A party may need to use someone else’s property for various reasons. For example, one parcel may block another from the public road, or a utility company may need to lay lines across private property to serve other customers. Parties can establish these usage rights through an easement. Easements give one party the right to…
Today, the law allows people injured by careless or reckless acts of public employees and officials to sue the government in a tort claim, just as they would sue a private person in a personal injury action. However, claims against a state or local government must comply with the Oregon Tort Claims Act’s procedural rules….
In incarceration, prisoners must rely on facility officials to approve and provide medical care for injuries, illnesses, and chronic health conditions. However, delayed medical care may give a prisoner the right to pursue a claim for harm and loss caused by an untreated or worsened injury or illness. But when does delayed prison medical care…
Confusion and mistakes can lead a neighbor to build a driveway, shed, or fence on your side of the property line. If your neighbor builds a driveway, accessory building, or other structure on your side of the property line, you could face a serious boundary dispute. But what should you do if your neighbor builds…
When you want to refinance or sell a property, you may discover during due diligence that someone has filed a formal ownership claim to part or all of the property. Or you may learn that the legal description of your property in official records does not match what you think you own. These circumstances can…
When a business deal breaks down because one party allegedly failed to uphold their end of the bargain, the other party may incur various losses. In a business dispute, lost profits can become the largest source of financial loss for a party. However, if you file a lawsuit due to a dispute in a commercial…
Healthcare professionals can make mistakes while treating patients that can cause various harms, including injuries, infections, health complications, or the progression of untreated illnesses. Treatment errors may constitute medical malpractice or medical negligence. Malpractice or negligence may give a harmed patient the right to seek financial recovery for their losses. But does Oregon law distinguish…
Most businesses run on various deals with other parties, including suppliers, landlords, service providers, and customers. However, business owners who enter commercial agreements may make avoidable errors that could cost time, money, and reputation if conflicts arise. Fortunately, owners can avoid many of these errors with attention and effort. Some of the most common contract…
Even in prison, inmates have constitutional rights. For example, the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from imposing “cruel and unusual punishment” upon a criminal offender. As a result, certain types of conduct by prison officials may violate the Eighth Amendment. Prisoners in Oregon may have civil rights claims when they suffer…
Property owners may face legal disputes with neighbors and owners of nearby parcels. Some of the most frequently occurring property disputes involve easements. An easement may cover a driveway or shared private road access. If you own property in Oregon, you need to know what easements are. Neighbors can disagree over their rights to use…
