parkdale, Seaside.
Referrals
If
you are looking for an experienced attorney
in any other state, please email
me as I may be able to refer you to an experienced
motorcycle accident attorney at no charge to you.
Legal
Links
If
you have been charged with an Oregon
DUI or other Oregon criminal charge, I recommend
you contact David
Lesh through his web site. Mr. Lesh is an experienced
Oregon lawyer.
Oregon Legal Resources
Free Oregon State Bar Attorney Referral Services and Oregon State Bar Member Research tool can help you find and retain a qualified and ethical Oregon attorney for any type of Oregon Law matter.
Before you retain an Oregon attorney research the attorney for Oregon State Bar disciplinary history. An attorney may have been previously disciplined or supspended for ripping off a client or other ethical issues you should know about before you retain an Oregon attorney.
The Oregon State Bar Member research tool:
- To research an attorney you are considering hiring all you need is the attorney's name.
- Using the free online Member Research Tool, once you've located the attorney by name, then click: "Show Disciplinary History" (underneeth Bar Member's Information) which will show the particular attorney's disciplinary history with Oregon State Bar disciplinary actions.
If you have questions, contact the Oregon State Bar disciplineonweb@osbar.org
503.431.6394, toll-free in Oregon 800.452.8260 x 394.
Cycling
Links
I
support the local bicycle team of www.prestovelo.com
I support Oregon Bicycle Racing Assocation www.obra.org
I am a sponsor of the Therapeutic
Associates Cycling Team, Bend, Oregon
I sponsor pro cyclist Evan
Elken
Chiropractic
Links
I
highly reccomend Dr. Bassinger and Dr. May at Clearwater
Chiropractic. Dr. Bassinger is a personal friend
and an excellent doctor.
Note:
Clearwater
Chiropractic is located at the following web
site address:
•
http://www.meta-ehealth.com/site/office/index.jsp
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