Kaplan Law, LLC

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Portland , Oregon's largest city, is also one of the economic and cultural hubs of the Pacific Northwest. Long considered one of the country's most relaxed and livable cities, Portland has a core population of 584,000 and it is the center of a metropolitan area of more than 2 million. The Law Office of Matthew D. Kaplan serves this entire area: from Vancouver, Washington south to cities in Eastern and Southern Oregon, such as Salem, Eugene, Corvallis and Bend. Matthew D. Kaplan's office at the KOIN Center, Suite #1111, 222 SW Columbia Street in Portland, Oregon is the place to turn if you are uncertain what your rights are and whether the courts can offer you justice. Call his office at (503) 226-3844 to schedule an appointment. The law office of Matthew D. Kaplan serves all of Portland’s diverse communities, and is a leader in advocacy for the city’s large bicycling community. Statistics compiled by the Oregon Health & Science University highlight the importance of safe practices for drivers and cyclists alike.

The term “Industrial Accidents” conjures images of catastrophes affecting the public at large, but in legal terms industrial accidents are not restricted to mass events, or even to professions that are widely understood to be dangerous such as mining, oil refining or logging. Oregon industrial accidents can take place in any line of work, though employees are especially at risk in environments involving defective cranes, scaffolding, power tools, forklifts, earth movers and other heavy and/or dangerous industrial equipment. Those working with explosives or other volatile materials are also at significant risk, which is why many Oregon industrial accident cases focus on propane tank explosions or other explosions that occur in confined spaces. This brings us to a second important misconception: the belief that workman’s compensation claims are the only recourse for workers injured on the job and in search of a just settlement. Oregon industrial accident law applies to any accident in which a third party or a contracted party bears some responsibility for the injury.

Portland has long had a reputation as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the nation. We can all be proud of Portland and Oregon’s commitment to healthy, environmentally-friendly transportation. Even in Oregon, however, cycling can be dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 10 cyclist deaths in Oregon in 2008. Nationally, between 700 and 800 bicyclists die each year, most of them in accidents involving cars or trucks. Those 10 Oregon deaths represented 2.4% of the state’s road fatalities, according to NHTSA – a figure significantly above the national average of 1.7%. Contrary to what some people believe, bicycles are not supposed to be ridden on the sidewalk. The law considers a bicycle a vehicle. As such it has just as much of a right to be operated in the road (freeways excepted) as any car or truck. Drivers who fail to understand and acknowledge this endanger not only law-abiding cyclists, but themselves and other motorists. Oregon law requires large commercial delivery trucks to have special mirrors that allow the driver to see objects – such as bicyclists – directly in front of the vehicle.

Do not give another party’s insurance company a statement. They are only interested in protecting themselves and will try and find ways to deny or minimize your case. They will also send you a release and other paperwork hoping you will sign off your right to privacy. Do not sign anything from another party’s insurance company without an attorney looking it over. If you are injured your insurance company will require you to fill out a PIP Application and sign a medical release. They may also require you to give a taped statement. Part of your contract with your insurance company requires you to cooperate with them. If you want PIP benefits, you will need to cooperate and fill out the application and give the taped statement. I typically like to listen in on my client’s taped statement via a conference call. I also review all of my client’s PIP applications prior to submitting them.

We are one of Oregon’s gems. The town was founded in the mid-19th century and grew rapidly due to its prime location along the trade routes connecting Portland to Oregon City and also because of the discovery of iron ore in the nearby Tualatin Valley around the time of the Civil War. By the late 1800s it was a center of the iron industry – home to several blast furnaces (the remains of one can be seen today in George Rogers Park) and nicknamed the Pittsburgh of the West. In more recent times the Clackamas County City’s good rail connections and easy access to Portland have helped it develop into a suburb that feels much further removed from downtown than the eight miles it actually is. As such, Lake Oswego residents are easily able to turn to Kaplan Law LLC at the KOIN Center, Suite #1111, 222 SW Columbia Street in Portland, Oregon for assistance with a wide range of legal matters.

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