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Kris Miles, 14, struggles to recover months after being hit by a car | Portland Bike Lawyers

Date: January 21, 2009
Location: Southeast 136th Avenue and Seventh Street, Vancouver, WA
Type:  Car vs. bicycle
Outcome: Severe brain injury | TBI
Names: Kris Miles, Andrea Dickinson

The Columbian recently published a story about the long path towards recovery for 14-year-old Kris Miles of Vancouver, WA, who was hit by an SUV while riding his bicycle in mid-January. 28-year-old Andrea Dickinson, who was driving the SUV, failed to see Kris in the crosswalk. She struck him at a speed of somewhere between 13 and 30 m.p.h, causing Kris and his bike to fall under the SUV and drag along the road.

The collision left Kris with severe head trauma that required major brain surgery and sixteen weeks of hospitalization at Legacy Emanuel. Though he is home now, Kris' struggles are far from over: responsive to his family only through grunts, blinks, and finger gestures, Kris cannot eat, bathe, or walk by himself.

Please keep Kris in your thoughts and prayers. Our hearts go out to all of his loved ones, and especially the Miles family, who remain admirably strong in the face of crisis. Kris' father, Ken Miles, stopped working full time so that he could devote more time to taking care of Kris. As parents ourselves, we can only imagine the incredible pain and shock that Ken and his wife, Shannon, must be going through. We also hope that Kris is getting the very best medical care and treatment for his traumatic brain injury -- an all too common outcome of automobile trauma.

As lawyers and as parents, these kinds of stories are hard to read. They remind us how vitally important it is to fight for justice, but simultaneously highlight how deeply inadequate that justice can be.  For his injuries, pain, and dramatically impacted ability to function in daily life, Kris and his family absolutely deserve to be compensated.  Yet no amount of money could possibly make up for what Kris and his family have had to experience. It is unclear whether or not the Miles family has contacted an attorney at this point, but if so, we wish them the best possible outcome while acknowledging that it will never be enough.

Shulman DuBois LLC represents victims with injuries resulting from accidents.  Our clients deserve representation with our experience, sensitivity and tenacity.  Should an unfortunate episode find you or someone you know in need of representation as a result of an accident related injury, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get educated by reading our Frequently Asked Questions, exploring our Library, or ordering your free copy of 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case.