Oregon injury rights, deadlines, and help

If you got hurt in Oregon, the first thing to know is how much time you have to act. This page explains Oregon's main injury deadlines, the steps to take first, and how to get free help from people on your side.

Your deadlines at a glance

Personal injury lawsuit: 2 years. Oregon's statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit) generally gives you two years from the date of the injury. Source: ORS 12.110(1) (statute text).
Work injury, the 90-day notice that IS your claim. For workers' compensation (the insurance system that pays for work injuries), give your employer written notice of the accident immediately, and no later than 90 days. In Oregon, that written notice is what starts the claim. A late claim can still be allowed up to one year after the accident in limited cases, such as when the employer already knew of the injury or you show good cause. Source: ORS 656.265 (statute text).
Hurt by a government agency: 180 days. Under the Oregon Tort Claims Act (the law for injury claims against the government), formal notice of the claim generally must be given within 180 days after the injury. Wrongful death claims get one year. Source: ORS 30.275 (statute text).

One more caution: medical claims can have different, often shorter deadlines. If a doctor or hospital hurt you, treat the clock as urgent and get advice early.

What to do first

Get medical care right away, even if the injury seems small. Your health comes first, and the record matters later.
Report the injury in writing. In Oregon, the written work injury notice is the claim itself, so do it early and keep a copy.
Save evidence. Take photos, keep receipts, write down names of witnesses, and keep every medical paper.
Write down the date of the injury and count your deadlines from it. Put them on a calendar.
If any government property or vehicle was involved, treat the 180-day notice deadline as your first priority.
Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you understand your full costs.
Talk to someone who is on your side before you make big decisions.

Common situations in Oregon

Hurt at work

Most states separate telling your employer from filing the formal claim. Oregon folds them together: the written 90-day notice to your employer initiates the claim. That makes the paperwork simpler, but it also means a casual spoken mention at work may not protect you. Put it in writing, date it, and keep a copy. Occupational disease claims run on a different clock that starts at discovery. Do not guess about where you stand. Get help reading your own timeline.

Hurt on the road

Oregon uses modified comparative negligence (a fault-sharing rule). Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you are barred entirely if your fault is greater than the combined fault of everyone else. In plain words, at 51 percent fault you recover nothing. Source: ORS 31.600 (statute text). Insurers may push a high fault number onto you, so document everything.

Hurt on someone's property, including dog bites

Oregon splits dog-bite damages in an unusual way. For economic damages (bills you can count, like medical costs and lost wages), the owner is strictly liable, with no need to prove the owner could foresee the attack. For non-economic damages (pain and suffering), you still generally must show negligence or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous. Source: ORS 31.360 (statute text). That split makes evidence about the dog's history worth gathering early, because it can change how much of your harm is covered.

A real story: her lawyer missed the deadline, and it took 19 years to fix

On December 23, 1995, Teresa Schmidt slipped and fell at a grocery store in Tacoma, Washington. Two weeks later she did the right thing and hired a lawyer to bring her injury case. But her lawyer never properly filed her lawsuit before the statute of limitations ran out, and her case against the store died. Her only path left was to sue her own lawyer for malpractice. That fight dragged on through a jury trial, a retrial, and appeals. The Washington Supreme Court finally ruled in her favor in October 2014, almost 19 years after her fall. Source: Schmidt v. Coogan, Washington Supreme Court.

Her story comes from just across the Columbia, and the lesson holds in Oregon's two-year state: hiring a lawyer is not enough. Ask directly when your lawsuit will be filed and get proof, because if the deadline is blown you inherit a much harder second fight. The system is unforgiving, and that is exactly why having someone on your side matters.

What we can help with

We are the injured person's advocate. We are on your side, and our help is always free to you.

We listen to what happened and help you make sense of it.
We explain your rights and deadlines in plain words.
We help you get organized: what to report, what to save, what to ask.
We point you to the right licensed help, whether that is medical care, therapy, state benefits, or a lawyer when one is needed.
We never take money from injured people.

Tell us what happened

If you or someone you love was hurt in Oregon, you do not have to figure this out alone. Tell us what happened and we will help you understand your next step. It is free, and there is no pressure.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can change or vary with the facts. A licensed attorney can confirm the rule for your situation.