Central Point adjoins Medford, and though only a fraction of Medford's size (17,000 versus more than 75,000) it has much in common with its Jackson County neighbor. As part of the Medford metropolitan area, home to nearly a quarter of a million people, it is part of a community that serves as the economic focus for much of Southern Oregon and far-northern California.
Agriculture, particularly Oregon's large and still-growing wine industry continues to play a significant role in the life of this part of the state. Central Point and its surrounding communities are the headquarters of a number of companies that raise grapes and make wine throughout the region. Older industries, however, also continue to play a role in the area. Southern Oregon remains an important area for Oregon's timber industry, with towns like Central Point offering important services to loggers working in much more rural areas.
The reliance of both farmers and loggers on large trucks creates hazards on our roads, as well as a host of potential legal questions when accidents happen, as they all too often do. Oregon semi-truck accidents linked to the logging and agriculture sectors are made potentially worse by the relative scarcity of major roads in this part of the state and the resulting need of large trucks to use small, often rural, roads.
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the state saw 1,928 crashes involving medium or heavy trucks in 2011, more than double the number of crashes involving either motorcycles or pedestrians. In Jackson County alone there were 85 truck crashes, a significant figure for what remains a relatively rural area. Moreover, the 2011 crash totals represent a significant increase compared to 2010, when the county only recorded 66 such accidents.
Portland-based Kaplan Law LLC is especially well-positioned to help with issues arising from truck accidents and Oregon industrial accidents linked to the agricultural sector. Licensed to practice in both Oregon and Washington, lead attorney Matthew Kaplan brings a wealth of experience to bear on cases that can often turn on small and nuanced legal issues. Kaplan Law's office at 50 SW Pine St #302 in downtown Portland is the place to turn if you need help securing justice following a Southern Oregon agricultural, industrial or trucking accident. Call (503) 226-3844 for an appointment.
The Kaplan Law LLC's office is located at 50 SW Pine St #302, Portland, OR 97204.