Personal Injury
Car & Trucking Accidents | Slip & Fall Accidents | Pedestrian & Bicycle Accidents
Auto Accidents
Our firm represents clients who have suffered serious injuries in
automobile accidents. We are experienced in handling very serious injuries,
including death, spinal and brain injuries, fractured bones, damages organs,
etc. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a car
accident occurs every 10 seconds in this country.
Oregon law requires that every person who operates an automobile must
exercise “reasonable and ordinary care” under the circumstances. A failure
to use reasonable care is considered negligence. A negligent driver is
responsible for paying for any damage he or she causes to a third person.
In many cases, negligent drivers admit fault. Unfortunately, their insurance
companies will sometimes invent some rationale for claiming the other party
is at fault.
Do you know what to do if you are in an accident?
Trucking Accidents
Trucking litigation involves claims against negligent truck drivers and the
companies who hire them. The driver of an 18-wheeler poses a heightened risk
to the public, and must therefore exercise an increased standard of care.
Collisions caused by the trucker’s negligence often lead to the most
devastating and catastrophic injuries.
Charlie Ringo and Associates has successfully litigated these complex cases
on a number of occasions. Federal and state regulations govern how many
hours the drivers can be on the road, what records they must keep, what
safety equipment must be used, and other safety issues. The equipment must
receive regular maintenance to ensure safe and adequate performance.
Improper loading of tractor-trailer rigs may result in vehicle imbalance and
loss of control.
We understand these complicated issues, including the regulations governing
truckers. We have ability to investigate trucking accidents and to retain
accident reconstruction experts, if necessary, to determine the actual cause
of the collision. If you have been the victim of a serious trucking
accident, let us help you.
Slip-and Fall (or trip-and fall) Accidents
Slip-and-fall incidents cause many injuries, and are second only to motor
vehicle accidents as a cause of accidental fatalities. The defense usually
argues that the slip-and-fall occurred because the victim simply wasn’t
paying attention. In many cases, though, the premises were defective, making
it foreseeable that someone would fall and become injured.
Grocery stores, restaurants, and other public places have a duty to
regularly patrol the premises to make sure nothing has been spilled or
deposited on the floor. Sometimes there is evidence that an employee knew
that something had been spilled on the floor and failed to clean it up.
Other times, evidence shows that the material had been on the floor for a
long time, so the employees should have known the floor needed cleaning.
Sometimes slip-and-fall accidents occur because the floor, stairs, or
walkway were constructed in a way that is unsafe and violates building
codes. For example, stairs must be built to certain specifications and there
must be a handrail. Failure to comply with building codes can lead to a
determination that the premises owner is negligent.
Slip-and-fall cases require immediate investigation. Photographs should be
taken as soon as possible, hopefully before the dangerous condition has been
corrected. Also, witness statements need to be taken immediately. If you
have been the victim of a slip-and-fall, give us a call.
