May 29, 2026

One Driver Suffers ‘Life-Threatening’ Injuries After a Chain-Reaction Crash in Washington County

U.S. Highway 26 in Washington County (Sunset Highway) is one of the more dangerous roads in Oregon. Crash data placed it as the 14th-deadliest road in the state. Highway 26 is also heavily traveled. These realities increase the odds that, if you are involved in a Sunset Highway accident, the collision may involve more than two vehicles. When you suffer serious harm in an accident like that, you need an experienced Oregon auto accident lawyer who knows how to do a proper (and thorough) investigation of your accident and then use the evidence amassed from that investigation to help you in pursuing all necessary legal and insurance claims.

Beaverton was the site of one of these chain reaction accidents last month, according to a KATU report. The report indicated that the crash occurred between 12:00 and 1:00 am along the Highway 217 ramp to westbound Highway 26. According to the Beaverton Police public information officer, the initial accident involved two vehicles, both of which stopped after the collision. Subsequently, the “at-fault vehicle in that crash was then struck again by another vehicle traveling on Highway 26 in a second crash.”

The “driver who caused the first crash was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries,” according to police.

May 26, 2026

Chemical Tank Explosion at Longview Washington Paper Mill Causes Multiple Worker Deaths

by Matthew D. Kaplan

When the Vat Implodes: Workers’ Rights, WISHA Obligations, and Why This Isn’t Just a Workers’ Comp Case

By Matthew D. Kaplan| May 26, 2026

What began as a mass casualty incident has now been confirmed as a mass casualty fatality event. As of approximately 11:20 a.m. Tuesday, fire officials confirmed that multiple people have died in the chemical vat implosion at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview, Washington. Additional victims remain in critical condition. The identities of those killed will not be released until families have been notified. What follows is not just a discussion of workers’ rights — it is now a discussion of wrongful death, criminal liability, and the legal reckoning that must follow.

May 22, 2026

A Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Lane County and the Role Distracted Driving May Have Played in It

by Matthew D. Kaplan

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving accidents led to more than 3,200 deaths in 2024. As with many types of unsafe driving practices, distracted driving represents a particularly great danger to those who are the most vulnerable on the road, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. For those who have been injured by a distracted driver (or who have lost a loved one to a fatal distracted driving accident), securing legal counsel from an experienced Oregon auto accident lawyer is an important first step in the process of getting justice for the harm you have suffered.

According to a KTMR report, police believe that distracted driving was a central factor in a recent Lane County accident that claimed the life of a 35-year-old Junction City man.

The man, who was walking along the shoulder of Highway 99W, died after a Hyundai Elantra struck him on the afternoon of May 5. According to police, the Hyundai’s driver, a 16-year-old female, was headed southbound on Highway 99W when she became distracted, left the travel lane, and struck the pedestrian.

May 15, 2026

Industrial Accident Resulting in Wrongful Death Triggers Oregon OSHA Investigation

by Matthew D. Kaplan

A Contractor Is Dead at River Mill Dam. Oregon OSHA Will Investigate — and a Civil Lawsuit May Follow.

A worker went to the River Mill Dam in Clackamas County on Thursday afternoon to do a job. He never made it home.

The accident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. on May 14, 2026, during equipment testing operations at the dam, located at 30800 SE Kilowatt Lane in unincorporated Clackamas County. Despite lifesaving efforts, the contractor was pronounced dead at the scene. One Portland General Electric employee was also injured and transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.

April 30, 2026

A Crook County Crash Leaves a Bicyclist Dead and an SUV Driver Arrested for DUII

by Matthew D. Kaplan

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) frequently reminds its audience that “drinking and driving don’t mix.” Driving while impaired due to alcohol or drugs places everyone on the road at risk, especially those like bicyclists and pedestrians (who are the most vulnerable to serious or fatal injuries should a crash occur). If you were seriously hurt (or a loved one was killed) aboard a bicycle because of an impaired driver, you potentially may have a variety of legal options available. An experienced Oregon bicycle accident lawyer can help you identify the avenues available to you and outline a strategy best suited to your circumstances.

An alleged example of just how much harm mixing drinking and driving can do came from Crook County earlier this month. OregonLive reported that, at around 11 p.m. on April 25, an SUV struck a bicycle on Oregon 380 near Prineville. The 36-year-old woman behind the wheel of the Ford Expedition was unharmed. The 57-year-old man aboard his bicycle was pronounced dead at the scene.

Law enforcement thinks that impairment played a role in the fatal collision. According to the OregonLive report, police arrested the driver of the SUV “for driving under the influence of intoxicants and believe impairment played a role in the crash, though the investigation remains ongoing.”

April 17, 2026

Despite an Overall Drop, Portland Traffic Deaths Surged Among the Age-65+ Demographic in 2025

by Matthew D. Kaplan

Many older Portlanders are very active, taking in what this area has to offer both by vehicle and on foot. Unfortunately, last year was an especially deadly year for people age 65 and up in Portland. Last month, the City of Portland released its traffic death data for 2025. While traffic deaths were down overall last year, one group saw a substantial upward spike. 13 of Portland’s 39 traffic deaths (33%) were people aged 65 or older. That statistic is a reminder that when older Oregonians take to the roads, whether on foot or in vehicles, they face a unique set of risks.

The 13 traffic deaths among the 65-and-up group were the highest in 10 years. The number represented a sharp rise from 2024, when Portland recorded only eight traffic deaths among those age 65+. Generally, the number of senior deaths has fluctuated between four and eight per year from 2016 to 2024, according to the city’s data.

One place where older people face a heightened risk of injury is while traveling on foot. The health benefits of walking are well known and well established, especially for older Americans. Nevertheless, negligent drivers can place them at risk of harm, and if they are involved in an accident, they face an increased risk of severe injury.

April 9, 2026

A Father Watched His Son Die on I-5 Near Canyonville. Oregon Law May Hold Multiple Parties Accountable.

by Matthew D. Kaplan

A routine road trip turned into an unthinkable tragedy on the afternoon of April 6, 2026, when a California family’s SUV slammed into a stalled semi-truck on Interstate 5 in Douglas County, killing an 18-year-old and seriously injuring his father and twin sister.

According to Oregon State Police, Brenden Larry Christensen, 61, of San Diego, was driving a white Freightliner commercial motor vehicle hauling a loaded trailer northbound on I-5 near milepost 90 near Canyonville when the truck stalled on an uphill grade in the outside lane. Investigators determined that the truck’s speed had dropped below 12 miles per hour as it struggled to climb the grade before stalling completely just before impact.

A young man of 18 from El Sobrante, California was driving an SUV with his father and twin sister as passengers, along with a family friend, when the collision occurred. The impact caused both the Honda and cargo from the truck to catch fire. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. His father and twin sister were airlifted to area hospitals with serious injuries. The family friend was transported by ground ambulance with minor injuries.

March 31, 2026

Senators Express Concern Over a Reduction in the Number of OSHA Worksite Inspections

by Matthew D. Kaplan

Workers arrive each day facing a real risk of an on-the-job injury. They rely on others’ diligence to ensure their workspaces are safe. When an employer, or others whom an employer hires, fail to live up to their duties, workers are placed at risk and, too often, are hurt.

When a worker is injured in Oregon, they may have multiple ways to seek recourse. One, of course, is workers’ compensation. That, however, is not necessarily the only avenue. Many workers may also be entitled to compensation through a 3rd-party industrial accident lawsuit. In these circumstances, having representation from an experienced Portland industrial accident lawyer is essential.

One way workplace safety is enhanced is through regulation and oversight by federal and state agencies. However, some are concerned that federal enforcement is waning. Recently, internal data from the U.S. Department of Labor showed a sharp decline in work-site inspections conducted by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2025 compared with 2024. According to a New York Times report, data released by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren showed “a 20 percent decrease in work site inspections” carried out by OSHA “during a six-month period last year compared with the same period in 2024.”

March 17, 2026

PBOT: Portland’s Traffic Fatality Numbers Last Year Were the Lowest Since 2018

by Matthew D. Kaplan

Auto accident fatalities are, as Portland Mayor Keith Wilson recently pointed out, a “fully preventable cause of death.” Optimized highway and roadway safety requires cooperation and collaboration between drivers and government authorities — the former must observe safe driving practices, while the latter must ensure safe infrastructure. Among the most devastating outcomes of these crashes are head injuries in car crashes, which can result in traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, and long-term cognitive impairment. Even as state and local leaders work to improve roadway and highway infrastructure, auto accidents — and their tragic consequences — are still a serious problem.

If you have lost a loved one as a result of a fatal auto accident, or if you or a family member has suffered serious harm such as a head injury in a car crash, you have many pathways you will need to navigate to get the financial recovery you deserve. This may include interactions with the civil justice system, insurance companies, and more. As you work through this process, having legal representation from a skilled car crash injury attorney can be integral to holding the responsible parties accountable and recovering everything you are owed. An experienced personal injury car crash lawyer understands the full extent of these damages — including medical bills, lost wages, and long-term rehabilitation costs — and can fight to protect your rights.

Portland’s Traffic Fatalities Hit a Low Point

Earlier this month, OregonLive reported on some good news regarding fatal auto accidents in this area. The Portland Bureau of Transportation recently announced that last year the city logged 39 traffic deaths, a 38% decline from the average of the last four years.

February 27, 2026

Proposed Legislation Would Clear the Way for Driverless Waymo Vehicles to Hit Portland’s Roads in the Near Future

by Matthew D. Kaplan

OregonLive recently reported on a significant change that could be coming to Portland’s streets and highways. If House Bill 4085 becomes law, companies like Waymo would be allowed to deploy driverless vehicles on Oregon roads, offering delivery services and passenger rides. The potential of self-driving vehicles on Portland’s streets raises many questions, ranging from their safety to the amount of insurance coverage they will carry… and more. Driverless vehicles would represent just one more challenge for users of Portland’s roads. For those who have already suffered serious harm in a Portland crash, regardless of who was (or was not) behind the wheel, the impacts are many. Whether your case requires court action, insurance claims, or both, having an experienced Portland auto accident lawyer by your side can enhance your odds of getting what you need from your claims.

Waymo already offers self-driving vehicles in places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Miami, Orlando, and Atlanta. It has also announced plans to expand to San Diego, Las Vegas, and Detroit this year and is “eyeing Portland as it rapidly expands to more states,” according to the OregonLive report.

House Bill 4085, as written, would limit how cities, including Portland, could regulate entities like Waymo. The current version of the bill prevents municipalities from banning self-driving cars. It also bans the imposition of taxes or fees that do not also apply to other ride providers like Uber or Lyft, OregonLive has reported.

Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog

A Contractor Is Dead at River Mill Dam. Oregon OSHA Will Investigate — and a Civil Lawsuit May Follow.