At the foot of both the Siskiyou and Cascade mountains, nestled just north of the California border, Ashland, in Jackson County, Oregon, is small: just over 20,000 people live here. As the home of the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare Festival, however, its name is familiar to theater-lovers throughout the country.
The festival, established in 1935, is a regional and national institution. It is not, however, the only thing that puts Ashland, Oregon on the map. The city is also home to Southern Oregon University, a college with nearly 6000 students that traces its own history to 1872 when it was founded as Ashland Academy. So central are the festival and the university to Ashland’s life that they actually represent the city’s two largest employers. As that fact implies, Ashland’s economy focuses heavily on tourism and education.
Legal services for the Ashland area focus on Medford, the Jackson County seat and the headquarters of Oregon’s 1st Judicial District. Even in as small and generally quiet a place as Ashland, however, we receive constant reminders of the need to keep alert and act responsibly in the interest of everyone’s safety.
According to state Department of Transportation figures, Oregon witnessed 310 fatal vehicle crashes in 2011, leading to 331 deaths. Statewide there were also over 35,000 injuries in 2011 as a result of Oregon motor vehicle crashes. Despite its small size Jackson County saw 19 fatal crashes, resulting in 21 deaths, figures that place it 5th in the state, not far behind the significantly more populous counties that make up Greater Portland.
Even Ashland, small as it is, witnessed 140 crashes and 84 injuries in 2011 (though, thankfully, no fatalities), figures that were up sharply from 2010 (112 crashes, 70 injuries).
Numbers like these remind us of the importance of safe driving at all times, and of the need many victims often have for expert legal assistance as they try to put their lives back together following a motor vehicle accident. The Portland-based law office of Matthew D. Kaplan is available to help people in Ashland understand the legal issues emerging from a car, semi-truck, motorcycle or bicycle accident and to ensure that justice is done. Matthew’s office at 50 SW Pine St in central Portland is the place to turn for families coping with the aftermath of someone else’s negligent or reckless conduct.
Call (503) 226-3844 to schedule a free initial consultation during which you and Matthew can discuss your legal issues in detail. Matthew knows that legal matters can often seem complex, even frightening, to those unfamiliar with our court system. It is important to understand, however, that courts are here to help. They represent one of the few institutions in modern America where rich and poor alike can receive a fair and impartial hearing and have an equal chance to obtain the justice they deserve.
Matthew Kaplan’s office is located at 50 SW Pine St in Portland. The office telephone number is (503) 226-3844.