Standing With Clients.
Fighting for Justice for
Over 25 Years.
Fighting for Justice for
Over 25 Years.
Motorcycle Accidents
Portland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer — Oregon & Southwest Washington
Riding your motorcycle is your passion. You were where you had every right to be, when a inattentive driver took that passion from you. Now you face not just the physical injuries but the bias: the assumption that because you were on a motorcycle, somehow you were asking for it. You were not. And Matthew Kaplan has spent nearly three decades proving exactly that as a Portland motorcycle accident lawyer.
Motorcycle accident cases in Oregon require an attorney who understands two things simultaneously: the insurance framework that applies to riders, which is significantly different from the framework for car accident victims: and the anti-rider bias that can shape how insurers, adjusters, and even jurors evaluate your claim. Matthew Kaplan has handled serious motorcycle injury cases in Oregon and Washington for nearly 30 years. He knows how to build the case that overcomes both obstacles.
THE NUMBERS
Why Motorcycle Crashes Are So Dangerous
NHTSA data confirms that motorcyclists are 29 times more likely to die in a traffic crash than passenger car occupants per mile traveled, and 4 times more likely to be injured. In 2023, motorcycles represented only 3% of all registered vehicles but accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities nationally. The physics are unforgiving: there is no steel frame, no airbag, no seatbelt, just a rider absorbing the full force of the collision with another vehicle and again with the impact of the road. The injuries that result are frequently catastrophic: paralysis, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, crush injuries, amputations, and severe road rash requiring skin grafting.
THE BIAS PROBLEM
Confronting Anti-Motorcycle Bias in Oregon Cases
| Motorcyclists Are Presumed Reckless — And That Presumption Must Be Challenged Many drivers, insurance adjusters, and some jurors begin with an assumption that motorcyclists are reckless risk-takers who bear responsibility for whatever happens to them. This bias is not supported by crash data. The majority of serious motorcycle crashes in Oregon involve a driver who failed to see the rider or failed to yield the right of way, but it shapes how insurers evaluate claims and how defendants argue cases. Matthew Kaplan knows how to identify and neutralize this bias at every stage, from the initial claim to trial, presenting the evidence that establishes what happened and why the driver was responsible. |
COMMON CRASH TYPES
How Most Serious Motorcycle Crashes Happen in Oregon
| LEFT-TURN FAILURE | Driver turns left into an oncoming motorcyclist One of the leading causes of motorcycle fatalities nationwide. The driver misjudges or fails to see an approaching rider and turns directly into their path. These crashes often occur because drivers are looking for cars — not motorcycles — before turning. |
| FAILURE TO YIELD | Driver pulls out from a side street or driveway The same visibility problem. Drivers checking for gaps in traffic are conditioned to look for vehicles with a larger profile or the motorcycle is in a far lane that is blocked by a larger vehicle in a closer lane. A motorcycle in that gap is frequently not seen until it is too late to stop. |
| REAR-END | Driver strikes motorcyclist from behind Distracted driving is the leading cause. At highway speeds, a rear-end collision with a motorcycle is almost always catastrophic. The rider has no protection from the impact force. |
| LANE CHANGE | Driver changes lanes into a motorcyclist Blind spot failures and failure to signal. Riders in adjacent lanes are particularly vulnerable because they may be traveling in the driver’s blind spot and have no room to maneuver. |
| HIT AND RUN | Driver flees the scene after striking a rider Oregon’s uninsured and hit-and-run motorist coverage applies when the at-fault driver cannot be identified. Kaplan Law has recovered $1,600,000 in a hit-and-run motorcycle case involving a crushed foot. |
CRITICAL INSURANCE WARNING
| Oregon Motorcycle Policies Typically Do NOT Include PIP — And the Minimum UM/UIM Is Far Too Low Most Oregon motorcycle insurance policies do NOT include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) — meaning if you are hit by an uninsured driver, you may have no immediate coverage for medical bills or lost wages while your claim is pending. Additionally, Oregon’s minimum uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is only $25,000 per person — a figure that can be exhausted by a single emergency room visit after a serious crash. Matthew Kaplan strongly recommends that every Oregon motorcyclist carry at least $100,000/$300,000 in UM/UIM coverage and verify whether PIP is included in their policy. |
CLIENT EXPERIENCE
What It’s Like to Work With Kaplan Law
| “I was on my motorcycle, a driver came, veered into my lane and T-boned me. It was probably the worst time of my life — because you go from a super capable human being to not able to do anything, and having no idea of how to handle this or what is even going to happen. I think if I didn’t have the help of Kaplan, it would be a much different story. Any question I had, they would respond and answer it. If you need someone to be in your corner, to really hear you as a human, understand what you’re going through, and who has your honest best interest in mind — Matt is the person to go to.” — Kaplan Law client, motorcycle T-bone crash |
FEATURED RESULT
| $1,600,000 Settlement — hit-and-run motorcycle crash, crushed foot |
YOUR NEXT STEP
You Ride. You Have Rights. Let’s Protect Them.
You have already survived the hardest part — what happened to you. Taking this step is how you begin to reclaim your story. Call (503) 226-3844 or reach out online to speak directly with Matthew. There is no fee unless and until he wins your case.
If you have already scheduled your free appointment, please fill out our Motor Vehicle Accident Injury Intake Form. This will save you time when you come for your appointment.