Michael A. Colbach Attorney at Law
oregon personal injury lawyer
Oregon Personal Injury Lawyer
•Proven Results
•Frequently Asked Questions

•What Clients say about Mike
•Oregon Legal Resources
Contact Information
Office
1916 SW Madison Street
Portland, Oregon 97205

•Get Office Directions

Phone
503.243.1900
(toll free) 1.800.757.0923
for a free consultation


Facsimile
503.243.1944

Email

mike@colbachlaw.com
etc.
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•Car Accidents
•Motorcycle Accidents
•Bicycle Accidents
•Personal Injury
•Dog Bites
•YouTube Video - Anderson Cooper
 "Insurers play hardball"
•Washington Accident Attorney
•Washington Aviation Law
•Oregon Insurance Law
•Oregon Diminished Value Claims
 

• Proven Results

• Free initial legal consultation.

• No attorney fees without a monetary recovery.

• I work hard to maximize your insurance settlement and minimize your hassles.

I handle all types of Oregon personal injury cases including:
Defective products, slip and fall injury accidents, boating accidents, ATV injury accidents, skiing accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents and all other types of Oregon personal injury claims.

You have been injured in an Oregon personal injury accident and you are worried about who is going to pay your m edical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The last thing you want is to be taken advantage of by an insurance company. If you don’t protect your rights, you may not be able to make a claim. Insurance companies have lawyers and adjusters whose goal is to pay you as little as they can. You need an experienced Oregon personal injury lawyer with PROVEN RESULTS to fight for you.

You need a lawyer who will work hard to protect your rights, maximize your insurance settlement and minimize the hassles of dealing with the insurance companies. You need an experienced and aggressive Oregon trial lawyer who will fight for you. Having an experienced Oregon personal injury lawyer 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 Oregon personal injury insurance recovery. I offer one-on-one service, and I wil not hand your case off to an inexperienced lawyer or a paralegal.

Personal injury accidents can turn your life upside down. Once I take your case, you can stop worrying about dealing with the insurance companies and focus on recovering from your injuries. I take care of all of the paperwork, phone calls, and negotiations, so you can get on with your life.

I handle Oregon personal injury 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: How soon after personal injury accident should I call you?

A: Call me immediately. Do not give the other person’s insurance company a statement until you have consulted with a lawyer. I make a point of returning all calls and e-mails promptly. If you have suffered a personal injury, you need to know right away what insurance coverage is in place to cover your medical expenses and lost wages.

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: How do I pay your legal fees?

A: I handle auto accident, dog bites and all of my other personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means YOU DO NOT OWE ME A LEGAL FEE UNLESS I RECOVER MONEY FOR YOU. I do not ask for any attorney fees upfront. If there is no recovery there is no fee.

Q: Why is it so important to hire an Oregon attorney who goes to trial?

A: Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but you want to maximize your settlement. If you hire an Oregon personal injury attorney who has little trial experience, oftentimes they will be afraid to go to trial. Insurance companies know who these lawyers are, and they oftentimes offer them less than the case is worth. I have 10 years of courtroom experience and I have tried well over 100 cases. A good example of why you sometimes have to go to trial are the recent results I have had. I recently tried three separate cases where the offers totaled approximately $51,500. The juries awarded a total of over $850,000. If my clients had hired a lawyer who does not try cases, they would have lost a combined total of around $800,000. Verdicts like these do not come easy and it took me years of trying cases and over 100 jury trials before I had the skills to get big verdicts for my clients. I know a number of Oregon personal injury attorneys who do not try cases. I believe that these attorneys do a great disservice to their clients and cost their clients millions of dollars by settling cases that should go to trial. Before you hire a lawyer, make sure that they are actively trying cases and have had a number of six figure verdicts.

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 personal injury claim. Before you hire a lawyer, make sure that they are willing to forward the money to adequately pursue your personal injury case. Otherwise, you may be forced into taking a minimal settlement if you cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars to pursue your personal injury claim.

Q: What do you charge for recovering my medical expenses?


A: I do not charge my clients a fee recovering their past medical expenses. Many lawyers charge a percentage of the total recovery, including your medical expenses. I base my fee on what is recovered in addition to your medical expenses. If your lawyer charges you for recovering your medical expenses it can significantly reduce how much goes in your pocket. For example, if you had $50,000 in medical expenses and a $100,000 settlement, your lawyer would get $33,000, $50,000 would go to repay your 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 your 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: 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: Can I recover if the other driver had no insurance?

A: Yes. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, you can recover money for your medical bills and pain and suffering even if the other driver had no insurance.


Q: How do I know if I have a good auto accident or personal injury case?

A: You need to contact me and we can discuss your case. My consultation on a personal injury case is always free.


Q:
How long does it take to settle most personal injury cases?

A: It depends on the nature of your personal injury claim. I have settled smaller personal injury claims for the full amount my client wanted within 10 days and I have settled policy limits cases in as little as a few months. Larger personal injury cases typically take longer to settle. Oregon law has a provision that can require insurance companies to pay my attorney fees for personal injury cases under $5,500, so oftentimes these personal injury cases can be resolved quickly, as the insurance companies don’t want to get a big lawyer fee bill from me.


Q: Will pursuing my case take up a lot of my time?

A: No. Oftentimes I only meet with clients for the initial interview and then we can just talk over the phone. If we do have to go to court, it will take more time. I realize your time is important, so I don’t waste it.


Q: Will I have to go to trial?

A: The vast majority of personal injury cases don’t go to trial. However, I treat each case as if it is going to be a trial, as you have to be willing to go to trial to maximize your settlement.


Q: Why is it so important to hire an experienced Oregon trial lawyer?

A: Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but you want to maximize your settlement. If you hire an Oregon personal injury lawyer who has little trial experience, oftentimes they will be afraid to go to trial. Insurance companies know who these lawyers are, and they oftentimes offer them less than the case is worth. I have 10 years of courtroom experience and I have tried well over 100 cases. I have had much success in the courtroom and I will not advise you to settle for less than your case is worth.


Q: Do I need an Oregon lawyer?

A: In order to settle your personal injury and auto accident cases you will have to deal with insurance companies. Their goal is to pay you as little as you will take. It is tough for someone who is not familiar with personal injury cases to know what a fair settlement amount is. An experienced Oregon personal injury lawyer can help you to determine that amount and reach a fair settlement.


Q: What types of Oregon accident cases do you handle?

A: I handle all types of Oregon personal injury, wrongful death and products liability cases, including: auto accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, ATV accidents, boating accidents, dog bites and all other types of injury cases.

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: 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.

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:

  1. To research an attorney you are considering hiring all you need is the attorney's name.
  2. 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.

Lawyer Referrals
If you are looking for an experienced lawyer in any other state, please email me as I may be able to refer you to an experienced lawyer 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.

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

Etc. Links
Looking for a Mortgage, Home Loan, or Refinancing?
Contact Mike Fors or visit his web site:
www.portlandmortgageloan.com

Massage and 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

Massage Therapy:
I highly recommend Brent King, Oregon LMT and Washington LMP.
BrentKingLMT.com

Disclaimer: The Oregon personal injury, car accident, dog bite, pain and suffering, traumatic brain injury, negligence, wrongful death, product liability, motorcycle accident or other legal information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice, nor the formation of a lawyer or attorney client relationship. Any results set forth here were dependent on the facts of that particular personal injury case, auto accident, bicycle accident, wrongful death, or motorcycle accident case and the results will differ from case to case. To get specific legal advice regarding your personal injury, auto accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, brain injury, or wrongful death claim, please contact Oregon attorney Michael Colbach at his office in Portland, Oregon. This web site is not intended to solicit clients for matters outside of the State of Oregon and may be considered advertising by the Oregon State Bar Rules.

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