5-Star Rated Portland Personal Injury Lawyer

A:  Grandy Injury Law provides 100% free, no-obligation consultations. If our office agrees to take your personal injury or wrongful death case, we will do so on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will only have to pay a legal fee if we obtain compensation for you.

A: There is no simple formula for determining the value of a personal injury case. Every case is unique, and its value depends on many factors, including, but not limited to:

- Who was at fault, and the strength of the evidence

- The severity and long-term impact of the injuries

- The amount of available insurance coverage

- The economic and non-economic damages that can be proven

At Grandy Injury Law, we carefully analyze every detail of a case to identify all liable parties, all available insurance, and all damages. Damages can include things like medical expenses, lost income, impaired earnings capacity, pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, the cost of future care, and, in appropriate cases, punitive damages. Our goal in every case is to secure the maximum compensation our clients are entitled to under the law.

There are many nuances involved in estimating a case's value. For example, were you hit by a kind, sympathetic driver whom a jury might like? That could reduce the value of a case. On the other hand, if a drunk driver hit you, a jury is likely to view the claim far more seriously, which can increase value.

Ultimately, the only way to know a case's actual value is by going to trial and having a jury decide damages. However, trials are stressful and costly. Accurately estimating a case's value can open the door to a reasonable settlement that saves the stress and expense of going to trial. And nationwide, statistics show most personal injury cases are settled, not tried, which shows the importance of accurately estimating a case's value.

While it's not an exact science, an experienced personal injury attorney who understands the multitude of legal and human factors involved can provide a reasonable estimate of a case's value. However, before an accurate estimate of a case's value can be provided, a full investigation and review must be completed.

A:  The length of each personal injury or wrongful death case depends on a variety of factors, such as the complexity of the case, the medical condition of the client, and the county where the case is filed. However, in most counties in Oregon, such as Multnomah County, a case will typically go to trial or be resolved within 12 to 15 months after a case is filed in court.

A:  Not necessarily. The vast majority of personal injury and wrongful death cases settle before they go to trial. Legal experts estimate that 95% of cases, if not more, are settled before trial. However, if the insurance company or other defendants are unwilling to settle the case for a fair amount, then you need to file a lawsuit to protect your rights. In some cases, it may be necessary to take the case to trial before a jury to obtain a fair result.

A:  If you have been in a car crash and suffered injuries in Oregon, you can file a claim under your personal injury protection ("PIP") coverage to pay for your medical expenses. PIP coverage provides for no-fault payment of medical bills, lost wages, and other essential services. Oregon insurance law requires that every private motor vehicle be covered by automobile insurance, including liability, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist, and PIP coverage. PIP covers a minimum of $15,000 in reasonable medical expenses. If an uninsured or underinsured motorist injures you, then you can make a claim for your damages under the uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of your own auto insurance policy.

A: Grandy Injury Law charges a contingency fee. This means our office gets paid a legal fee only if we win your case and obtain compensation on your behalf. So, we don't ask for a retainer or money upfront to cover legal fees.

Here in the Portland area and in Oregon generally, lawyers' contingency fees in personal injury cases are usually 33.33% to 40% of the sums recovered. Similarly, our office's typical contingency fees range from 33.33% to 40%. We usually use a tiered scale for the percentage. This means the percentage will change depending on what stage the case is in when it resolves. For example, if the case settles before a lawsuit needs to be filed the contigency fee will generally be lower. And the contingency fee will generally be higher if the case goes to trial or appeal. In rare cases, such as clear-cut cases that are expected to settle quickly, we may lower our initial contingency fee to 25%.

In addition to legal fees, personal injury cases involve costs such as filing fees, expert witness fees, and charges for obtaining medical records. Our firm generally advances these costs interest-free on behalf of our clients except in rare circumstances. The costs our office advances are deducted from any settlement or award when the case is resolved.

We strive to make high-quality legal representation accessible by not asking for retainers or money upfront to cover legal fees. During the initial free consultation, the fee agreement will be discussed thoroughly, and all your questions will be answered. All contingency fee agreements are signed and in writing.

Of course, the biggest advantage of hiring an experienced Portland personal injury lawyer is giving yourself the best opportunity to obtain the compensation you deserve. Our office is always 100% committed to doing that. But another important benefit we provide our clients is peace of mind. Our clients often come to us receiving daily calls from insurance adjusters, not knowing how their medical bills are going to get paid, all the while dealing with sometimes disabling injuries. When clients hire us, I can tell them they no longer have to worry about those things. We will handle it.

Now, that doesn't mean we can magically solve every problem. But what it does mean is that our clients don't have to talk to the insurance agents anymore, and the insurance company will stop calling them. That means our office will work to get all the medical expenses paid by the right insurance coverage. And that means our clients know we will fight tirelessly to get them the compensation they deserve.

If our clients have questions, they don't have to call the insurance company, wait on hold, or get the runaround. They call our office and speak to me—usually the same day.

Of course, the main goal is always to obtain just compensation for our clients' injuries. But it's important how you reach that goal, particularly in terms of a client's well-being. Our office makes it a priority to ease our clients' minds when possible so they can focus on their physical and emotional recovery.