Practice Areas

I am Sara L. Gabin. I have been an Oregon Lawyer since September 1981, serving residents of Portland and nearby communities. I help injured and disabled people with Social Security disability (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Oregon Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury Claims.

After listening to your account of events and after a good “question and answer” session, I am usually am able to attain a good grasp of your problem and can provide clear and concise advise on the next step to take.

Free in-person consultation and fee only upon recovery.

SSDI is available when you have one or more medical conditions that stop you from holding down a 40-hour a week job and when you have worked and paid FICA long enough to have insurance coverage. SSDI, effectively, operates as a disability insurance policy and your FICA payments are the premiums.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is available if you are too sick to work, have not worked long enough to qualify for SSDI, and are essentially “dirt poor.”

Disabled Widows’ benefits (DWI) are available if you are too sick to work, and if your spouse has died, you had been married 10 years or more and you are not remarried. DWI benefits are disability benefits paid on the account of the diseased spouse to the surviving spouse when the surviving spouse has no earnings history for SSDI benefits or would receive an SSDI benefit that is less than the DWI benefit, and when disability onset occurs within 84 months of the death of the deceased spouse.

Disabled Adult Child (DAC) are appropriate if you became disabled before age 22 and out-lived a parent who had a good earnings history for SSDI. DAC benefits are disability benefits paid on the account of a deceased parent to an adult child who has no earnings history or would receive an SSDI benefit that is less than a DAC benefit.

When you have been hurt in a car crash that was not your fault, and when it is clear enough that the accident is the fault of another driver who failed to follow the rules of the road, you probably have a good claim against the at-fault driver for lost wages, lost earning capacity, medical bills, and pain and suffering. You may also be entitled to benefits under a personal injury protection (PIP) policy or underinsured/uninsured (UIM) motorist policy.

When you have been hurt on property owned by someone else and when the injury is the result of the property’s owners failure to do what is reasonable to make the premises safe for visitors, you probably have a good claim against the property owner for your’ losses, both economic and pain and suffering.

When you have been hurt on your job, in a single accident or as a result of repetitive use, you may have a good claim for workers’ compensation. In a workers’ compensation claim you are entitled to a range of benefits depending on how badly you are hurt. These benefits include lost wage loss - known as time loss benefits, medical services, a permanent partial disability award, and vocational retraining services.

A third-party claim occurs when you are hurt while at work but due to the actions of someone other than your employer or coworker. The party who hurt you is called a “third-party.” In addition to benefits under a workers’ compensation claim, you are also are entitled to make a claim against the third-party for economic losses such as lost wages, medical bills and loss of earning capacity, and also for non-economic loss for pain and suffering.

If you believe you have solid claim for SSDI, workers’ compensation or personal injury, I can help get to the essential facts and work with you to craft an effective strategy. As an Oregon attorney since 1981, I have represented residents in Portland and other areas of Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Yamhill Counties all of these claims. You can reach Sara L. Gabin at (503) 620-3171 or through my contact form to discuss your case. Free Consultation.