Profile
Attorney Jeffrey W. Hansen focuses his attention primarily on complex personal injury claims defense. Mr. Hansen is a member of the law firm Smith Freed & Eberhard P.C. and practices in Portland, Oregon.
Mr. Hansen graduated from Drake University School of Law and Center for Dispute Resolution in 1992 and was inducted into the Order of the Coif honor society. Since joining the law firm of Smith Freed & Eberhard P.C., Jeffrey is widely regarded as the firm’s most active trial attorney, averaging eight jury trials each year. Mr. Hansen focuses his practice on civil litigation in the state and federal courts of Oregon.
Mr. Hansen has held several leadership positions and is consistently recognized with awards from his peer group. Jeffrey’s honors and memberships include:
- Selections to the Oregon Super Lawyers list in 2007 and 2009
- Defense Research Institute, member
- Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC), member
- Chairman, Automobile Practice Group, OADC, 2007-2008
- Vice-chairman, Automobile Practice Group, OADC, 2006-2007
Jeff Hansen remains active in the legal community when he is not representing his clients in court. He is regularly invited to speak to trade organizations and insurance companies to educate individuals on recent changes to legislation in Oregon.
About Jeffrey Hansen
Law School: Drake University Law School
Admitted: 1992, Oregon
Professional Webpage: www.smithfreed.com/aboutus/attorneysandstaff/Jeffrey_W_Hanse...
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Publication Liaison, OADC, 2005-2006
- Vice-Chairman, Automobile Practice Group, OADC, 2006-2007
- Chairman, Automobile Practice Group, OADC, 2007-2008
- Member, Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC)
- Oregon Super Lawyer 2007, 2009
- Member, Litigation Counsel of America
- Admitted, United States District Court for the District of Oregon
- Member, PHRMA
- Member, American Bar Association, Torts and Insurance Practice Section
- Member, Defense Research Institute
- Member, Oregon State Bar Association
Scholarly Lectures and Writings:
- 2010 Oregon Personal Lines Law Summary
Verdicts and Settlements:
- Successfully defended a regional pharmacy in a wrongful death suit for misprescribing narcotic medications, resulting in plaintiff’s death.The pharmacy was granted summary judgment following discovery.
- Successfully defended a manufacturer of commercial smoke devices.
- Successfully defended a recovering heroin addict in a multimillion-dollar personal injury suit (including punitive damages for intoxication) arising from a high-speed motor vehicle accident. Following a five-day jury trial, the plaintiff was awarded only $33,000.
- Successfully defended a regional amusement park in a lawsuit arising from the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl by one of its employees; the case settled on extraordinarily favorable terms.
- Participated in the defense of Dow Chemical in the Oregon Breast Implant litigation as well as Showa Denko KK in the Oregon l-tryptophan litigation.
- Successfully defended an industrial turbine manufacturer in numerous lawsuits for personal injuries and wrongful deaths resulting from exposure to asbestos-containing materials used in the manufacture and maintenance of its products. To date, all of the cases have either been voluntarily dismissed, subject to summary judgment or resulted in judgments in favor of the Defendant at trial.
- Successfully defended a married couple from Southwest Washington who caused a catastrophic car accident at the Portland International Airport. The accident resulted in the near amputation of the Plaintiff’s legs, a 38-year-old oral surgeon with a thriving practice. Despite the fact that the medical expenses were $2.3 million and the estimated future wage loss exceeded $5 million, the case was settled well below the pre-filing demand and with minimal contribution from the clients.
- Successfully defended a woman in a wrongful death case brought by her ex-husband following the death of their 3-year-old child. This case was settled at a mediation following discovery and was resolved within an extraordinarily favorable outcome for the insurance carrier.
- Successfully defended homeowners in a case involving the wrongful death of a 6-year-old boy at their home. The boy’s death was the result of near decapitation when a dumbwaiter he was inspecting was inadvertently activated, trapping him in the dumbwaiter shaft. Our investigation revealed that the dumbwaiter was not in compliance with Oregon elevator laws because it lacked any number of required safety features. After the parents filed suit, the young man’s wrongful death case was settled for $520,000, of which our client, the homeowners, paid only $20,000.
- Conducted over 100 jury trials and 270 arbitrations.
Educational Background:
- University of Portland, B.S., Finance, 1988
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