| Michael Colbach, Oregon bicycle accident attorney will protect your rights.
You
have been injured in a bicycle accident and you are worried
about who is going to pay your medical bills, lost wages,
and pain and suffering. The last thing you want is to be taken
advantage of by an insurance company. If you don’t protect
your rights, you may not be able to make a claim. Insurance
companies have attorneys and adjusters whose goal is to pay
you as little as they can. You need an experienced Oregon
bicycle accident attorney with PROVEN
RESULTS to fight for you.
Hire
an attorney who is also a cyclist.
I am a former road and cyclocross racer and current
bicycle commuter. I started riding seriously in the mid 1990’s
when I sold my car and used my bicycle to commute from Wilsonville
to Portland daily. When I moved into Portland in the late
1990’s I began racing bicycles to get in the miles. I raced
for the Presto Velo team, which is now the Bicycleattorney.com/racing team and I am their main cash sponsor. I have raced stage
races, crits, time trials, and cyclocross. I have put in over
30,000 miles on my bike and know what it is like to have to
deal with careless drivers. I try very hard to help injured
cyclists, as oftentimes motorists try and blame the cyclists
just because they are on a bike.
I
will work hard to protect your rights and maximize your insurance
settlement. You need an experienced and aggressive Oregon
trial lawyer who will fight for you. Having an experienced
Oregon bike accident attorney can make the difference between
getting what you deserve and getting nothing.
Trial Attorney with over $12 million in verdict and settlements in just the last four years.
Without the threat of a lawyer who is willing to go to trial and seek a big jury verdict, why would an insurance company pay you what your claim is really worth? Lawsuits can be expensive, and many people do not have the money to pursue their claim. In every case, I advance all costs associated with pursuing your case and I do not ask you for a penny until we recover from the other side.
I
work hard to make sure you are fully compensated for your
bicycle damage. Unlike many lawyers, I know how expensive
bicycles can be. I know what it is like to spend thousands
of dollars on a bicycle only to have it damaged by someone
else. I work closely with local bicycle shops to try and get
you full replacement value for your damaged bicycle and bicycle
gear.
An Oregon Personal Injury attorneys who fights for all injured people, not just his clients.
I want to make sure that no injured person is taken advantage of. I have spoken before the Oregon State Legislature to try and get them to change Oregon Personal Injury laws to better help injured Oregonians and I will continue to do so until they quit siding with big insurance companies and start siding with the people who they are supposed to represent.
An Oregon Personal Injury attorney who teaches other lawyers how to better fight for their clients.
I believe that I have a duty to help young and inexperienced lawyers better serve their clients. I am the co-chairperson of the Oregon Trial Lawyers motor vehicle section. What this means is that I put on classes to teach other lawyers how to better serve injured Oregonians. I do not get paid for teaching and putting on these classes. I do it because it is the right thing to do and I want to try and help other lawyers do a better job in helping their clients. I also put on these classes as they help me stay on the cutting edge in new trial tactics and changing laws.
Trial attorney with experience can make the difference.
I
am an experienced aggressive trial lawyer who has tried over
100 cases. I am not afraid to take your case to trial if that
is what it takes to maximize your bicycle accident insurance
recovery. I offer one-on-one service, and I wil not hand your
case off to an inexperienced lawyer or a paralegal.
Reduce the stress of making a claim.
Bike
accidents can turn your life upside down. Once I take your
case, you can stop worrying about dealing with the insurance
companies and focus on recovering from your bicycle accident
injuries. I take care of all of the paperwork, phone calls,
and negotiations, so you can get on with your life.
I handle Oregon bicycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis.
This means:
YOU DON’T OWE ME A LEGAL FEE
UNLESS I RECOVER MONEY FOR YOU.
Oregon Bicycle Attorney
Frequently
Asked Questions
Q: How soon after my bicycle accident should I call you?
A:
Call me immediately. Do not talk to the other person’s
insurance companies until after you have consulted a lawyer. I make a point of returning all calls and e-mails promptly.
If you have been injured in a bicycle accident you need to
know right away what insurance coverage is in place to cover
your medical expenses and lost wages.
Q: How do I pay your legal fees?
A:
I handle bike accidents and all other personal injury cases
on a contingency fee basis. This means YOU DO NOT
OWE ME A LEGAL FEE UNLESS I RECOVER MONEY FOR YOU.
I do not ask for any attorney fees upfront. If there is no
recovery there is no fee.
Q: Do insurance companies treat lawyers who try cases differently than “trial cowards” that don’t try cases?
A: Yes. They pay their clients less. Below is a quote from Reptile, a book by David Ball and Don Keenan. David Ball is the best trial consultant in the country and Don Keenan is the best trial lawyer in the country. This is why I try cases. Most lawyers don’t. Who would you rather hire?
The insurance companies know every negotiation move you’ve ever made. They know if your comfort level is limited to settling in order to avoid trying cases — or if you will do the best for your client even if “best” means walking out of mediation and into trial. If your trial threshold is too high, change it. If you are or remain a trial coward, especially once you’re armed with the methods in this book, you’re in the wrong job and you ought to tell that to your prospective clients. Your client deserves a lawyer the insurance companies respect. And that respect is independent of any particular case.
http://www.reptilekeenanball.com/
Q: Lawsuits
can be expensive, will it cost me any money up front for filing
fees, court costs, expert witness fees, and any other costs?
A:
Filing a lawsuit, paying court costs and expert witness fees
can be very expensive. Every year I spend thousand of dollars
in litigation costs. I know that most people cannot afford
these costs up front, so Iforward these costs up front in
every case I take. Spending a few thousand dollars on a good
expert witness can make the difference between getting thousands
of dollars and getting nothing for your personal injury claim.
Before you hire a lawyer, make sure that they are willing
to forward the money to adequately pursue your personal injury
case. Otherwise, you may be forced into taking a minimal settlement
if you cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars to pursue
your personal injury claim.
Q: Will I have to pay the any up front expenses?
A:
No. I advance all costs associated with your case. I never
ask you for a penny until we recover from the at fault party.
Q: What
do you charge for recovering my medical expenses?
A:
I do not charge
my clients a fee recovering their past medical
expenses. Many lawyers charge a percentage of the total recovery,
including your medical expenses. I base my fee on what is
recovered in
addition to your medical expenses. If your lawyer charges
you for
recovering your medical expenses it can significantly reduce
how much
goes in your pocket. For example, if you had $50,000 in medical
expenses and a $100,000 settlement, your lawyer would get
$33,000,
$50,000 would go to repay your medical expenses, and you would
be left
with around $17,000. In a case like that, I would base my
fee off of
the $50,000, putting $33,000 in your pocket instead of approximately
$17,000. The only time I charge a fee for recovering your
past medical
expenses is when someone other than the client, usually my
client's
insurance company or healthcare provider, pays me to recover
the medical
expenses.
Q: Are there any hidden fees?
A:
No. I do not charge
you fees for consultations, opening your file,
copies, long distance, etc. Before you hire a lawyer, make
sure you
find out what they will be charging you, as these hidden fees
can add
up.
Q: Do you charge more for filing a lawsuit or going to court?
A: No. Unlike most lawyers, my fees do not increase for filing a lawsuit, going to court, litigating motions, or going to mediation. The only time my fees increase is if we go to trial or arbitration, which usually happens in less than 10% of my cases. Before you hire a lawyer, make sure they don't increase their fees just for filing a lawsuit or spending a few hours in mediation.
Q: Will I get to talk to a lawyer if I call?
A:
Yes. Everyone who
calls for a free consultation gets to talk to a
lawyer. I do not have my staff screen cases. Usually you will
get to
talk to a lawyer right away or later the same day.
Q: Should I call you even if
I want to handle my claim myself?
A: Yes. In a few minutes
over the phone I can usually give you an
estimate of what your claim is worth so you don't get ripped
off by the
insurance company. If they give you an offer and you later
hire me, I
will not charge you a fee unless I can increase the amount
that goes
into your pocket.
Q: Can I recover even if the motorist never hit
me?
A: Yes. Many people are under the misconception that there has
to be physical contact between a cyclist and a motor vehicle
for the motorist to be liable. This is not true. There are
many situations where cyclists are injured when they take
evasive action to avoid being hit, and crash as a result.
The motorist can still be held liable if their negligence
required the cyclist to take the evasive action.
Q: Can I recover if the other
driver had no insurance?
A:
Yes. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, you can recover
money for your medical bills and pain and suffering even if
the other driver had no insurance.
Q: Does my auto insurance cover accidents when I am
on my bike?
A:
Many auto policies will cover you if you are injured in a
bicycle accident or while on foot.
Q: How do I know if I have a good bicycle accident
claim?
A:
You need to contact me and we can discuss your case. My consultation
on a personal injury case is always free.
Q: Should I accept the offer that the car insurance
company has given me?
A:
Not without talking to a lawyer. Insurance companies rarely offer you a fair amount for your injuries without a lawyer. Two extreme examples are one case where my client was offered $4,000 before he hired me. At trial a jury awarded us $550,000. In another case client was offered $1,500 and a jury awarded us $138,000. Insurance companies do not get to determine the value of your injury case, that is up to you or a jury. If you have already received an offer for your injuries, contact me and I will let you know if I think it is a fair offer. I will not charge you for this consultation. If I do not beat their original offer to you, I will not charge you an attorney fee.
Q: How long does it take to settle most bicycle
accident and personal injury cases?
A:
It depends on the nature of your personal
injury claim. I have settled smaller claims for the full amount
my client wanted within 10 days and I have settled policy
limits cases in as little as a few months. Larger personal
injury cases typically take longer to settle. Oregon law has
a provision that can require insurance companies to pay my
attorney fees for bicycle accident cases under $5,500, so
oftentimes cases under $5,500 can be resolved quickly, as
the insurance companies don’t want to get a big attorney
fee bill from me.
Q: Will pursuing my case take up a lot of my time?
A:
No. Oftentimes I only meet with clients for the initial interview
and then we can just talk over the phone. If we do have to
go to court, it will take more time. I realize your time is
important, so I don’t waste it.
Q: Will I have to go to trial?
A:
The vast majority of bicycle
collision and personal injury cases don’t go to trial.
However, I treat each case as if it is going to be a trial,
as you have to be willing to go to trial to maximize your
settlement.
Q: Why is it so important to hire an Oregon attorney who goes to trial?
A:
Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but you want to maximize your settlement. If you hire an Oregon personal injury attorney who has little trial experience, oftentimes they will be afraid to go to trial. Insurance companies know who these lawyers are, and they usually offer them less than the case is worth. I have 15 years of courtroom experience and I have tried well over 100 cases. A good example of why you sometimes have to go to trial are the recent results I have had. I recently tried four separate cases where the offers totaled approximately $51,500. The juries awarded a total of over $1,100,000. If my clients had hired a lawyer who does not try cases, they would have lost a combined total of around $1,048,500. Verdicts like these do not come easy and it took me over 15 years of trying cases and over 100 jury trials before I had the skills to get big verdicts for my clients. Most Oregon personal injury attorneys rarely, if ever, try cases. I believe that these attorneys do a great disservice to their clients and cost their clients millions of dollars by settling cases that should go to trial. Before you hire a lawyer, make sure that they are actively trying cases and have had a number of six figure verdicts.
Q: Do I need an Oregon lawyer?
A:
In order to settle your bike accident
case you will have to deal with insurance companies. Their
goal is to pay you as little as you will take. It is tough
for someone who is not familiar with bicycle accident cases
to know what a fair settlement amount is. An experienced Oregon
bicycle accident attorney can help you to determine that amount
and reach a fair settlement.
Q: I don’t want to bankrupt somebody. What happens to the person I sue?
A:
Although the lawsuit will have the other driver’s name on it, we are actually going after the insurance company’s money. In virtually every case, the person we sue does not have to pay a penny, as their insurance company pays the settlement or verdict amount, as well as all of the legal fees. In the three cases where I have received verdicts bigger than the policy limits, the insurance companies still paid, as it was there fault for not settling for the policy limits.
Q: What types of Oregon accident
cases do you handle?
A: I handle all types of Oregon personal injury, wrongful death
and products liability cases, including: crashes and collisions
involving bikes, scooters, wheelchairs, and mopeds.
Q: What parts of Oregon do you handle cases in?
A: Although I am located in Portland, Oregon, I will handle take
cases throughout the state of Oregon including the following
counties and cities:
COUNTIES: Multnomah County, Washington
County, Clackamas County, Marion County, Polk County, Columbia
County, Hood River County, Yamhill County, Clatsop County,
Wasco County, Linn County, Benton County, Lane County, Clatsop
County, Tillamook County, Sherman County, Jefferson County,
Linn County, Benton County.
CITIES: Portland, Salem, Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton,
Tigard, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, McMinnville, West Linn, Tualatin,
Troutdale, Sherwood, Molalla, Aloha, Albany, Corvallis, Cascade
Locks, Astoria, Wilsonville,Woodburn, The Dalles, Fairview,
Oregon City, Silverton, Sandy, Rainier, Monmouth, Newberg,
Keizer, Gladstone, Forest Grove, Estacada, Canby, Philomath,
Newberg, Parkdale, Seaside.
Mike Colbach Host of Bicycleattorney.com
USA Bicycle Attorney Referrals
I am the host and sponsor of the USA Bicycle Attorneys featured on bicycleattoreny.com (this website). My goal is to give bicyclists the best representation possible. I am proud to host bicycle accident attorneys from Idaho, Colorado,
Alabama, New York City,
Upstate New York, Pennsylvania,
Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. These attorneys are strong advocates and are also active bicyclists.
If
you are looking for an experienced bicycle attorney in any other state, please email me as I may be able to help find you an experienced bicycle attorney at no cost to you.
Oregon Bicycling
I am proud to be a contributing sponsor of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and a proud sponsor of the "BTA Alice Toeclips Awards."
Main cash sponsor
Bicycleattorney.com Cycling Team
I raced for the Presto Velo team, which is now the Bicycleattorney.com/racing team and I am their main cash sponsor.
Pictured Above: Bicycleattorney.com cycling team
You may notice on the BicycleAttorney.com Team Jersey the logos of Bike n' Hike, Giant and Hop Works. The owner and operator of Bike n’ Hike is Kevin Chudy. He is a personal friend of mine and an active Cat III and Masters racer. Kevin sponsored me when I used to race bikes. Hop Works has been voted a Portland best brew pub and best pizza, they are also a supporter of Portland cycling, contributing sponsor of the Portland Cup US Gran Prix of Cyclocross event.
Oregon Bicycle Racing
I support Oregon Bicycle Racing Assocation (OBRA) OBRA.org
I sponsor the Alpenrose Challenge, velodrome bike racing.
Mike is also proud to be a contributing sponsor of the Portland Cup US Gran Prix of Cyclocross December 3-5, 2010.
Mike is also proud to be a contributing sponsor of the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships December 9 - 12, 2010 in Bend, Oregon.
Contributing Sponsor
Pro Cycling Racer Evan Elken
For every bicycle accident case I represent, I make a donation to Evan Elken's racing fund. Please visit Evan's race highlight page, and Evan's racing blog to see results from his latest races, his Racing Blog, and race photos. Evan was voted by Velonews Amateur of the Year in 2004.
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