In the fall of 2022, I was hit by a car while bike commuting and had multiple injuries. I was initially reluctant to work with a personal injury lawyer but thankfully I reached out to Michael Colbach.
Slater Tai
Google Review
Over $79 million in verdicts and settlements in 19 years.
Why should you hire Michael Colbach for your Portland personal injury attorney? Proven Results.
Michael A. Colbach
Slater Tai Google Review
Recent Results
$11.5 million Washington County workplace injury.
$1.3 million settlement for injured motorist.
$125,000 underinsured motorist arbitration award for injured driver. Farmer's offer was zero.
$100,000 policy limits settlement for injured driver. His final offer before he hired me was $10,000.
$4.1 million dollar jury verdict for injured cyclist v. ODOT in Marion County, Oregon. Before trial they did not even offer to pay his medical bills.
Marion County 2024 Verdict (PDF)Trial Attorney With Experience Can Make A Difference.
I offer one-on-one service, and I limit my case load so that I can focus on your case.
I have tried over 140 jury trials. I have 30 years of courtroom experience. I am exclusively dedicated to practicing personal injury law. As of November 2024 I have been practicing personal injury law for 22 years. I am not afraid to take your case to trial if that is what it takes to maximize the amount of money you recover for your personal injury.
I would give Mike Colbach 1000000 stars if I could. I highly recommend him to anyone needing a personal injury lawyer. When I initially was looking for a lawyer, I was still reeling from the events of the accident and symptoms of my concussion [...] Throughout this process, I've always felt confident in Mike's advice. With his guidance, we ended up settling for more than DOUBLE the initial offer.
Emily Hsu Google Review
Representative Results
$340,000 for injured motorcyclist, his offer was zero before he hired me.
$150,000 policy limits settlement for injured cyclist - his offer before he hired me was zero.
Over $5 Million car accident recovery for injured motorist. Before he hired me the insurance company would not even pay for his property damage.
$250,000 policy limits settlement for injured pedestrian.
$339,000 jury verdict for cyclist struck by drunk driver. GEICO's only offer was $17,000, which did not even cover the medical bills.
$1.1 Million motorcycle accident recovery for injured motorcyclist.
I can make car insurance companies pay when they do not want to by taking your case to a jury.
Insurance companies do not pay you a fair amount because they want to. They only pay you when they have to. Oftentimes, after I file a lawsuit, Insurance companies significantly increase the offer because they have to weigh the risk of settlement against the risk of a big jury verdict. Most of the time they will not take that risk and end up paying my clients a fair settlement.
When I take a case, I believe in it, I will invest the necessary time, effort, and resources to secure a favorable outcome for you.
Auto insurance companies do not get to determine the value of your Oregon car accident injury claim. It is up to you or a jury to determine the value of your case.
Lawsuits can be expensive, and many people do not have the money to pursue their claim.
In every case, I advance all costs associated with pursuing your case and I do not ask you for a penny until we recover from the other side.
2 years ago I was involved in an accident while commuting home from work on my bicycle. [...] I was left unconscious in the road for over 3 hours until my wife came looking for me. She found me unconscious, laying in a pool of blood and vomit with my helmet cracked from impact. I was left with a TBI, fractured hand and multiple contusions and lacerations that required immediate care. I suffered memory, speech, vision and auditory impairment that continues today.
Steph Johnson Google Review
Insurance companies rarely offer you a fair amount for your injuries without a lawyer.
- In a case where an injured client was blamed for the accident and offered a bit less than $100,000 and in 2024 a jury awarded client over $4 million.
- In another case where my client was offered $4,000 before he hired me. At trial a jury awarded client $550,000.
- In another case the insurance company originally blamed my client and would not even fix his motorcycle. I filed a lawsuit and a month before trial they offered $2 million and said they would never pay a penny more. After picking a jury and presenting witnesses, they nearly tripled their offer and the case settled.
... My boyfriend and I were involved in a very serious MVA in 2021 having been hit by a drunk driver resulting in a total loss of our vehicle and multiple bodily injuries to each of us. [...] We were able to focus on our recovery and all of the rehab necessary to heal and get well. [...] I cannot recommend Michael and his team enough to anyone who finds themselves feeling unprepared to deal with all of the challenges, insurance companies, lawyers etc., which come from and with any type of motor vehicle accident!!
Stacy Hope Google Review
Insurance companies have attorneys and adjusters whose goal is to pay you as little as they can.
You need an Oregon personal injury attorney to fight for you. I am dedicated to helping your recover as much money as possible under the law.
Once I take your case, you can stop worrying about dealing with the insurance companies and focus on recovering. I take care of all of the paperwork, phone calls, and negotiations, so you can get on with your life.
Recently I had Mike Colbach represent my wife in an auto accident [...] Because of the accident my wife was in the ICU at OHSU and wasn't able to talk so I worked with him. Right away Mike took control and told me to concentrate on taking care of my wife and he would handle all the insurance issues, court filings, hospital bills etc.Also, Mike was not one bit intimidated by one of the largest auto insurance companies in the country and in fact looked forward to the challenge of meeting them in court.......I guess they didn't like the odds and settled out of court for the full amount he demanded.
Arnie Mulick Google Review
Factors to consider when choosing your Oregon personal injury attorney.
Before you hire an attorney, make sure they are qualified. 95% of Oregon personal injury attorneys rarely, if ever, go to trial. Most are not very good at it and have had little success at trial. If you hire a lawyer who does not try cases, you are stuck taking whatever the insurance company offers.
Any personal injury lawyer can say that they are aggressive and will fight for your rights. Make them prove it.
Without the threat of an experienced personal injury attorney who is willing to go to trial and seek a big jury verdict, why would an insurance company pay you what your claim is really worth?
I had a personal injury case in 2016 that a different attorney screwed up. I had a back fusion and needed a hip replacement. Things were not looking very good till Mr Colbach got involved. He settled my case for policy limits within a few months.
Tye Strong Google Review
Portland boating accident attorney Mike Colbach holds a 100 ton United States Coast Guard Captain's License and has fished both commercially and for sport.
Proud to be the Oregon Motorcycle Accident Attorney affiliated with Andy DiBrino since 2016.
That's me on the right, Andy in the middle, and the motorcycle guru of EDR Performance, Eric himself on the left.
Hire A Portland Motorcycle Accident Attorney Who Rides 
Pictured Above: Mike on his Honda CBR 600 motorcycle at Portland International Raceway
An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can help you dealing with all the insurance company negotiations and protect your rights to a fair settlement.
My consultations are always free and within a few minutes I can share my thoughts on your case so that you can decide what is best for you.
Two years ago, as I was riding my motorcycle, on my year long journey from Chile to Canada, I got very badly injured. After over 35,000 miles, my journey was abruptly interrupted, as a distracted truck driver failed to yield and cut the road a few meters ahead of me.
David Denis Google Review
Michael Colbach and his team represented me after I was struck by a car while crossing on a crosswalk.
Kami Toufar Review On Google
Practice Areas
A Portland bicycle accident lawyer who is a bicycle commuter.
Mike worked with me settle to a claim after I was doored and hospitalized while riding my bike. Mike and his team helped me navigate the complex insurance and claim process and ensured that I received a fair settlement.
As a former bike racer myself, and currently a bicycle commuter, the bicycle accident cases that I handle are particularly meaningful to me.
I started riding seriously in the mid 1990's when I sold my car and used my bicycle to commute, first hauling my mountain bike from west Linn into Lake Oswego and biking into Portland from there. Then I got a road bike and started commuting from West Linn to Portland and the Multnomah Courthouse daily, about 20 miles each way. I have put in over 30,000 miles on my bike and know what it is like to have to deal with careless drivers.
I was involved in a bike accident in which I was hit head on in a protected bike lane. I sustained serious injuries that required extensive medical care for the next year. Initially I was nervous about hiring a lawyer and wasn't sure if it was necessary. [...] He got me the MAXIMUM amount in my settlement which was triple what we had originally discussed. He is a wonderful lawyer and a great human being. This particular accident had me questioning if I would ever ride my bike safely in Portland again. Knowing that folks like Michael exist and will pursue justice gave me the confidence to continue riding in this city. That alone I can't put a price on. I would gladly hire him again for any future needs and anyone would be lucky to have him on their team.
Nicholas Herrick
Review posted on Google
What you should know before hiring your Oregon personal injury attorney
- Oregon personal injury attorneys do not charge the same amount, or the same types of fees.
- Does the attorney charge more for filing a lawsuit or if you want to go to court?
- What does the lawyer charge you for recovering your medical expenses?
Suggestions for interview questions to ask your potential personal injury attorney such as:
- Ask them what percentage of their practice is devoted to personal injury cases.
- Ask them how long they have been practicing personal injury law.
- Ask them how many cases they have filed.
- Ask them the last time they tried a case to a jury.
Oregon State Bar Attorney Referral and Member Research Tool
Learn about the Oregon State Bar Lawyer Referral Service and learn how you can check to see whether a lawyer has ever been disciplined by the Oregon State Bar.
PERSONAL INJURY IS ALL I DO
I exclusively practice personal injury trial law with a focus on bicycle accident, pedestrian accident, motorcycle accident, car accidents involving ride share like Uber and Lyft, premises liability, rental property liability, personal injury caused by an Oregon government entity or employee, truck accidents, car accidents, moped, scooter and ebike accidents, boating accidents, maritime worker and passenger injury accidents / Jones Act, bicycle doored accidents, bicycle right hooked hit by a car, herniated disc injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Oregon third party worker compensation claims, bus accidents, logging accidents, legal malpractice, and Oregon wrongful death act claims.
Areas Served in Oregon
Although my law office is in Portland, I represent people throughout Oregon: Salem, Eugene, Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Milwaukie, Lake Oswego, Bend, Medford, Springfield, Corvallis, Albany, Tigard, Aloha, Keizer, Grants Pass, Ashland, Oregon City, McMinnville, Redmond, Bethany, Tualatin, West Linn, Wilsonville, Boring, Damascus, Hood River, Baker City, Washington County, Multnomah County, Columbia County, Clackamas County, Lane County, Deschutes County, Malheur County, Wheeler County, Lake County, Marion County, Harney County, Grant County.