Man Injured Springfield Police Officer in Hit and Run

Date:  May 2, 2012
Location:  Marcola and 42nd Streets, Springfield
Name:  Thomas Odell Adams

A man with a history of violence, including manslaughter, has been arrested after a hit-and-run incident in Springfield that injured a police officer. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The report on KVAL.com says that a Springfield police officer was trying to pull a truck over for running a red light at 28th and Marcola. When the driver kept going down Marcola, the officer followed until the truck finally stopped just south of 42nd Street.

As the officer was getting out of his patrol car, the driver of the truck, Thomas Adams, 37, of Springfield, suddenly reversed his truck into the police car, injuring the officer and causing significant damage to the cruiser. Adams then drove away from the scene and turned onto 42nd Street.

The officer gave chase in spite of his injuries and chased the truck until it crashed in the driveway of a metal shop on 33rd Street. Adams then fled on foot, but he was arrested a short distance away.

Springfield police say Adams already had a warrant for assault in the second degree, and he has now been charged with felony hit-and-run, eluding by vehicle and numerous other charges. He has previously been convicted of manslaughter.

We would like to send our best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery to the officer who was injured while doing his duty.

We hope the officer is able to recover from this accident, and that the hit and run driver is held accountable. Hit and run drivers are cowards and criminals, and as Portland attorneys for hit and run injury victims we hope this driver is held accountable. Remember, hit and run drivers can be punished in both criminal and civil cases.

According to Oregon law (ORS 811.705), drivers are required to remain at the scene if anyone is injured. If a driver does not do this, they can have criminal charges brought against them once they are found.

We encourage anyone who has witnessed a hit and run to come forward with information! You can call our office and we will ensure that your identity is protected, and the information is sent to the right person. If you feel more comfortable calling a hotline, Shulman DuBois LLC sponsors the Hit and Run Reward program that gives financial incentives for reluctant witnesses to come forward after hit and run incidents. Remember, you are helping the person who was hit and you helping protect our streets from drivers who do not obey the laws.

In cases like this, the hit and run driver can also have a civil lawsuit brought against them for all damages to the injury victim. Anyone injured by a hit and run driver has the right to seek legal recourse for injuries and damages to property. This compensation can come from the at-fault driver’s insurance or any personal assets they have.

In many cases, the hit and run driver left the scene because:

1)   They did not have insurance.

2)   They were driving intoxicated.

If the driver was driving intoxicated, you may still be able to file a claim with their insurance company, if you can identify the driver.

If you cannot find the driver, however, OR they do not have insurance, you can still file a claim through your own uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage on your own auto policy.

We understand that this is a complicated process, and we recommend discussing your case with a Portland hit and run accident attorney who offers free consultations if you have any questions.

Police Investigating Crash for Speed and Alcohol After One Man Died

Date:  March 28, 2012
Location:  Hendrickson Drive, near the Kalama Marina
Name:  Zachary M. Hamilton

Police are investigating whether speed and alcohol were factors in a Wednesday night crash that killed a Portland man and injured his friend. The two were returning to Portland after a fishing trip on the Columbia River.

According to the report on KOIN Local 6, Zachary Hamilton, 30, was driving a 1998 Toyota Tacoma on Hendrickson Drive, near the Kalama Marina. Just after 8 p.m., the truck left the road, hit a chain link fence and spun sideways. The driver’s side of the vehicle then struck a steel pole.

When emergency responders arrived, they declared Hamilton deceased at the scene. His friend and passenger, an unnamed 50-year-old male, was taken to Peace Health St. John Medical Center in Longview with injuries not thought to be life threatening.

Kalama police say the men had only just departed from the marina when the accident occurred, and they believe both speed and alcohol may have contributed to the crash.

We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Zachary Hamilton, and we also hope his friend is out of the hospital and feeling better soon.

When something like this happens, it can be hard to determine the reason for the accident. You may be surprised to read this from a personal injury attorney, but it may be nobody’s fault. In legal terms, this is known as an “Act of God,” or an event beyond anyone’s control.

But a personal injury lawyer can help investigate, to help determine if there was a medical problem, an unseen road block, a pedestrian that ran out in front of the car, etc.

Hiring a personal injury lawyer means you will not have to deal with investigation yourself.

Investigation includes:

1. Analyzing police and fire reports, as well as insurance reports
2. Understanding the injuries, including the doctor’s notes and treatment plans
3. Examination of the accident scene, the surrounding circumstance, and even hiring an accident forensics specialist if needed
4. A determination of causality
5. Assessment of all damages, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering

If you’ve been in an accident, and you are unsure the cause or possible liability, call an experienced Portland personal injury lawyer for help – and they can help you understand your legal options. If there’s a question about who’s at fault for an accident, getting bills paid can be delayed and be complicated – so get help today.

One Killed, 5 Injured in Hwy 126 Crash

Date:  January 15, 2012
Location:  Highway 126W, near milepost 42, west of Veneta
Names:  Edward Jay Bray, Jeanette C. Bell, Samuel Bell, Jordan Briggs, Elijah Castallon, Adam Castallon

A Eugene man was killed and a mother and her four children injured in a Sunday evening crash on Highway 126W. Road conditions were described as icy at the time of the accident.

Preliminary investigations are that Jeanette Bell, 36, from Noti, was westbound in a 1998 Ford Expedition just after 5:45 p.m., when she lost control of the vehicle. The Expedition skidded into the oncoming lane and crashed into an eastbound 1993 Mercury Tracer being driven by Edward Bray, 52, from Eugene. The report on KTVZ.com said Bray was declared dead at the scene by emergency responders.

The Ford ended up on its side after the collision. Bell and her four children—Samuel Bell, aged 2; Jordan Briggs, 8, and Elijah and Adam Castallon, aged 13 and 16, respecitively—were all taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center at River Bend with various injuries. None of the injuries was thought to be life threatening.

We would like to send our deepest sympathies to Edward Bray’s family after this tragic accident. We also hope Jeanette Bell and her children make a full and speedy recovery from their injuries.

Many questions arise out of a car crash. And unfortunately, our minds don’t often focus on recovering; they usually go directly to the financial – medical bills, insurance policies, lost wages. How will the Bell and Bray families get through it?  In the wake of a tragedy like this, each person must deal with it in whatever way works best for them. We would never try to talk someone into taking legal action. It is an individual decision that can only be made by the Bray family. Fortunately, all these victims have resources. That’s why we’re here. We’re not ambulance chasers; we’re lawyers who feel it is our duty to help injured people deal with the insurance companies. And the first thing they should do after getting the help they need is to go to our website – not to give us their business, but to read our free tips, download helpful documents, or request a free copy of our book, 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case. And if that’s not enough, they can always contact us to ask us any questions.

HIt and Run Driver Causes Multiple Car Crash

Date:  January 12, 2012
Location:  I-205, milepost 10, near Gladstone
Names:  Jack E. Townsend, Juanita Jensen, Dwight Gamler

A Monmouth man was injured in a three-vehicle accident on I-205 Thursday morning, near Gladstone. The collision also involved a Tri-Met bus, but no passengers were on board at the time.

Oregon State Police Trooper Cameron Bailey said the chain reaction started just before 6 a.m., when an unidentified vehicle passing cars on the right cut into the traffic lane, cutting off Juanita Jensen, 55, from Gladstone, who was driving a 1988 Ford Bronco. Jensen swerved hard to the left to avoid the car that cut her off, causing her Bronco to spin 180 degrees, after which it collided with a 1995 Volvo truck pulling a semi-trailer in the center lane being driven by Jack E. Townsend, 49, from Monmouth. After the initial collsion, a Tri-Met bus being driven by Dwight Gamler, 49, from Portland, was unable to stop before running into the back of Townsend’s trailer.

The report in The Oregonian says emergency responders from AMR ambulance service took Townsend to Providence Milwaukie Hospital with injuries that were not thought to be too serious. Neither Jensen nor Gamler were injured in the accident.

We would like to send our best wishes for a complete recovery to Jack Townsend after what must have been a very frightening accident.

Many questions arise out of a car crash. And unfortunately, our minds don’t often focus on recovering; they usually go directly to the financial – medical bills, insurance policies, lost wages. How will all the people affected by this accident get through it? Fortunately, victims have resources. That’s why we’re here. We’re not ambulance chasers; we’re lawyers who feel it is our duty to help injured people deal with the insurance companies. And the first thing these people should do after getting the medical help needed is to go to our website – not to give us business, but to read our free tips, download helpful documents, or request a free copy of our book. And if that’s not enough, they can always contact us to ask us any questions.

It’s hard enough dealing with an accident. It’s even harder to have questions in the back of your head: Who did this? Why did it happen? Some victims never get to learn the details that could help settle the mind, if not heal the injuries caused. Even if a lawsuit isn’t filed, knowing what happened and who was involved can be the start to dealing with what has happened. We would like to make a plea to the person who was driving the unidentified vehicle that triggered this accident to think about the people who have been affected, and to come forward and take responsibility. And if anyone at all has any information about what occurred, please, step up. The time is now.

Rear-Ended on I-84 in Portland, OR

This is a real story about one of our real clients.  All names of individuals have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty alike.  But names of insurance companies are real, and the details of what happened have not been changed.

A while back, “Bob” rear-ended “Susan” on I-84. Our client “Susan” suffered considerable injuries to her back – later requiring disk replacement surgery, as well as ongoing physical therapy.

Susan was in a lot of pain, was facing possible surgery (which she did end up getting), and was at her wit’s end trying to deal with all the insurance companies on top of everything else.  So she came to us, and we took over all the insurance paperwork, and worked our magic to get her compensated.

After some wrangling, Bob’s insurance company, Safeco, settled the claim for policy limits (i.e. the most money possible for the client’s claim)

Unfortunately, because of the severity of her injuries, even that maximum policy limit was not enough to fairly compensate Susan. Not willing to leave our client without sufficient compensation, the team at Shulman DuBois sent a demand letter to the client’s own insurance earlier this week.

This demand asked for the policy limits on the client’s own Underinsured Motorist coverage policy, as allowed by state law.

In an accident where the other driver is legally responsible for the accident, sometimes the payment limits are so low that justice is not served. But many drivers have underinsured or uninsured (UIM) coverage on their own auto policy that can be used to help pay for damages, both to property and medical bills.

Fatal Bicycle Accident in Bend | Portland Injury Attorneys

Date: July 11, 2009

Location: Bend

Names: James Gardner, two unidentified persons

KOHD.com reports that one man is dead after an bicycle accident Monday evening in Bend, near Empire Avenue and O.B. Riley Road.

The accident occurred Monday, at approximately 7 PM when cyclist James Gardner, 54, of Bend drove his gas-powered bicycle in front a motorcycle.