OTLA Launches Section for Oregon Crime Victims

The Oregon Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) has formed a new Crime Victim Section focused on the legal issues facing crime victims and the attorneys who represent them in criminal proceedings and civil cases. I am honored to be a founding member and to serve as a co-chair of the section.

Crime Victims Need Representation in Both Criminal and Civil Cases

A criminal prosecution holds the offender accountable to the state. It does not necessarily compensate the person who was harmed. Oregon crime victims have rights in the criminal case, and many also have civil claims for the damages caused by their injuries.

These overlapping issues come up often in cases involving:

• Drunk driving (DUII) crashes. For more information on injuries suffered as a result of a drunk driver, please see our Drunk Driving Accidents practice area page.

• Assaults

• Sexual abuse

• Wrongful death caused by criminal conduct. For more information on wrongful death cases, please see our Wrongful Death practice area page.

Civil claims are not limited to the person who committed the crime. A bar or restaurant that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated driver, or a property owner that failed to provide reasonable security, may also be held responsible.

Why Coordinated Representation Matters

Criminal and civil cases serve different purposes, but what happens in one can shape the other. An attorney involved early in the criminal case can help a victim:

• Obtain police reports, video, and other evidence before it is lost

• Identify potentially responsible parties

• Protect the victim’s interests during plea negotiations

• Meet civil filing and notice deadlines, some of which are short

Plea agreements, restitution orders, and witness testimony in the criminal case can all affect a later civil claim. Understanding how the two systems interact can help a crime victim obtain justice. For more information on our representation of crime victims, please see our Crime Victim practice area page.

Three Decades of Experience

I have practiced law for more than 30 years, including about a decade in criminal law before focusing on personal injury and wrongful death. For years now, my office has represented crime victims in both criminal proceedings and civil litigation. That experience has shown me how a decision in one case can open or close options in the other. That perspective is what I hope to bring to OTLA’s new section.

Talk to an Oregon Crime Victim Attorney

If you or a family member was injured by a crime in Oregon, you may have a civil claim for medical bills, lost income, and the other damages the injury caused. Grandy Injury Law represents injured crime victims in those civil claims, and when we take a civil case, we also help protect our clients’ rights in the related criminal case. Call (503) 626-6221 to discuss your situation. Hablamos español.

Last Updated: 10/21/26