Home to over 76,000 people (over 170,000 when one includes the city’s suburbs as well), Bend is Central Oregon’s largest city. Nestled at the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains, Bend was settled over a century ago as a crossing-point on the Deschutes River. Today, it is both the seat of Deschutes County and one of the fastest-growing cities in our state, its population having increased by 50 percent over the last decade.
The city’s early growth was closely tied to the fortunes of the logging industry, which remains a major presence in Central Oregon. Bend itself, however, is better known today as a recreational center: a place where people go to ski, hike, camp and fish. Indeed, tourism as a sector is now the largest industry in the city, though the wood products business also remains a significant part of the Deschutes County economy. In addition, Bend’s low cost of living has made it an increasingly popular retirement destination, a fact reflected in the rapid growth of another industry: health care.
As the county seat, Bend is also the headquarters of Oregon’s 11th Judicial District and the location of the Deschutes County courthouse, which can be found at 1164 NW Bond Street. Each of Bend’s main employment sectors – tourism, logging and wood products, health care – presents unique legal needs and challenges for the community. Kaplan Law LLC of Portland offers both a wide range of experience and a depth of local knowledge when it comes to addressing these challenges. Call (503) 226-3844 to schedule a free initial consultation.
As data compiled by the federal government’s Consumer Product Safety Commission indicates, sports injuries among older Americans are an area of growing concern nationwide, a fact that should be of special interest in a community with Bend’s economic and demographic profile. As far back as 1998 a CPSC report noted that “sports-related injuries increased much more to persons 65 and over than to any other age group” as an active lifestyle has become increasingly common for Americans in their 50s, 60s and even 70s.
When these sort of injuries occur, it is important to look at both the gear that sports participants are using and the instruction they are receiving. People running sports-focused businesses or manufacturing recreational gear need to understand that they have a responsibility to ensure that both instruction and equipment they provide are appropriate. Oregon’s product liability laws require consumer products to be safe and to function properly. Our state’s industrial accident laws can extend to recreation or tour operators if they if they fail to maintain properly the equipment used by their clients.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, our state witnessed four fatalities in the leisure and hospitality sector in 2010, as well as a significant number of work-related injuries that led to missed days and lost wages. State figures indicate that 3.7 of every 1000 leisure and hospitality workers statewide were injured on the job in 2010. Bend’s other main industries – logging/wood products and health care – also have the potential to be dangerous. The same survey puts the injury rate in the wood products injury at 5.9 per 1000 workers and 5.9 for the health care industry.
Kaplan Law LLC offers a wide range of legal services to address these and other issues. Our courts can, indeed must, be a powerful force for good; one ensuring that growth does not become a license for negligence.
Kaplan Law LLC is conveniently located in downtown Portland at 50 SW Pine St #302.