We represent motorcycle accident victims across the state, from Newport and Lincoln City up through the Willamette Valley and into the Portland metro area. Choose the motorcycle accident lawyer Oregon riders trust.
If you were hurt while riding a motorcycle, the Oregon motorcycle accident lawyers at Yaquina Law are here to help. Motorcycle accident cases are different from ordinary car crashes, and bias against riders is real. When you hire Yaquina Law, your motorcycle accident lawyer in Oregon will handle each personal injury case with care and dedication.
Our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys handle every type of case, from coastal highway wrecks to urban intersection collisions. Our Oregon motorcycle accident attorneys offer free consultations at our Newport, Oregon law office or over the phone. Call our personal injury attorney now for a free case review: (541) 272-5500.
Need a Portland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer? Call Yaquina Law.
While our office is located in Newport, OR, our legal team handles cases all over the state. To work with a personal injury lawyer with experience recovering compensation in motorcycle accident cases, reach out to Yaquina Law.
Meet Yaquina Law, Oregon’s Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Yaquina Law builds motorcycle cases the way we build every serious injury case at our firm: methodically. That means preserving the bike and the gear before anything gets scrapped or cleaned, photographing the scene, tracking down witnesses before memories fade, and requesting any available security footage to show the circumstances of your accident.
Firm founder Adam Springer has been practicing law since 2011, and has handled numerous motorcycle accident cases. He understands that jurors might carry unfair assumptions about motorcycle riders, and that some people may assume that the rider was acting recklessly, simply by being on a motorcycle. This bias is real—and Adam and his team can help address this concern.
If you suffered an injury from a motorcycle accident that was not your fault, call Yaquina Law to understand your options: (541) 272-5500.
Why the Oregon Coast is a High-Risk Area for Motorcycle Riders
Along the Oregon Coast, including Newport, the same statewide motorcycle crash causes show up, but they’re amplified by coastal geography: a single north–south highway (US‑101), heavy tourist traffic, and rural two‑lane roads with curves, cliffs, and changing weather.
Oregon is one of the more dangerous states for motorcyclists, ranking 8th nationally in one recent comparison. Coastal counties (Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, Coos, Curry) boast popular scenic routes but relatively narrow, winding, often shoulderless highways. Motorcyclists must share space with RVs, tourists unfamiliar with the road, and commercial traffic. Many serious crashes happen on two‑lane coastal highways.
US‑101 is the primary corridor for motorcycle traffic along the Oregon Coast, connecting Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Florence, Reedsport, Coos Bay, Bandon, Gold Beach, and Brookings. Most serious and fatal crashes for riders along the coast occur somewhere on this spine, or on rural connectors feeding into it.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Crashes on the Oregon Coast
- Curves, limited sight distance, and lane departures
- Speeding and aggressive passing
- Driver inattention and failure to yield
- Tourist traffic, congestion, and unfamiliar drivers
- Weather, visibility, and surface conditions
- Impairment (alcohol and drugs)
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Oregon
No two motorcycle crashes are identical, but certain injuries present repeatedly:
- Traumatic brain injury, including concussions that look mild at first and reveal themselves weeks later
- Spinal cord injuries and herniated discs requiring surgery or long-term pain management
- Complex fractures of the femur, tibia, wrist, clavicle, and pelvis
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Severe road rash requiring debridement and skin grafts
- Amputations and crush injuries
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional trauma, PTSD, and anxiety around riding or driving
The value of your claim has to account for all of it, not just the emergency room bill. If you are still in treatment, resist the urge to settle early. Once you sign a release, you cannot reopen the claim when the surgeon tells you next year that you need a second procedure.
Learn more about how we handle serious injury claims on our personal injury practice area page and see the full range of cases we take.
Types of Compensation in a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
Oregon law allows injured riders to pursue both economic (countable) and non-economic (non-countable) damages.
Economic damages typically include past and future medical expenses, physical therapy, prescriptions, assistive devices, home and vehicle modifications, lost wages, lost earning capacity if you cannot return to your prior job, and repair or replacement of your motorcycle and gear.
Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and, in wrongful death cases, the devastating loss family members experience when a rider does not come home. Oregon places certain caps on non-economic damages in some case types.
In the most serious cases involving drunk drivers, street racers, or obviously reckless conduct, punitive damages may also be available. Those awards are designed to punish and deter, not compensate, but they can meaningfully increase the total recovery.
To learn more about what compensation may be available to you after a motorcycle accident, call Yaquina Law: (541) 272-5500.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Crash in Oregon
Your actions in the first hours and days after a wreck affect your claim more than almost anything else. If you are reading this from a hospital bed or a waiting room, the most important thing is to follow your doctor’s advice and keep every appointment.
Beyond that, Yaquina Law offers a few practical steps protect your case:
- Report the crash to law enforcement and get a copy of the police report.
- Photograph the scene, your bike, your gear, and your visible injuries if you can, or ask a friend or family member to do so.
- Get names and contact information for every witness. Do not rely on the officer to capture them all.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company before you talk to an attorney.
- Do not post anything about the crash, your injuries, or your recovery on social media.
- Preserve your gear, including your helmet, jacket, boots, and the motorcycle itself. Do not let anyone repair or destroy them.
- Call Yaquina Law. The earlier an attorney gets involved, the more evidence we can lock down.
Not ready to talk? We understand. Feel free to fill out our Contact Form and let us know how we can help.
Oregon’s Motorcycle Accident? State Insurance Rules Will Affect Your Claim
Oregon is an “at fault” state, which means the driver who caused the crash is responsible for your damages. Every Oregon driver is also required to carry Personal Injury Protection, known as PIP, which pays a set amount of your initial medical bills and a portion of your lost wages regardless of fault. PIP benefits are available to motorcyclists after an accident in Oregon.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, often called UM/UIM, may apply if the at-fault driver carries insufficient insurance (or no insurance at all). Oregon’s minimum liability limit is low, and catastrophic motorcycle injuries routinely exceed it within the first few days of hospitalization. If you carry UM or UIM on your own auto or motorcycle policy, we can stack and pursue that coverage to close the gap.
Remember that the insurance companies, even your own, will try to pay out as little as they can—even in cases where insurance would more than cover your damages. Yaquina Law will aggressively negotiate on your behalf, so you leave with every penny you are owed.
Call our legal team at (541) 272-5500 for a free case consultation.
Understanding Oregon’s Statute of Limitations
In most Oregon motorcycle crash cases, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Wrongful death claims generally carry a three-year window. Claims against public entities, such as the city of Newport or ODOT, can require formal tort claim notice within 180 days.
Missing these deadlines can effectively end your case, even if you would have had a legitimate claim for compensation. We urge you to act now by calling Yaquina Law: (541) 272-5500. We can help you file your claim before the deadline, and help ensure full, fair compensation on your motorcycle accident case.
Frequently Asked Questions in Oregon Motorcycle Accident Cases
Your initial consultation is always free, and you pay nothing up front. Yaquina Law takes motorcycle injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means our fee is a percentage of the recovery we obtain for you. If we do not win or settle your case, you do not owe us an attorney fee.
It depends on the severity of your injuries, whether liability is disputed, and how the insurance company behaves. Straightforward cases sometimes resolve in a few months. Serious cases involving surgery, traumatic brain injury, or wrongful death often take a year or longer, especially if we have to file suit.
Rushing a case with ongoing medical treatment almost always leaves money on the table. Call Yaquina Law for a case value estimate, and to learn more about how we can help.
No. Recorded statements are used to lock you into early answers about your injuries, your memory of the crash, and your prior medical history, and they are almost always replayed later in ways that hurt your claim. Politely decline and refer them to your attorney.
In Oregon, as long as you are less than 50 percent at fault, you can still recover damages. (Note that your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.) If liability is disputed, always work with a motorcycle accident lawyer in Oregon to help maximize your damages.
While Oregon law requires helmets for all riders and passengers, not wearing one does not bar recovery. Not wearing a helmet can be used to argue you contributed to head injuries, but this factor has nothing to do with fault for the crash itself. We have recovered substantial compensation for riders in this situation; call Yaquina Law today to start your claim.
If the accident was the result of someone else’s negligence, you may have a wrongful death claim. Damages can include medical and funeral expenses, lost financial support, loss of companionship, and the deceased’s conscious pain and suffering before death. These are among the most important cases we handle, and we handle them with the care they deserve.
If the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance, other types of coverage may apply. We investigate every available source of coverage, including your own UM/UIM policies, to make sure your damages are covered. We investigate umbrella policies, employer liability if the driver was on the clock, and restaurant liability in dram shop cases involving drunk drivers. Stacking and coordinating these policies is part of what we do on every file. Call Yaquina Law today to learn more.
Most motorcycle injury cases settle without a trial, but the strongest settlements come from cases that are prepared as if they will go to trial. Insurance companies watch which firms actually try cases and adjust their offers accordingly; Yaquina Law prepares every case for the courtroom, even when we expect it to resolve before then.
Yes. We represent injured riders throughout Oregon. Whether your crash happened on I-5, Highway 101, Highway 26, or a back road in the Coast Range, we can help. If travel is difficult because of your injuries, we will come to you.