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June 15, 2011, has been designated World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), and it is the sixth year of the event, which was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations. The purpose of the day is to give communities across the globe an opportunity to raise awareness of elder abuse and neglect.

Every year, thousands of elderly people are abused, exploited, and neglected, no matter their social status or ethnicity. Sadly, the Administration on Aging reports that only about one in five crimes of elder abuse are ever discovered.

There are several different forms of elder abuse, including the following:

• Physical abuse; which results in injury, impairment, or pain
• Emotional abuse, which can be intimidating, threatening, menacing, or ignoring an elderly person
• Sexual abuse
• Neglect, which occurs when a caregiver fails to fulfill their obligation to the senior citizen
• Financial exploitation
• Healthcare fraud and abuse, such as overcharging and overmedicating/undermedicating

It is important for all Oregon residents to be familiar with the signs of elder abuse and neglect to protect their loved one from suffering further. An elderly person who is suffering abuse at a nursing home facility may exhibit some of the following behaviors: unexplained bruises or cuts; significant change in demeanor; seems fearful; reports chronic, yet vague complaints, particularly of pain; repeatedly has “accidental” injuries; shows signs of depression; appears isolated; and suffers from bedsores.

If you suspect your loved one has been abused, exploited, and/or neglected at a nursing home or assisted care facility in Oregon, the Portland personal injury lawyers at Shulman DuBois LLC advise you to contact Adult Protective Services by calling 1-800-232-3020. You can also contact the Senior Helpline & Elder Abuse Reporting Hotline for Multnomah, Washington & Clackamas Counties by calling 503-988-3646. However, if you believe your loved one is at imminent risk, call 911 or your local law enforcement immediately.

Source:http://www.aoa.gov/aoaroot/aoa_programs/elder_rights/ea_prevention/weaad.aspx

Date: January 22, 2010
Location: SE 52nd & Woodward St., Portland, Oregon
Names: Tyler Luba, Patrick Livingston

A hit-and-run driver who hit two high school students while they crossed the street near Franklin High School in Portland, Oregon, has been taken into custody. Portland police arrested Patrick Livingston, 44, on January 26, 2010, around 8:40 PM, four days after the crash that injured Tyler Luba and another student.

Luba suffered multiple broken bones and was taken to the hospital. He was released January 30.

The crash occurred at SE 52nd and Woodward Street. Several cars had stopped to let the two teenagers cross the street, but Livingston drove around the vehicles and hit both students with his car. He then left the scene.

Livingston was arraigned January 26 on charges of hit-and-run and second-degree assault.

We want both Luba and the other student to know that we are sending thoughts their way, and we hope both of them will make a full and fast recovery. We also want them to know that we are outraged about this crash and the driver’s behavior. There is no excuse for hit-and-run.

Hit-and-run is a serious crime, and conviction will result in your driving privileges being suspended or revoked. In any accident, you have the following obligations:

·    Stop at once. If anyone is killed or unconscious, you must stay at the scene until a police officer arrives.
·    Render aid. Do not move an injured person carelessly, but give reasonable aid
·    Exchange information with the other driver. Give them your name, address, driver’s license number, license plate number, and insurance information. DMV offers a printable checklist you can download and keep in your car.
·    Report the accident to DMV.

We implore drivers in any accident to put the safety and welfare of others above their own interests, and always, always remain at the scene and make sure no one is hurt.

The hit-and-run driver must be held civilly and criminally responsible for his actions. And the Luba family, as well as the family of the other student, may be well advised to contact a personal injury attorney with experience in hit-and-run crashes who will fight for the justice and compensation that they deserve. At Shulman DuBois, we believe that what happened in this crash is simply unacceptable; we are committed to making sure that hit-and-run drivers are held accountable for their actions and that both victims and families receive the compensation they deserve.

Shulman DuBois does not represent any of the parties in this article. If you were involved in this or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. We offer a free, confidential consultation to not-at-fault people discussed in this article. The free consultation extends to family members as well.

Date: December 28, 2009
Location: SE 76th & Stark St., Portland, Oregon
Names: Dobrivoje Ivkovic

A bus driver for senior citizens attending Providence ElderPlace in Portland, Oregon, was arrested December 28, 2009, for drunk driving, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident after he crashed his empty bus at SE 76th and Stark Street, around 3:30 PM. Police caught up with Dobrivoje Ivkovic, 41, at Providence Portland Medical Center on NE 48th and Glisan.

KOINLocal6.com said police believe the bus was unoccupied at the time of the crash. There were no injuries.

Ivkovic was taken to Multnomah County Jail.

Gary Walker, director of public affairs for Providence Health & Services, told The Oregonian that Ivkovic’s bus was used to transport older adults to and from Providence ElderPlace, a health care and social services program with a location near the hospital, at 4540 NE Glisan.

Walker would not comment on the allegations against Ivkovic, saying it was a personal matter.

As Portland hit and run lawyers, we are grateful that no one was injured in this crash, but we can’t help but be shocked. This driver was entrusted with the safety of senior citizens. Hit-and-run is a serious crime, and so is drunk driving, but there are legal options with a Portland hit and run lawyer.

The hit-and-run driver must be held responsible for his actions. And if anyone is injured in a hit and run crash, civil penalties may apply as well. At Shulman DuBois, our personal injury attorneys believe that hit-and-run, and drunk driving, are simply unacceptable. If you have been injured in a hit-and-run or drunk driving crash, contact our hit and run lawyers soon.

Shulman DuBois, LLC, is a personal injury law firm  located in SE Portland, Oregon, and serves clients in all Oregon cities and counties, including: Portland, Beaverton, Multnomah County, Hillsboro, Gresham, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Tualatin, Troutdale, Sellwood, Corvallis, Salem, Eugene, Milwaukie, and Albany.

Date: October 29, 2009
Location: Sunset Esplanade, Hillsboro, Oregon
Names: Angela Walters, Jeffrey Kenney

Angela Walters, 29, of Hillsboro, Oregon, had just gotten off a bus and was hurrying through the Sunset Esplanade parking lot October 29, 2009, around 4:15 PM, when she was struck by a car, according to The Hillsboro Argus. Police said Walters didn’t see the car driven by Jeffrey Kenney, 40, also of Hillsboro, and that Kenney did not see Walters either. Walters’s back was broken in the sudden, shocking accident, but, fortunately, doctors said she was not paralyzed.
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Date: October 21, 2009
Location: Highway 26, Vista Ridge Tunnel, Portland Oregon
Names: Caprice Miller, Jessica Kvidera, Fabian Fertig

Two women who had crashed their truck and were waiting for help on Highway 26 in Portland, Oregon, were struck by a car that lost control as it exited the Vista Ridge Tunnel, October 21, 2009.

Caprice Miller, 20, and Jessica Kvidera, 19, were heading to the Oregon Zoo when their truck crashed into a barrier near the tunnel. They steered to the right shoulder and called for help.

As the pair waited by the highway, Fabian Fertig, 26, exited the tunnel and lost control of his car. He crashed into them at around 10:30 AM.

Both women were injured, and they were transported to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital for treatment.

Fettig was charged with careless driving.

According to the Oregon Driver Manual 2007-2009, a person commits the offense of careless driving if he or she causes serious injury or death to a “vulnerable” person on a roadway, such as a pedestrian, bicyclist, or highway worker. We all share the road, and it is important to treat everyone with respect – but especially those who do not have the protection of being inside a car.

We send our thoughts to Miller and Kvidera and hope your recovery will be quick and easy, and that you will get to enjoy their day at the zoo very soon. For now, you should concentrate on getting better, but when it comes time to pay the medical bills, you may need some guidance. Do not give a statement to the insurance company until you’ve visited our website; it’s free and full of helpful tips. We are not ambulance chasers, we just want you to get the information you need, like how to win your case without an attorney. You can also request a free copy of our book 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case. And if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Shulman DuBois, LLC, is located in Portland, Oregon, and serves clients in all Oregon cities and counties, including: Portland, Beaverton, Multnomah County, Hillsboro, Gresham, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Tualatin, Milwaukie, Troutdale, Sellwood, Corvallis, Salem, Eugene, and Albany.

Date: October 15, 2009
Location: SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Oregon
Names: Ronald Earley

(Photo courtesy Portland Police Bureau)

According to The Portland Tribune, alcohol and speeding were factors in an early-morning truck crash October 15, 2009, that killed a 24-year-old man. The fatal accident occurred around 2:50 AM, as Ronald Earley, of Portland, Oregon, was driving a Ford Ranger pickup truck east in the 4500 block of the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. Earley’s truck left the road and slammed into a steel column, seriously injuring him; he died at a local hospital.

A major crash team from the Portland Police Bureau was investigating the crash as of October 15. Detectives told The Oregonian that excessive speed and drunk driving contributed to the fatal collision.

Some drivers may not know that “speeding” can mean either driving in excess of the posted limit, or driving too fast for conditions. In fact, a driver can be within the speed limit and still be speeding, depending on the roadway, weather, or other conditions.

A fact sheet from the Oregon Department of Transportation points out that speeding is the top contributor to deaths and injuries in Oregon, accounting, on average, for half of all traffic fatalities. In fact, speeders kill more innocent Oregonians than drunk drivers. In 2008, among crashes caused by excessive speed, 40% of deaths were passengers or other innocent victims, not the speeding drivers themselves.

Late for work or an appointment? Don’t take a deadly chance by speeding. The time you save, if any, will be negligible, especially compared with the risk. It is far, far better to be a few minutes late than never to arrive at all – or to risk the same on someone else.

We encourage people to educate themselves on the law of drunk driving in Oregon, and we provide free information to help you settle your lawsuit without an attorney. But when a drunk driver is involved, the law becomes very tricky, and you should contact an experienced Oregon injury attorney.

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