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Fighting for Justice for
Over 25 Years.
Fighting for Justice for
Over 25 Years.
Bicycle Accidents
Portland Bicycle Accident Lawyer — Oregon & Southwest Washington
You were on your bike, commuting, exercising, or peddling around with your family, when a driver who was not paying attention turned that ride into a trauma. You had every right to be on that road. Oregon and Washington law give you strong protections as a cyclist, and the insurance coverage available to you is far broader than most injured riders realize. You do not have to navigate that alone.
Matthew D. Kaplan is a Portland bicycle accident lawyer and an avid cyclist who has been representing injured riders in Oregon and Southwest Washington for more than 25 years. If you were hit by a car while cycling in Portland, injured on a bike in Oregon, or involved in a bicycle accident anywhere in Southwest Washington, Matthew offers a free consultation and handles all cases on contingency. No fee unless he wins.
CURRENT STATISTICS
Cyclist Fatalities and Injuries Are Rising
According to NHTSA 2023 data, 1,166 bicyclists were killed in U.S. motor vehicle crashes, and 49,989 were injured, an increase of 28.6% from 2020. Nonmotorist fatalities increased 50.9% over the past decade, more than double the overall traffic fatality increase. Eighty-one percent of bicyclist fatalities occur in urban areas, where riders and motor vehicles share the most road space. Portland, as one of the most active cycling cities in the country, sees a disproportionate share of these injuries.
INSURANCE COVERAGE
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Oregon: Your Insurance Rights
One of the most important things an Oregon bicycle accident attorney can do for you immediately after a crash is identify every source of coverage available. Most injured cyclists do not know that their own auto insurance applies to them on a bicycle.
| Your Auto Insurance Covers You on Your Bike If you have an Oregon auto insurance policy, or live with a family member who does, that policy’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage applies to you as a cyclist injured by a motor vehicle. You can also pursue the at-fault driver’s liability coverage and your own UM/UIM coverage, even though you were on a bicycle. Three separate avenues of recovery may be available simultaneously, and most injured cyclists are unaware of all of them. We have started to see some auto insurance policies excluding coverage of E-Bikes. |
| Oregon’s Minimum UM/UIM Coverage of $25,000 Is Far Too Low for a Serious Bicycle Crash A single emergency room visit after a serious bicycle crash can exceed Oregon’s $25,000 minimum UM/UIM coverage. Matthew Kaplan strongly recommends that all Oregon cyclists carry at least $100,000/$300,000 in UM/UIM coverage. The premium difference is modest; the protection it provides is not. Southwest Washington cyclists should verify whether their policy includes PIP and UM/UIM coverage, as Washington allows drivers to waive it in writing. |
CRASH TYPES
How Most Serious Bicycle Crashes Happen in Oregon and Washington
| RIGHT HOOK | Driver turns right across a cyclist’s path One of the most common and dangerous crash types in Portland and across Oregon. The driver passes a cyclist and turns right without yielding. Oregon law requires drivers to yield to cyclists before turning across their path, and these crashes frequently cause catastrophic injuries. |
| LEFT TURN FAILURE | Driver turns left into an oncoming cyclist Among the leading causes of serious bicycle fatalities. The driver misjudges or fails to see an oncoming cyclist and turns directly into their path, resulting in a head-on impact at combined speed. |
| FAILURE TO YIELD | Driver fails to yield right of way at an intersection Cyclists have the same right of way as motor vehicle operators. Running stop signs or red lights, or pulling out from a side street without yielding, creates statutory negligence under Oregon and Washington law. |
| DOORING | Driver or passenger opens a door into a cyclist’s path Oregon requires vehicle occupants to check for approaching cyclists before opening a door. A dooring crash at speed can send a cyclist directly into oncoming traffic. |
| REAR-END | Driver strikes a cyclist from behind Almost always caused by driver inattention. SB 895 (effective January 1, 2024) reinforces that cyclists are road users who must be treated as obstructions in no-passing zones. |
| UNSAFE PASS | Driver passes too closely Oregon requires adequate clearance when passing cyclists. A crash caused by being forced off the road creates liability even without direct vehicle contact. |
| TRIMET AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES | Cyclist struck by a bus, truck, or large vehicle These crashes produce the most severe injuries due to the size and weight disparity. Claims involve multiple defendants and additional legal frameworks. In Portland cyclists and TriMet are in constant conflict over the right side of the road because of the location of bike lanes and bus stops. TriMet cases require written OTCA notice within 180 days of the crash; do not delay. |
E-BIKES
E-Bikes: Oregon’s Fastest-Growing Injury Category
Oregon Health Authority data shows a striking increase in e-bike injuries: 392 injuries were recorded in 2023, the first full year of tracking; that number rose to 683 in 2024, a 74% single-year increase; and 760 injuries were recorded in just the first nine months of 2025. OHA reports that these injuries frequently involve head injuries, broken bones, and trauma requiring emergency or inpatient care.
| Oregon E-Bike Law Under Oregon law, an e-bike is a bicycle with fully operable pedals and a motor not exceeding 1,000 watts, with motor assistance cutting off at 20 mph. E-bikes meeting this definition are treated as bicycles, meaning the same insurance coverage framework applies to injured e-bike riders as to conventional cyclists. If you were injured in an e-bike accident in Oregon or Southwest Washington, your legal rights are the same as any other cyclist. |
EXPERIENCE
| More Than 25 Years Representing Oregon and Washington Cyclists Matthew Kaplan has been handling bicycle accident cases in Oregon and Southwest Washington since the late 1990s, longer than most attorneys have been practicing. He is admitted to practice in the Oregon State Bar, Washington State Bar, and U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. That experience spans the full range of crash types, insurance disputes, and liability theories that arise in Pacific Northwest bicycle cases. When an insurer minimizes a cyclist’s claim or a defendant argues the rider was at fault, Matthew knows exactly what it takes to establish the truth and pursue full accountability. |
YOUR NEXT STEP
You Were Riding. You Had Every Right to Be There.
Matthew Kaplan offers a free consultation for all serious bicycle accident cases in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Call (503) 226-3844 or contact Kaplan Law at 50 SW Pine Street, Suite 302, Portland, OR 97204. No fee unless he wins your case.