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.
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Having an experienced Oregon bike accident attorney can make the difference between getting what you deserve and getting nothing.
I will work hard to protect your rights and maximize your insurance settlement.
I am an experienced, aggressive trial lawyer.
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I have tried over 140 jury trials.
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30 years of courtroom experience.
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As of November of 2025 I have been exclusively practicing personal injury law for 23 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 offer one-on-one service, and I intentially limit my case load so that I can focus on you and your case.
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. [...]
A good example of why you sometimes have to go to trial are the recent results I have had.
I recently tried six separate cases:
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The six respective offers totaled approximately $240,000.
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The juries awarded a total of over $5.8 million.
If my clients had hired a lawyer who does not try cases, they would have lost a combined total of $5.5 million.
Insurance companies do not pay you a fair amount because they want to. They only pay you when they have to. Without the threat of a lawyer 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?
Insurance companies do not get to determine the value of your injury case, that is up to you or a jury.
If you have already received an offer for your injuries, contact me and I will let you know if I think it is a fair offer. I will not charge you for this consultation. If I do not beat their original offer to you, I will not charge you anything.
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.
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. Before trial they did not even offer to pay for the medical bills. Marion County Verdict PDF
$1,000,000 settlement for injured cyclist - before filing the lawsuit they denied liability and offered zero.
In another case my client was offered $4,000 before he hired me. At trial a jury awarded my client $550,000.
$150,000 bicycle accident policy limits settlement for injured cyclist - his offer before he hired me was zero.
$100,000 policy limits settlement for injured cyclist.
$339,000 jury verdict DUI accident verdict for cyclist struck by drunk driver. GEICO's only offer was $17,000 before the trial and jury verdict, an offer that did not even cover the medical bills.
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.
Over $5 Million car accident recovery for injured motorist. Before he hired me the insurance company would not even pay for his property damage.
You can find more examples like these on my Proven Results page.
Marion County 2024 Verdict (PDF)
$4.1 million dollar jury verdict for injured cyclist.
Before trial they did not even offer to pay the medical bills.
Some of my trials, verdicts and lawsuit filing at Multnomah County Circuit Court have been reported on by the Portland media:
Bicyclist hit by test driver
Cyclist vs. New Seasons
Cyclist sues after Uber, private insurance fail to cover crash
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. After speaking with a close friend who was also struck on his bike by a motor vehicle and had success with Michael I choose to speak to him as well. I spoke with a assistant immediately and then was patched over to Michael directly. [...] 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. [...]
My Colnago dream bike I donated to PDX Cycling Worlds to help support their effort to bring Road Cycling World Championships to Portland.
I am a former road and cyclocross racer and current bicycle commuter.
I started riding seriously in the mid 1990's when I sold my car and used my bicycle to commute from West Linn to Portland daily. When I moved into Portland in the late 1990's I began racing bicycles to get in the miles (missing my long commutes). I raced for the Presto Velo team, which is now the Bicycleattorney.com/racing team and I am their main cash sponsor.
I have raced stage races, crits, time trials, and cyclocross.
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 try very hard to help injured cyclists, as oftentimes motorists try and blame the cyclists just because they are on a bike.
Unlike many Portland bicycle accident lawyers, I know how expensive bicycles can be.
I work hard to make sure you are fully compensated for your bicycle damages. I know what it is like to spend thousands of dollars on a bicycle only to have it damaged by someone else.
I work closely with local bicycle shops to try and get you full replacement value for your damaged bicycle and bicycle gear.
