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Michael A. Colbach

Oregon Personal Injury Trials / Cases In The Media

May 18, 2011
Willamette Week Newspaper | Written by James Pitikin

Cyclist vs. New Seasons A horrific crash and a potential mayoral candidate's company.

• On Thursday, May 12, a Multnomah County jury ruled against New Seasons and awarded $667,742 to Genevieve Luikart, a 26-year-old bicyclist who was struck by a New Seasons truck. [...] The impact smashed Luikart's upper jaw, broke her left shoulder, fractured her right wrist and left her with severe dental injuries. But Luikart's attorney, Michael Colbach, says New Seasons' insurer refused to pay.
• Instead, Colbach says, New Seasons blamed the accident on Luikart, who has no memory of the crash. The lone eyewitness of the crash said Luikart was not at fault, and the jury agreed. "They tried to take advantage of a girl who had amnesia and was very badly injured," Colbach says. "Taking care of her would have been the right thing to do, and it would have been a great way to spread some goodwill. But at the end of the day, the bottom line always comes first."
• New Seasons offered to settle the case for $130,000, Colbach says, the approximate amount the jury eventually found would only have covered her medical expenses. Colbach refused, and the case went to trial. "They were just hoping they'd get lucky because she couldn't remember," Colbach says. "They just continued to blame her for the accident and hoped the jury would fall for it."
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4/27/2006
The Oregonian

"Bicyclist hit by test driver wins $550,000 jury award"
Written by Anne Saker

• Colbach said Wednesday that the insurer had offered Boyd a settlement of $10,000. Last week, the offer was upped to $30,000
  >>Read more

5/17/2006

The Oregonian

"Council to vote on settlement with ex-cadet: Portland police - The $200,000 would include the cost of a prosthesis for Erin Berry's finger"

• City documents recommending the settlement describe how an investigation into Berry's claim by the risk management office indicates a risk the city may be found liable. "Therefore, in order to avoid the risk of a large jury award, we feel it is prudent to compromise the lawsuit at this time," according to the documents.
  >>Read more

August 11, 2007
AP article
US: Bicycle lawyers finding new clients in injured cyclists

• Mike is quoted:
• It’s almost never the cyclist’s fault, and they tend to get pretty significantly injured [...]
  >>Read more