Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I hire your law firm?

    Although a lawyer's previous successes cannot guarantee that your medical malpractice claim will be successful, when considering which attorney should represent you or your loved one in a medical negligence case it is important to know the attorney's experience and success in this highly complex field of law.
   
    Richard Rogers has been in practice since 1975. He has specialized in medical malpractice and birth injury cases since 1988. Most of the firm's cases are referred by other lawyers, judges and by physicians throughout Oregon who are familiar with the high quality of our representation and the substantial verdicts and settlements which we have obtained for the children and families we represent.  Several of our verdicts across the state of Oregon have been the subject of articles in The Oregonian, The Daily Astorian, The Salem Statesman Journal and The Herald and News.
 
   Rich has presented several legal education lectures in the area of medical malpractice litigation to lawyers in Oregon and Washington.  In 2002, he organized and presented a medical malpractice litigation seminar for the judges of Multnomah County; this was the first seminar of its kind presented exclusively to help the judges in Multnomah County better understand the medicine and legal issues which are unique to medical malpractice litigation.

What will it cost to hire your firm?

    All telephone inquiries and consultations are free.  If we accept your case, we will handle it on a contingent-fee basis.  This means that our fee is based on a percentage of the recovery we obtain for you.  There is no attorney fee if there is no recovery. 
   
    In most cases, our firm advances all the expenses of the litigation, including the costs of retaining medical and other experts.  These costs are then reimbursed to the firm from the recovery we obtain for you. 

How do you determine if we have a valid case?

    This is a two-step process.  First, we obtain and review all pertinent medical records.   Those records are then submitted for detailed and objective analysis by medical specialists throughout the United States.  We work only with physicians and nurses who are renowned as experts in their field.  We rely upon these experts to determine the medical validity of your case. 

Will we have to have a trial?

    Most of our cases are settled before trial.  However, every case is prepared from day one as though we are going to trial.  You do not have to accept any settlement offer which does not fully compensate you for your loss. 



    We have obtained numerous settlements and verdicts which have compensated for the
loss of life and have allowed our clients throughout the Northwest to obtain the care needed for
their loved ones and children.

    The following are representative verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice and
birth injury cases which we have handled.  Due to the magnitude of the dollar amounts involved
in the settlements we have obtained for our clients, we are not permitted to disclose those sums.

    Ball v. Salem Hospital, et al.,  Wrongful death due to misdiagnosed pulmonary
embolism.  Confidential settlement.

    Bennett v. Binette, Bowel injury during hysterectomy due to improper use of stapling
device.  Confidential settlement.

    Brandt v. Doe Health Systems, et al., Wrongful death due to bacterial contamination
during myelogram procedure which caused the development of acute bacterial meningitis.
Confidential settlement.

    Cavil v. Kaiser, Erb’s palsy due to obstetric mismanagement.  Confidential settlement.

    David v. Merle West Medical Center, et al., Wrongful death of infant due to obstetric
malpractice. Verdict - $3.2 million.

    Dorn v. Kaiser, et al., Brain damage due to undiagnosed aneurysm. Verdict $1.12
million.

    Garrett v. Medford Clinic, Severed accessory nerve in neck causing permanent and
severe injury due to improper removal of cyst.  Confidential settlement.

    Hunt v. Alberts, Unnecessary hysterectomy and lacerated bladder.  Verdict $1.24
million.

    Jenkins v. Sweigert, et al., Erb’s palsy due to obstetric mismanagement.  Confidential
settlement.

    Johannesen v. West, Wrongful death of young mother due to mismanaged preeclampsia
(PIH) by obstetrician.  Partial settlement with one defendant - $1.15 million - trial pending
against remaining defendant hospital.

    Kelley v. ORC, Irreversible corneal damage which necessitated a corneal transplant due
to design defect of artificial intraocular lens.  Confidential settlement.

    Kyles v. Kaiser, et al, Wrongful death of nursing home patient who was given Dilantin
and then suffered a fatal allergic reaction to Dilantin when it was known by the facilities that the
patient was allergic to said drug.  Confidential settlement.

    LaViolette v. Spear, et al., Wrongful death due to misdiagnosed pulmonary embolism.
Confidential settlement.

    Leon v. Merle West Medical Center, et al.,  Brain injury and cerebral palsy due to
obstetric negligence.  Settlement - $2.1 million.

    Lindeman v. Linehan, Wrongful death of 78 year old woman due to inappropriate
evaluation of melanoma.  Verdict - $895,000.

    McClure v. Sindmack, Improper termination of seven week pregnancy.  Verdict -
$603,000.
   
    Medina v. Silverton Hospital, et al., Wrongful death due to failure to diagnose heart
attack.  Confidential settlement.

    Monteith v. Deshazer, Permanent and disabling back injury due to pedestrian/auto
accident in crosswalk.  Verdict - $1.5 million.

    Moody v. O’Fallon, et al., Wrongful death due to undiagnosed subdural hematoma.
Confidential settlement.

    Ollis v. PeaceHealth (Sacred Heart Medical Center) et. al., Wrongful death due to
misdiagnosed pulmonary embolism.  Confidential settlement.

    Pace v. Reynolds, et al, Below knee amputation due to undiagnosed blood clot.
Confidential settlement.

    Paden v. Lindsey, et al., Orthodontic malpractice for child who suffered permanent
disfiguring injury.  Confidential settlement.

    Perrins v. Crawley, et al., Four-quarter amputation due to failure to diagnose neck
tumor.  Confidential settlement.

    Obie v. ORC, Irreversible corneal damage which necessitated a corneal transplant due to
design defect of artificial intraocular lens.  Confidential settlement.

    Richardson v. Legacy Health Systems, et al., Brain injury and cerebral palsy due to
obstetric negligence.  Confidential settlement.

    Rudnick v. Oksenholt, et al., Wrongful death due to improper diagnosis of cancer when
no cancer existed - patient died from pneumonia.  Confidential settlement.

    Schoonover v. Vincent, et al., Quadriplegia due to failure to diagnose spinal fractures.
Confidential settlement.

    Sego v. Salem Hospital, Wrongful death due to respiratory therapist’s failure to adjust
breathing valve.  Confidential settlement.

    Sigler v. Salem Hospital, et al., Undiagnosed staph infection following back surgery
which caused permanent and disabling injuries.  Confidential settlement.

    Stadelman v. Johnson, et al., Skull deformity in child due to undiagnosed
craniosynostosis.  Confidential settlement.

    Willison v. Fagan, et al., Vascular injury and fistula due to inappropriate lumbar
neurosurgery.  Confidential settlement.

    Wine v. Orwoll, Improper diagnosis and treatment of cancer when no cancer existed.
Confidential settlement.