FAQs

Will I have to go to court?

Not necessarily. In fact, most injury and wrongful death claims are settled outside of court. However, every case is different. The attorneys at Paulson Coletti prepare every case as if it will go to trial. As trial lawyers, we always go the extra mile to prepare cases with merit that juries can understand and believe in.

Can I afford your services? What are your fees?

If we evaluate your case and determine that it has merit, we can provide you with a potential recovery range or estimate. This will be based on the dollar amount we believe is appropriate to compensate for your losses and our fees are computed as a percentage of your total recovery – called “contingency fees.”

Applicable bar regulations require the client to pay the expenses of the litigation. We are permitted to advance all necessary litigation expenses, but please understand that these expenses will be recouped and recovered from your portion of the successful outcome of the case.

If I have been referred to you by another lawyer, does that mean my case is going to cost me more money?

No. Many of our clients are referred to us by other lawyers and if there is a referral fee to be paid, the referring lawyer will be paid out of our attorney fees. You will be not be required to pay additional attorney fees.

How long will a personal injury claim take?

The answer depends on the case. For example, most cases in Oregon are completed within 15 months of the case being filed in court, unless there is an appeal or substantial other delay. Multnomah County, Oregon has one of the fastest dockets in the country. Medical malpractice cases tend to take longer because of a longer trial docket.

What damages could I be able to recover?

The amount of compensation you may be able to recover depends entirely on your unique situation. Areas of compensation may include lost wages, past and ongoing medical bills, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

Will you take my case?

Our philosophy is to keep a small caseload so that we can focus the appropriate time and attention on each case. Because of this, we only take cases we believe have merit. Our firm ends up turning down far more cases than we take, but this benefits the clients we do accept. Sometimes the merit of a case can be determined almost immediately. In other instances, we need additional time, effort, and investigation in order to learn whether a case has merit. If we believe your case does not to have merit, we will try to notify you as soon as we make this determination.