Portland Personal Injury Attorneys

Oregon Highway 97 Car Crash Kills Woman

Date: November 23, 2009
Location: Highway 97, Bend, Oregon
Names: Jeanne Coward, Dodd Hook, Lois Gruver

Jeanne Coward, 69, of Bend, Oregon, was killed November 23, 2009, around 2 PM, on Highway 97 near the Deschutes Market Junction when her car was struck by an SUV driven by Dodd Hook, 47, also of Bend. The crash also involved a third vehicle, an SUV driven by Lois Gruver of Bend.

According to KOHD.com, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police were called to the crash involving the Ford Explorer, driven by Hook, which had been reported for driving erratically, weaving, and possibly striking the median barrier. The crash occurred minutes after 911 received the erratic driving call.

Hook lost control of his vehicle and sideswiped Gruver’s car in the oncoming southbound lanes. Hook’s car then overturned and rolled into Coward’s car. Coward was pronounced dead at the scene. Hook suffered non-life-threatening injuries; he was taken to St. Charles Medical Center, where he was treated and released from the emergency room. Gruver was not injured.

There was no evidence of speeding or intoxicants as factors, and authorities were baffled as to what might have caused the crash; however, KTVZ.com reports that Hook’s erratic driving may have resulted from a medical condition.

A friend of Hook’s told KTVZ that Hook was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes over 20 years ago. The condition was not detected until he was in his 20s and was drafted for professional baseball. According to Hook’s friend, who asked not to be named, Hook “most likely” passed out from low blood sugar.

The friend said Hook was “extremely responsible” with managing his diabetes. He even had two wireless devices, a “pod” that infused him with insulin when needed, and a second device to monitor blood sugar.

“We’re really upset about what happened to this lady,” the friend told KTVZ. “It was a freak thing. We don’t know exactly what happened. If his blood sugar goes very low, very fast,” trouble can arise.

As of November 24, sheriff’s deputies were continuing to investigate, and asked any witnesses, or anyone with information, to contact them at 541-388-6655.

We send our condolences to Coward’s family after this sudden, shocking crash. We hope that they will find support in the community, and comfort in the prayers of others.

When a driver passes out due to a medical condition, it can be difficult to figure out who’s fault it is. You may be surprised to read this from a personal injury attorney, but it may be nobody’s fault. A freak accident is what we call an “act of God,” and nobody gets blamed.

But, here are some other possibilities:
-The driver may have been on medication that specifically stated he shouldn’t drive. That would make it the driver’s fault.
-The driver may have been on medication that did not state he shouldn’t drive, but should have! That would make it the fault of whoever produced, tested, and labeled the medication.
-The driver may have been on medication that should state that he shouldn’t drive, but the pharmacist mislabeled it. Pharmacy’s fault.
-The driver’s doctor may have misdiagnosed a condition, and therefore failed to tell the driver that he shouldn’t be driving.

There’s no way to know what actually happened to cause this tragedy without further investigation. This is certainly a situation that can get complicated fast. A victim doesn’t have to sue, and many choose not to, but those involved should certainly know what their legal and insurance options are. A competent personal injury attorney can help guide you through the process.

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?

3 die from injuries in church van rollover | Oregon Accident Attorneys

Date: November 12, 2009
Location: I-84 near Baker City, Oregon
Names: Phillip Joel Harris, Joshua John Pischura, Taune Nicole Winter Pepper

According to KATU.com, Phillip Joel Harris, of Attalla, Alabama, became the latest casualty of an early-morning freeway crash near Baker City, Oregon, where a church van carrying 16 people rolled on icy roads. Harris, 24, died November 22, 2009, at a hospital in Boise, Idaho. Joshua John Pischura, 20, of Geneva, Ohio, died shortly after the crash November 12, 2009, and Taune Nicole Winter Pepper, 23, of Deer Trail, Colorado, died later the same day.

The accident occurred around 5:20 AM, as a van carrying members of a Colorado church group was heading west on an icy stretch of I-84. The van went out of control, veered off the road, and rolled several times, coming to rest on its roof. Fourteen people were taken to various hospitals. In an earlier report, KATU.com said nearly everyone in the van was thrown from the vehicle. All of the college-age survivors were hurt in the crash, and some had critical injuries.

Five seriously or critically injured passengers were flown to Boise-area hospitals. Three others were transported to a hospital in La Grande, Oregon. Six were treated and released from St. Elizabeth Health Services in Baker City, Oregon.

The driver was reportedly wearing a seat belt and suffered non-life-threatening injuries; it was not known how many others were wearing safety restraints.

The nine women and seven men in the van were on part of a church training program called Rocky Mountain Masters Commission. They were en route to a Portland conference to work and raise money for the discipleship program, doing tasks such as ushering. As part of their church program, the students lived dorm-style at New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights, Colorado, while attending classes leading to a minister’s license.

Some of the van’s passengers were from Denver, some from Florida and Utah, and one woman was from Iraq. Survivors’ names were not released.

As of November 19, according to The Record Courier, an investigation was continuing, including personnel from Oregon, Idaho, and Colorado.

As church and community members throughout the Northwest join together to mourn and pray, we add our prayers to the many going out on behalf of the survivors. It is truly tragic whenever a life is cut short, but perhaps especially so with these dedicated young people with a dream of the ministry. We hope that all the survivors continue to recover, and the aftermath of this crash will not take any more dreams.

When a person tries to correct the wheel while driving, a car should skid, not roll over. It should be very difficult to make a car roll over. However, it’s an unfortunate truth that there are some models and makes of vehicles that roll over very easily. These makes and models are well known and there have been successful lawsuits against the companies who build, sell and profit from these vehicles. When a vehicle rolls over it may be entirely driver error or it may be partially driver error and partially poor design. The difference is that the driver error is to be expected. We all know that drivers sometimes make errors and sometimes a quick correction is necessary, for example, when a deer runs in the road or even a cow. A driver should be able to jerk the wheel, make a sudden maneuver around an obstacle or to correct a drift without the car flipping over and killing everyone inside it.

In addition to being more stable and less likely to roll over, a car should be designed so that if it does roll over, there is enough strength and stability in the roof that the people inside don’t get crushed. Whenever there’s a rollover crash like this one causing serious injury or even death it may be easy to blame the driver. But there is another very important factor. And that is the companies who are making this car who know very well that the car is dangerous but who do nothing to correct it because it would cut into their bottom line.

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?

Suspended Driver Arrested After Hitting Three Cars | Oregon Accident Attorneys

Date: November 26, 2009
Location: I-5 north of Salem, Oregon
Names: Eric Ryan Witt

A Rainier, Oregon, man was arrested on multiple charges, including driving while suspended, after his car crashed into three other vehicles on I-5 north of Salem, November 26, 2009, around 11:50 AM. Eric Ryan Witt, 39, attempted to elude Oregon State Police after the crash, reaching speeds of up to 107 mph before he was finally stopped.

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URGENT: Toyota and Lexus Safety Alert | Portland Injury Attorneys

Date: September 29, 2009
(Photo: Toyota.com)

In the wake of a tragic crash that killed a California Highway Patrol office and three members of his family, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. issued a news release September 29, 2009, urging owners to remove the driver’s side floor mats from eight Toyota and Lexus models immediately, and not to replace them with any other kind of floor mat.
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Passerby Rescues Mother, Children from Submerged Car After Crash

A Good Samaritan pulled four people, including three small children, from an SUV half submerged in the rushing waters of a creek November 18, 2009, after the vehicle crashed on Widow Creek Road in Newport, Oregon, and rolled down an embankment. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office told the Newport News-Times that alcohol was involved in the crash.

The rescuer, who asked to remain anonymous, was passing by the crash site with his wife around 4 PM, when he spotted the car upside down in the creek. The man told his wife to call 911, then climbed down the bank and made his way into the fast-moving water.

The rescuer grabbed two children from their car seats, Kylie Gandy, 2, and Austin Gandy, 3. He then helped them and their mother, Amber Lee Gandy, 25, of Grand Ronde, out of the creek and onto the bank.

Lt. Dave Carey, with the sheriff’s office, described the mother as “very visibly intoxicated,” according to the Newport News-Times.

With the mother intoxicated and in shock, the rescuer was not aware at first that a 6-month-old baby was still in the car. As soon as he learned the baby was inside, he rushed back into the water and brought little Kameron Gandy back to shore. Kameron, though, had been in the water for several minutes by this time. He was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

Emergency responders transported the family to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City, where a medical team was able to revive Kameron. However, he was in critical condition, and was airlifted to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland. He remained in critical condition as of November 19.

The mother and the other two children were treated and released from Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital.

According to KTVB.com, criminal charges are pending against Amber Lee Gandy.

Lt. Carey told the Newport News-Times that the family’s rescuer would be recognized for his heroism, publicly or privately. “The deputies on the scene believe that had this citizen not arrived when he did and taken the actions that he did, the four may not have survived.”

Our prayers go out to Kameron, who we very much hope recovers, though it’s likely he will suffer permanently from this deplorable event. And also, his siblings, who, even though they have been released from the hospital, still have some recuperation. Our thoughts are with the entire family, as they obviously have many things to deal with right now.

We are so thankful to the selfless acts of this stranger, who may never be recognized fully for his efforts.

According to a report from NHTSA, “Projects to Reduce Impaired Driving Among 21- to 34-Year-Old Drivers,” drivers aged 21-34 have the highest risk of dying in alcohol-related crashes, and the age group accounts for more than one-third of all drunk driving deaths. People in this age group also tend to have higher blood alcohol concentrations.

“The ABCs of BAC,” a pamphlet available at StopImpairedDriving.org, also notes that blood alcohol concentration rises faster in women, because they generally have less water and more body fat per pound of weight than men. Since alcohol is not absorbed by fat cells, alcohol remains in the blood longer.

But the risks are great for both men and women, at any age. In single-vehicle crashes, a driver with a BAC between .08 and .10 has at least 11 times the risk than a sober driver, and even small amounts of alcohol can impair a person’s ability to drive.

As we approach the holidays, and more people get together for parties, be sure to read about National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. And while you’re at it, watch the video, “Last Call.” Every little bit of knowledge and awareness will help prevent more tragedies like this one.

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Bicyclist Killed, Drivers Cited for Drunk Driving in Fatal N. Portland Accident

Date: November 4, 2009
Location: North Willamette Blvd. & North Haven Ave., Portland, Oregon
Names: Kipp Crawford, Carlos Tyrone McCall, Felisa Washington-Berry

So many questions remain surrounding the death of Kipp Crawford, 31, a Portland, Oregon, musician who died November 4, 2009, after he was found in the road next to his bike. According to BikePortland.org, Crawford was hit by two cars, both of whose drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants. Accounts vary as to whether Crawford was already lying in the road when he was hit.

It was around 2:30 AM when he was run over by a Cadillac driven by Carlos Tyrone McCall, 41, then struck by a second car, an Isuzu SUV driven by Felisa Washington-Berry near the intersection of North Willamette Boulevard and North Haven Avenue, close to the University of Portland.

Portland police have accused the drivers with drunken driving in connection with the tragic crash. Washington-Berry was also booked for reckless driving.

Crawford was rushed to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, but, sadly, he died at the hospital. The cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma, according to the Multnomah County Medical Examiner.

Crawford was a drummer who played in several local bands, including Celilo, Thanks Kipp, and Fractal Quintet. The Ashland High School graduate loved bicycling, according to his mother, Jean Crawford, of Ashland, who told the Mail Tribune that it was not unusual for her son to be out pedaling at 2 AM. “He could have been coming from a gig or a recording session. Music was pretty much central to his entire life,” she added.

According to the Portland Mercury, there have been three other fatal bike crashes in Portland in 2009.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remained unclear as of November 4. A KATU news video posted on BikePortland.org reports that a witness heard an altercation, and some say Crawford may have been pushed. The Portland Police Bureau major crash team’s investigation included “hours” of interviews with the two drivers, according to The Portland Tribune.

Comments on the news stories have already begun to show the rift between drivers and bikers, but, as others point out, there is not enough information to know who is to blame. But facts or not, a person was killed, and we need to take moment to remember this man’s life. He obviously had a love of both music and cycling. Maybe as more information comes in, we’ll learn that he had a chance to do both right before he died. Our hearts go out to Crawford’s family and friends, and our thoughts are with you as time goes on.

This accident, unfortunately, highlights so many aspects of safe commuting. First, we don’t know if Crawford was wearing a helmet. Second, and most important and disgusting, there is the obvious infraction by the drivers who chose to get in their cars after drinking. Third, there is the question of whether there was an altercation or another person involved. We ask that anyone who knows anything to please come forward. For the sake of his family, who need answers.

After some of the questions are answered, we might also be able to move ahead and see if there are ways to make that stretch of road safer. Or we can educate everyone, drivers and cyclists, about the dangers of driving drunk. Our greatest hope is that Crawford’s death will not be in vain.

By presidential proclamation, December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month (3D Month).

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Truck Crash in Vida, Oregon Seriously Injures Driver

Date: October 19, 2009
Location: Highway 126E, Vida, Oregon
Names: Forrest D. King

Forrest D. King, 21, of Vida, Oregon, was seriously injured around 2:40 AM, October 19, 2009, when he lost control of his 1993 Subaru truck on Highway 126E.

According to an Oregon State Police press release, the truck was westbound when it hit an embankment on the north side of the highway. King was ejected from the truck, and pinned underneath.

Oregon State Police troopers and paramedics arrived at the crash site, and King was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield.

McKenzie Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene. As of October 20, police were continuing to investigate, and it was not known whether King was wearing a seat belt.

We send our thoughts to King as he recovers. It can be difficult to get over an accident, but we hope he heals swiftly and easily.

Visit our car accident resource library.
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