2009 July Archive

Date: July 29, 2009
Location: Southeast Division and 168th Avenue, Portland
Names: Richard Nordby, Victor M. Arechiga Coronado

Oregonlive.com reports the death of a wheelchair-bound man in an accident that occurred Wednesday evening in Southeast Portland.
Read the rest »

Date: July 27, 2009
Location: Sweet Home, U.S. 20
Names: Ethel Hopkins, Craig Hopkins, Billy Floyd, Matthew Dizick

Oregonlive.com reported the death of a Sunriver-area 63-year-old woman in an accident that occurred Monday afternoon.

The accident happened near Sweet Home, when a semi driven by Billy Wayne Floyd, 28, of Las Vegas swerved into the eastbound lane on U.S. 20, colliding with a Dodge pick-up truck driven by Craig Scott Hopkins, 66. Driver Billy Wayne Floyd and his passenger Matthew Aaron Dizick, 20, of Cottage Grove were not injured. Craig Hopkins was taken to St. Charles Medical Center and is listed in fair condition. Craig’s passenger and wife, Ethel was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Floyd was arrested on charges of second-degree manslaughter. Speculations over whether or not Floyd was speeding have yet to be confirmed.

From the KTVZ.com article it is easy to see that Ethel Hopkins was well-thought of and loved by her community. We are saddened by their and Craig’s loss and hope that through memorimum Ethel can be remembered for the kind, loving woman that she was.

Speeding to shave a few minutes off your trip is not worth the risk of killing another innocent person. Speeding lead to the careless mistake that cost Ethel Hopkins’s life.

The Oregon Transportation Department of Safety reports that in 2008 alone, speed related accidents killed 216 people, that number far exceeds the amount of drunk-driving fatalities in Oregon! But, as always law enforcement is in full effect, and the Oregon State Police are continually looking for ways to both protect the innocent and punish those who endanger lives. If caught, you could lose your license, receive an expensive ticket or go to jail.

Here at Shulman DuBois we know the risk is too great—lives can be lost as well as licenses and the ability to operate your own vehicle. It’s not worth it.

Important questions to consider when hiring a lawyer:
Does the lawyer understand how to help me pay my medical bills after an accident?
What about testimonials?
What kind of time limits are involved?
What if I have a smaller case?
Are there any hard rules to follow when looking for a great personal injury lawyer?

Date: July 14, 2009
Location: Highway 26, near Sandy
Names: Unknown

Salem-news.com reports that one person was critically injured as a result of an accident that occurred Tuesday afternoon on Highway 26 near Sandy.
Read the rest »

Date: July 11, 2009
Location: Highway 101, near Coos Bay
Names: Shirely Campbell, Bernard D. Campbell

Two people were injured in an accident Saturday on Highway 101, near Coos Bay.

Oregon State Police believe the driver may have been asleep at the wheel as the car travelled northbound and veered right off the highway, down an embankment, eventually colliding head-on into a tree. The driver Shirely Campbell, 74, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and her passenger, Bernard D. Campbell, 77 were seriously injured, and were removed from their vehicle by the Millington Fire District and Green Acres Fire District emergency team. Both are listed in stable condition.

While accidents like this one can seem black or white, a closer investigation will sometimes turn up a surprise.  Many will assume that Shirely fell asleep at the wheel, or stopped paying attention for some other reason.   And perhaps that is exactly what happened.  But there are many other possibilities as well.  Poor road conditions may have caused this wreck – for all we know, there may have been a large pothole that has already caused three prior accidents, or maybe there’s a blind curve with a missing warning sign.  If that is the case, there may be a lawsuit available against the city/county/state.  Such a lawsuit would allow the injured person to receive compensation and hopefully prevent future accidents on that stretch of road.

Maybe the car was recently brought in for a tune-up, and the mechanic replaced the steering mechanism carelessly, and the car lost steering.  These things do happen, and when someone is seriously injured, a competent Oregon personal injury attorney can investigate and find out what truly happened.  Usually at no cost.  For more information on what to do in the case of an Oregon accident, contact our office or read 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case.

Date: July 4, 2009
Location: Highway 18, near Lincoln City
Names: David Carl Josephson, Melanie Marie Josephson, Richard Wayne Ohnstad, Khamsone Bandasith, Gerald Gene Holsler, and eight other unnamed passengers

A four car crash occurred yesterday on highway 18, near Lincoln City, leaving several people injured, two of which were serious.
Read the rest »