Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Social Host Liability in Oregon: When a Party Host Can Be Held Responsible for a Drunk Driving Crash
Can you actually sue the person who threw the party, not just the drunk driver who caused your crash? In Oregon, the answer is sometimes yes, though the burden of proof is genuinely high. Oregon law allows social hosts to be held liable for a drunk driving crash under specific circumstances, and understanding what… Read More »
What Insurance Covers a Portland Uber or Lyft Accident? A Step-by-Step Guide
Which insurance policy actually covers a Portland Uber or Lyft accident depends almost entirely on what the driver’s app was doing at the exact moment of the crash, not simply on the fact that a rideshare vehicle was involved. Oregon law requires transportation network companies to carry specific insurance for their drivers, but that… Read More »
Who Is Responsible When a Rideshare Driver Hits a Pedestrian in Portland?
If an Uber or Lyft driver strikes you while you are crossing a Portland street, who actually pays for your injuries? The driver, their personal insurer, or the rideshare company itself? The answer depends heavily on what the driver was doing on the rideshare app at the exact moment of the crash. At Rosenbaum… Read More »
Helmet Laws, Comparative Fault, and Motorcycle Accident Settlements in Oregon
If you were riding without a helmet when a driver hit you, does that wreck your entire claim? Not necessarily, but it can shrink what you ultimately recover. At Rosenbaum Law Group, PC, we handle motorcycle accident cases throughout Portland, and this question comes up. The answer depends on how Oregon’s comparative fault rules… Read More »
Understanding Liens on Oregon Personal Injury Settlements: Medical Providers, PIP, and Health Insurance
Settling a personal injury claim can feel like the finish line, until you realize that the settlement number and the amount you actually walk away with are not the same thing. Medical providers, PIP insurers, and health insurance companies can all argue they have a claim against your recovery. Why does this happen, and… Read More »
When a Portland Pedestrian Is Partially at Fault: How Oregon Law Handles Shared Blame
Getting hit by a car as a pedestrian is frightening enough without an insurance company suggesting the accident was partly your own fault. Maybe you were crossing mid block, or maybe you glanced at your phone a second too long. Does that mean you have no case at all? Not necessarily, and understanding how… Read More »
What to Do in the First 72 Hours After a Car Accident in Portland, Oregon
The moments right after a car accident rarely feel clear headed. Adrenaline is running high, you may be in pain, and suddenly you are expected to make decisions that could shape your case for months to come. Do you know what Oregon law requires of you in those first crucial hours, and what steps… Read More »
How Oregon’s Comparative Fault Rules Affect Your Car Accident Settlement
Nobody gets into a car accident thinking about legal doctrines, but if you were even partly involved in causing the crash, one particular Oregon rule could end up determining how much money actually lands in your pocket. Have you ever wondered what happens when both drivers share some blame for what happened? Oregon Follows… Read More »
Hit and Run Accidents in Portland: How to File an Oregon UM Claim When the Driver Fled
You are stopped at a light, or driving through your own Portland neighborhood, when another vehicle strikes you and speeds off before you can even get a license plate number. Now what? Does the driver’s disappearance mean you are simply left to cover your own damages? Why a Fleeing Driver Does Not End Your… Read More »
Oregon Phantom Vehicle Accidents: How to File a Claim When There Was No Contact
Another driver cuts you off, forcing you to swerve and crash into a guardrail. Or a car drifts into your lane, sending you off the road to avoid a collision. In both cases, the other vehicle never actually touched you, and it is long gone before you can even process what happened. Does Oregon… Read More »