Portland Car Accident Lawyer Serving the Oregon–Washington Metro

We are licensed in Oregon and Washington — so whether your crash happened in Portland, Vancouver, or anywhere across the corridor, one firm handles the whole picture.

Oregon Law Has Rules That Can Change Everything About Your Claim

Oregon's personal injury framework is specific enough that the attorney you choose needs to know it cold. Here is what applies to most Portland-area injury claims.

 

Oregon's 2-year statute of limitations. You have two years from the date of injury to file a civil claim in Oregon. Miss that window and your right to recover is gone, regardless of how strong your case is.

 

Modified comparative negligence — the 51% bar. Oregon follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you are found 50% or less at fault for the crash, you can still recover damages, reduced by your share of fault. If you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurers know this rule and use it aggressively to push fault onto you. We push back.

 

Mandatory personal injury protection (PIP). Oregon requires all auto policies to carry PIP coverage, which pays your medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of who caused the crash — up to the policy limits. Understanding how PIP interacts with your injury claim affects how and when you settle.

 

Portland averaged between 10,000 and 12,000 reported crashes per year from 2017 through 2019, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. The volume is real. So is the pressure insurers put on injured people to settle fast and cheap.

Licensed in Oregon and Washington — Portland and Vancouver, Handled Together

The Portland–Vancouver metro does not respect state lines, and neither do crashes. A collision on I-5 near the bridge, a rideshare accident in Vancouver, a pedestrian struck in Portland — these claims can involve Oregon law, Washington law, or both at once.

 

Kristof Law Group holds licensure in Oregon and Washington. We handle cross-border claims without referring you out, without splitting your case between two firms, and without the coordination gaps that cost clients money.

 

If your situation involves both states, our Oregon injury claims page goes deeper on statewide coverage and the specific rules that apply.

Partly at Fault in Oregon? You May Still Have a Claim

One of the most common reasons injured people in Portland do not call a lawyer is that someone — often the other driver's insurer — has already told them the crash was partly their fault.

 

Oregon's 51% bar means that being partly at fault does not end your claim. If your share of fault is 50% or less, you can recover. Your damages are reduced by your percentage — but you still recover. An insurer telling you that you were "partly responsible" is not the same as a court finding that you were more than half at fault. Those are very different things, and they deserve very different responses.

 

We evaluate fault questions as part of every free case review.

How We Handle Oregon Injury Claims

1. Free Case Evaluation

We review the facts of your crash, your injuries, and the applicable Oregon law at no cost and with no obligation. You will speak with our team directly.

2. Investigation and Demand

We gather evidence, document your losses, and build the claim. We handle all insurer communication so you are not pressured into a premature settlement.

3. Negotiation and, If Necessary, Trial

We negotiate from a position of documented strength. If the insurer does not offer a fair resolution, we are prepared to take the case to trial. We try our own cases — we do not hand them off.

4. Fee Cap Protection

On cases resolved without litigation, our fee will never exceed your net recovery. You will not walk away with less than you received.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Oregon Injury Law Questions We Hear Often

  • Do I need a Portland office to hire your firm for an Oregon claim?

    No. Oregon injury claims are handled remotely with in-person meetings available when needed. Our principal office is in Henderson, Nevada, and we are licensed to practice in Oregon. Many of our clients across multiple states have never needed to visit a physical office.

  • How long do I have to file an injury claim in Oregon?

    Oregon's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. There are limited exceptions, but waiting too long is the most common reason valid claims are lost. Contact us as soon as possible after a crash.

  • What is Oregon PIP and does it affect my injury claim?

    Oregon requires all auto policies to include personal injury protection coverage, which pays your medical expenses and partial lost wages up to the policy limit regardless of fault. PIP pays first. How it interacts with a liability claim against the at-fault driver is something we walk through with every client during the case evaluation.

  • The other driver's insurer says I was partly at fault. Can I still recover?

    Yes, if your share of fault is determined to be 50% or less. Oregon's modified comparative negligence rule reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault but does not eliminate it unless you are found more than half responsible. An insurer's early fault assessment is a negotiating position, not a legal determination.

  • Can you handle a claim that involves both Oregon and Washington?

    Yes. We hold licensure in both states and regularly handle cross-border claims in the Portland–Vancouver corridor. You do not need separate attorneys for each side of the river.