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What should I do if a government worker caused my injury?

On Behalf of | Apr 7, 2023 | Personal Injury |

Like other states and the federal government, Oregon allows its citizens to sue the government if a government employee causes injuries to an Oregon resident.

A government worker’s negligence affects the lives of private Lake Oswego residents more often than one might think.

To give just one example, if a government employee causes a motor vehicle accident while on the job, the victim may need to seek compensation for their injuries from the government.

For longstanding legal reasons, people do not have an automatic legal right to sue the government for personal injuries.

Instead, the state grants permission for its citizens to sue. Residents must follow the laws strictly in order to do so.

Residents should be aware that the federal government has similar provisions.

It is important for injured workers to understand their rights when suing the state

Oregon has some special rules that victims of a government worker’s negligence must follow.

  • There are strict deadlines for submitting claims. If a person misses their deadlines, they may forfeit their claims even if they otherwise had good reasons to sue the government.
  • There are rules about providing a government body notice before filing a lawsuit. A person should not just immediately file a lawsuit against the government in court without knowing their legal options.
  • There are limits on how much compensation a victim can recover from the state. A victim may need to explore whether they could sue another responsible party for additional compensation.

Along with these special rules, a victim will still have to put together a case to show that the government, or an employee of the government, was negligent and owes compensation.

They will also have to document their out-of-pocket expenses, lost income and other damages.

Putting together a personal injury case against a government agency can be an important and complicated legal step that a victim or a victim’s family must take to meet their financial needs.

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Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035

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