"Richard Rizk is a client's hope — an honest, non-greedy, and very warm personable lawyer. He definitely knows the methods of powerful insurance firms and how to untie the knots they use to bind claims for no action."
Death and Serious Automobile Injury Claims against Drunk Driver
Wed November 25, 2009, 5:04 pm It happens in different ways.
Jim should be alive. He waited for the crosswalk light and began walking across. About half way through a drunk driver ran him down, sped off and left him for dead.
Sally just finished tuning her road bike. Excited to meet friends later on, Sally happily...... [read more]
A thin yellow line
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:15 pm One cause of the most serious accidents is crossing the double yellow center line. Locals report that motorists traveling eastbound on highway 26 near Brightwood stop in the fast lane and then cross the double yellow center line there to access driveways on the opposite side of Highway...... [read more]
A very sad, true Mount Hood story
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:07 pm About three years ago, I attended a networking group breakfast my accountant invited me to. He introduced me around. I knew some folks in the crowd making sure to smile to new faces. We chatted and sipped coffee cheerfully getting to know one another.
I introduced myself to a...... [read more]
Air Bags Punch Back
Tue February 12, 2013, 12:01 pm Air bags save an estimated 2,788 lives annually according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Administration. The good and bad news is that air bags are much more complicated and now stuffed into every nook and cranny of newer vehicles.
As a result, airbag recalls have skyrocketed. In fact,...... [read more]
Auto Accident While Pregnant: Pain & Suffering Claim
Fri May 7, 2010, 1:05 pm The following information is important if you were injured in an automobile accident while pregnant. The rule discussed below also applies for other personal injury claims suffered while pregnant.
Oregon Courts recognize a special claim of pain and suffering claim for fear of...... [read more]
Auto Injury Risk Memorial Day Weekend Highest
Thu May 24, 2012, 12:59 pm A study just released by the National Coalition for Safer Roads suggests that Memorial Day weekend may be the most dangerous holiday weekend of all. Why? David Kelly of who heads the coalition believes travelers at summer’s start are simply extremely anxious to get to where they are...... [read more]
Beaverton and Tigard anticipate more Traffic Jams
Wed February 13, 2013, 8:01 am “I live here for the traffic” I explained to my Multnomah County friends during my decade as a Beaverton resident. Yesterday, at a joint Tigard and Beaverton city counselor meeting, many expressed concerns that traffic on Scholls Ferry Road and Highway 217 may get even worse....... [read more]
Better Car Accident Settlement Offers
Wed May 23, 2012, 6:55 pm
Your car accident settlement offer depends on factors set in motion long before you ever see an attorney. Here is what you can do to maximize the traffic injury accident offer you get:
1. Go to a doctor immediately
Insurers...... [read more]
Black Ice Returns to Portland
Fri January 11, 2013, 7:51 am This morning my wife, who regularly bikes to work, made it one block before spinning out of control on black ice. Upon her quick return home she exclaimed: “I’m happy no car was nearby otherwise there may have been a tragedy”
Mornings are dark, but even in light, black...... [read more]
Cascade's Winter Safety Speakers
Thu October 16, 2008, 4:54 pm Ski Friends:
When I am not working to resolve insurance claims, I snow ski. From 2005 to 2008 I was President of Cascade Ski Club. In that capacity, I helped resolve a longstanding property dispute with a local Government Camp ski / ride resort. With the money from that...... [read more]
Commercial Drivers' Hang up
Mon April 16, 2012, 8:58 pm Businesses frequently communicate with employees—whether or not the employee is driving and whether or not the employee is using a hands free device. That may be changing.
Since January 2012 federal law prohibits hands free mobile telephone use by “commercial motor...... [read more]
Concussions Linked to ALS
Fri November 9, 2012, 11:36 am Most sports fans and parents now know that concussion, especially repeated concussion, can cause permanent brain damage. But did you know that head injury may cause even more serious long- term consequences? Yes, even more serious than permanent brain damage.
According to...... [read more]
Dangerous Driving Distractions
Wed March 28, 2012, 10:28 pm John Lee of the University of Wisconsin has recently co-authored "Scrolling While Driving", a scholarly paper addressing the risks of driving while distracted. Lee and other experts at the recent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) day long forum on March 27, 2011 now...... [read more]
Dangerous Small Cars
Tue October 9, 2012, 11:53 am The Highway Loss Data Institute research demonstrates that the vehicles with the highest injury claims tend to be small cars. This is important safety information for consumers, as people are leaning toward purchasing smaller vehicles to save on the cost of gas or to reduce carbon...... [read more]
Does the Tri-Met bus driver see you?
Wed February 22, 2012, 10:13 am On February 16, 2012 a Tri-Met bus hit a female pedestrian attempting to cross Pacific highway at Walnut Street in Tigard Oregon. Tigard Police responded to the accident scene to help the wounded pedestrian and investigate. The pedestrian was rushed to Oregon Health Science University (OHSU) with...... [read more]
Heat and Kids in Cars, a Deadly Combo
Tue August 14, 2012, 6:44 pm According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle related deaths for children under 14. For the week of August 1 -7, eight children died from heatstroke while left in hot vehicles. According to the...... [read more]
Illegal drag racing and deaths near Mount Hood
Thu February 16, 2012, 6:24 pm 2012 started with the death of two young hood river snowboarders on OR 35 on their way to Mount Hood Meadows. According to Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, on January 27 Taylur Dewolf of Sandy, Oregon Was killed at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl that morning when she struck a tree at high...... [read more]
Lane Departure Warning Systems Not Reducing Auto Claims
Mon July 9, 2012, 2:22 pm On July 2, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ( IIHS)y released a report indicating that some state of the art lane departure warning systems, particularly systems in Mercedes and Buick vehicles increase the chance of an insurance claim. Volvos tested with lane departure systems did...... [read more]
Let it be: Summit Ski Area rest room
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:25 pm Here’s some good news. The popular public restroom area at Summit Ski area in Government Camp once slated to close Halloween, 2011, will now stay open for the immediate future. The 50 year old Summit Ski area heated restroom building sits on U.S. Forest Service land and has been operated...... [read more]
Maximize Your Punitive Damage Claim
Fri February 8, 2013, 5:15 pm Punitive damages are damages a court awards to punish a defendant for outrageous conduct. Another reason punitive damages are awarded is to deter similar behavior. To be awarded punitive damages, an Oregon plaintiff must show by “clear and convincing” evidence that a defendant...... [read more]
More Oregon Pedestrians Die
Wed November 28, 2012, 12:27 pm Oregon officials warn that more Oregon pedestrians than ever are dying as the result of collisions with cars. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) reports that so far this year (2012) 52 pedestrians have died after encounters with motor vehicles. 52 beats the entire year of 2011...... [read more]
Most dangerous Government Camp intersections
Thu February 16, 2012, 7:56 pm The most dangerous intersections in Government Camp are listed below:
1. U.S 26 & West Government Camp Road at Summit Ski area
2. U.S. 26 & East Ski Bowl ( main) parking lot
3. U.S. 26 & Timberline Road
These three poorly...... [read more]
Mother Nature and Mount Hood roadways
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:22 pm Mount Hood is an active volcano and a center of seismic activity. Earthquake clusters occur annually. July 1980 and June 2002 very significant movement near Mount Hood was confirmed at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington. The most recent major eruption at Mount Hood...... [read more]
Mount Hood Highway improvements & construction
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:29 pm In 2009 an independent multi-disciplinary team in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) conducted a Road Safety Audit (RSA) of the Camp Creek Campground to Timberline Highway section on US 26. As a result of that study, ODOT has completed or proposed the following mountain...... [read more]
Mount Hood US 26 cable barriers
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:17 pm To reduce frequency of head on collisions on highway 26, beginning in the summer of 2007 ODOT began installing cables separating east and west bound traffic on highway 26.Cable barriers were fully in place by winter 2009/10 running from milepost 30 to 33 with a quarter mile opening in the middle....... [read more]
Mount Hood winter traffic reduction efforts
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:13 pm In the past, Timberline has arranged for employee shuttle vans from Sandy and Hood River to Timberline and Government Camp. More recently, Timberline offers employees carpooling incentives and gasoline coupons. Some estimate about 45% of Timberline employees carpool.
Ski Bowl sponsors a...... [read more]
Oregon car crash victims face medical maze
Thu March 28, 2013, 12:19 pm You were in injured in a motor vehicle accident and purchased your auto insurance in Oregon. Your Oregon auto insurance policy provides at least $15,000 in coverage for “reasonable and necessary” medical costs related to the crash. This no fault medical insurance in your own auto...... [read more]
Oregon Supreme Court: Diminished Value Coverage, Auto Accidents
Fri October 24, 2008, 12:54 pm On October 23, 2008 the Supreme Court of Oregon decided a case which will likely require many insurance companies to pay for diminished value of a vehicle caused by an accident. In the decision, Gonzales v. Farmers Insurance, Oregon’s highest Court stated:
"We hold that...... [read more]
Oregon “PIP” Liens: An election without commercials
Fri October 19, 2012, 11:07 am If you have been in an auto accident in Oregon, there is another election you need to be aware of. It is the PIP election. The PIP election does not involve candidates or voting, but could affect the amount of money you get from your auto accident claim.
Your Oregon auto insurance policy...... [read more]
Oregon’s Dr. No
Thu March 28, 2013, 12:16 pm You were seriously injured in a car accident. Then you learn that many Oregon doctors disfavor auto accident victims. The reason comes down to one word: money.
Oregon law limits to amount Oregon medical providers can charge to treat auto accident victims. Oregon lawmakers decided to adopt...... [read more]
Parking in the Hood
Thu February 16, 2012, 7:59 pm Mount Hood Forest is vast and could easily accommodate even more visitors…if they didn’t have cars. Mount Hood ski areas boast thousands of parking spaces, but each wants more. Ski Bowl has parking for 500 cars on the west side of US 26 and parking for 400 cars on the east...... [read more]
Passing Semi Trucks Safely
Wed October 31, 2012, 11:53 am Drivers Education classes provide young drivers scant instruction on how to safely pass semi-trailers. This is alarming since crashes with 18 wheelers frequently result in very severe injury or death. And, perhaps surprisingly, most semi-truck accidents are not the fault of the...... [read more]
Pedestrians at risk in Mount Hood Forest
Thu February 16, 2012, 7:51 pm Pedestrian safety is a serious concern in the roads leading to Mount Hood ski areas. Due to the lack of protected crossways, Mount Hood visitors cross mountain highways on foot between parking lots, ski areas, eateries, and recreation areas. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) sets the speed...... [read more]
Predicting Car Accidents & Crime
Mon February 4, 2013, 11:58 am It’s the stuff of a sci-fi thriller. Stop crime before it happens where it will occur. Sound far- fetched? And, no Superman is not involved…just some ingenuity from the Clark County Sherriff’s Office.
Pondering police statistics on crime and car accidents, Brian Salsig of the...... [read more]
Risk of deer collision highest In November
Thu November 1, 2012, 1:42 pm Late autumn is a busy travel time for hunters and recreationalists who venture from the Portland Metro Area to Central and Eastern Oregon. Studies show that, most deer-auto crashes occur in November. Biologist Rob Found, from the University of Alberta, attributes this to October through...... [read more]
School is in Session – Slow Down!
Wed September 5, 2012, 1:58 pm Children are now returning to school! Drivers will once again be required to slow down in school zones during school hours. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, pedestrian Injury is the second leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for children...... [read more]
Sober Dudes make Central Oregon Safer
Wed March 21, 2012, 12:22 pm In 2011 two sober dudes (more correctly two sober gals), established “Sober Dudes” to help reduce drunk driving in Central Oregon in a very unique way. Sober Dudes is not a sobriety support group or taxi company. Rather, Sober Dudes is a designated driver service with...... [read more]
Summertime Mount Hood Traffic
Thu February 16, 2012, 8:19 pm A most memorable summertime traffic jam to avoid occurs in late August, the weekend of the Hood to Coast Relay Race In 2011 the annual event drew over 20,000 runners and included 250 teams over 2010. The net result? 500 more vehicles than in 2010. Most teams use vans to shuttle runners along the 36...... [read more]
Taxi Ride Risks
Tue August 21, 2012, 4:21 pm Finally, it’s time for a long anticipated night out with old friends. Taking a taxi cab seems the safest way home. Then, you notice the backseat has no seatbelts. In a hurry, the taxi cab driver rear ends the car ahead. You slam into the back of the front seat. You are...... [read more]
Teen Auto Accident Fatality Risk & Oregon law
Thu May 31, 2012, 9:01 am Motorists have long known that teens driving with a teen passenger face an increased risk of a fatal auto crash. A new study released by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in May 2012 specifically quantifies the relationship between the number of and ages of, passengers relative to teen...... [read more]
Teen Driving Risk and Responsibility
Mon August 27, 2012, 7:13 pm As the school year begins, many high school teenagers eagerly anticipate taking Drivers Education. Learning to drive and obtaining a driver’s license is a rite of passage for many fifteen and sixteen year olds. Motor vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of death for...... [read more]
Teen killed by driver having a seizure
Tue October 2, 2012, 2:11 pm Driving is a privilege, not a right. Most of the general public is aware of the hazards of drinking and driving, distracted driving, and reckless driving. Few are aware of other hazardous driving behaviors such as driving with a hazardous medical condition. For example, as evidenced by recent...... [read more]
The Accident Is Not My Fault!
Mon February 11, 2013, 2:31 pm
You are the operator of a motor vehicle involved in an Oregon Car accident. The insurance company for the other driver claims you are partly at fault. This blog discusses Oregon’s rules for determining fault in motor vehicle accidents.
Oregon law requires the person asserting...... [read more]
What to do after a Automobile Accident or Auto Injury
Wed May 23, 2012, 7:02 pm
Your Portland car accident was unexpected. You still may not be aware of all injuries and damages. And, since the traffic collision was unexpected, you have no plan. You don’t know what to do. Oregon Law requires that persons involved in a motor vehicle...... [read more]
Winter Driving Safety
Tue January 17, 2012, 11:29 am I. Preparation, Preparation, Preparation
Some best ways to prevent an injury accident collision occur long before the key slips into the ignition. For example,
1. Know the road. It is always best...... [read more]
Work Related Traffic Accident Tips
Thu January 19, 2012, 5:20 pm Question: I was injured in a car accident in Oregon while on the job. Is this a workers’ compensation matter or a car accident claim?
Answer: Both, but it’s complicated
Explanation: When you are driving in while working are injured as a result of a third party,...... [read more]
Workers' Comp Election: Don't get injured twice!
Fri August 3, 2012, 6:03 pm When an Oregon car accident happens while you are working, special rules apply that could jeopardize your right to recovery. To avoid claim traps the injured worker must correctly and timely respond to the workers’ compensation carrier’s notice.
After the injury, the...... [read more]
“Distracted Walking”
Fri September 7, 2012, 10:50 am Distracted Driving is not the only risky behavior with cell phones; Consumer Reports now says that distracted walking is a growing problem. Consumer Reports found 85% of Americans had recently witnessed someone use a mobile device to talk, text, e-mail or use aps while walking. 52% of...... [read more]
