Bakersfield Car Accident Attorney

If you are involved in a serious car accident in the Bakersfield area and you’ve been injured, a Bakersfield car accident attorney at The Paris Firm can provide the sound advice and effective legal representation you may need.

If you have sufficient grounds to bring a personal injury lawsuit, an attorney at The Paris Firm can review the specifics of the case, question witnesses, gather evidence, and strive to help you recover the maximum available compensation.

If you can prove you were injured by someone else’s negligence, the details of the collision and the seriousness of your injuries will determine the amount of compensation you can recover.

What Do Accident Statistics Tell Us?

California’s public awareness campaigns and aggressive traffic safety enforcement have produced tangible results. But despite progress in recent years, more than 3,800 lives were lost on California streets and roadways in 2024.

Over the past decade, almost 40,000 people have died, and more than two million people have been injured on California roads. Most of these car accidents were caused by chronic speeders, repeat drunk drivers, and drivers with well-documented histories of negligence behind the wheel.

How and Why Do Car Accidents Happen?

What are the leading reasons for auto accidents that cause serious injuries in Southern California? Distracted, intoxicated, and reckless driving qualify as negligence, which is the root cause of every traffic accident:

1. Distracted driving is the predominant cause of traffic accidents and accident injuries in California. Grooming, texting, eating, adjusting audio devices, and caring for children and pets are just some of the distractions drivers face daily.

1. Speeding is another top cause of car crashes. Every California driver should understand that the faster you drive, the farther you need to brake. Drive at or under the speed limit, and even slower in bad weather.

1. Aggressive driving and road rage are dangerous and illegal. If someone is speeding, cutting off other drivers, and making sudden lane changes, put as much distance as possible between yourself and that driver.

1. Driving under the influence is linked to about one-third of the car accidents in California. Do not get behind the wheel if you have consumed drugs or alcohol. Taxi and rideshare services are always available in Bakersfield and throughout Kern County.

1. Driver fatigue is the cause of far too many vehicle crashes and the leading cause of large commercial truck accidents. Do not drive if you aren’t fully alert and awake.

What if Neither Motorist Was Negligent?

In car accidents where neither motorist is negligent, the negligent party could be a mechanic or repair shop that did faulty work, a government agency that poorly designed a roadway or fails to maintain it, or a vehicle or parts manufacturer that sold a defective product.

Investigators and accident reconstruction experts use advanced technology to ascertain which driver was at fault for an accident. They can usually determine whether poor road conditions or bad weather caused an accident, or whether a defective vehicle or vehicle part played a role.

What Should You Know About California Car Insurance?

California is an at-fault car insurance state. The driver responsible for an accident is liable for the damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. California requires motorists to carry minimum liability insurance to drive a vehicle, which includes:

1. $30,000 of coverage for death and injuries per person
2. $60,000 of coverage for death and injuries per accident
3. $15,000 of property damage coverage per accident

California doesn’t require uninsured motorist coverage, but you should have it. Uninsured motorist insurance covers you in accidents with hit-and-run drivers and uninsured drivers. It’s the best way to protect yourself when a personal injury lawsuit can’t help you.

The Advantage of Hiring an Experienced Attorney

If a negligent driver has injured you, a Bakersfield car accident lawyer can cut through the legal jargon and red tape of California law and help you understand the core legal issues in your personal injury case. Your attorney can investigate and assess every detail of the accident.

Lawsuits entail paperwork, but most of it can be handled by your lawyer. You can help by keeping and storing copies of medical bills, insurance documents, the written police accident report, and any other documents or paperwork pertinent to your accident and injury.

The Paris Firm routinely handles cases that involve insurance companies and understands their tactics. Without the help that The Paris Firm can provide, an injured car accident victim may feel pressured to accept an amount far below what their personal injury claim is actually worth.

What Injuries Can Be Sustained in Car Accidents?

The most common injuries victims sustain in automobile accidents are cuts and abrasions, bruises, broken bones, whiplash, disfigurement, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, and partial or complete paralysis.

Most TBI victims struggle with cognitive skills. Some spend several million dollars over a lifetime on surgeries, therapy, and rehabilitation. Car collisions are also a leading cause of spinal cord injuries, which can incapacitate victims for weeks, months, and sometimes permanently.

Whiplash is common in rear-end collisions. Many whiplash victims improve after only a few weeks by following a treatment plan that includes medications and exercises. But some victims suffer chronic neck pain and other long-lasting health complications.

What Should You Do After a Car Crash?

If you are involved in and injured in a car accident, call for medical attention immediately for yourself and anyone else who has been injured, and call the police. Their written report may become key evidence if you file a personal injury claim.

Exchange car insurance and personal contact information with the other party or parties involved, and take photos of the scene, damage to the vehicles, and your own injuries. If there were witnesses, ask for their names, phone numbers, and other contact details.

Photos and witness statements are often persuasive evidence in personal injury cases. After a medical provider examines and treats you, call The Paris Firm and schedule a free case evaluation.

After a Car Accident, Have a Medical Examination

Undetected and untreated injuries can rapidly (and sometimes slowly) become severe medical conditions. Anyone involved in a car crash should be examined as soon as possible.

Even if you feel vigorous and healthy, an immediate medical exam protects your health and puts you in a favorable legal position to recover compensation if you’ve sustained a latent injury.

If you’ve been injured, a medical examination can generate medical records that may provide powerful evidence in support of an injury claim. If you haven’t been injured, a medical exam will verify it and put your mind at ease.

What Can a Car Accident Attorney Do for You?

After a negligent driver has injured you, if you and your Bakersfield car accident attorney proceed with legal action, your attorney can examine the evidence, question the witnesses, and begin settlement negotiations with the at-fault motorist’s insurance company.

Auto accident cases are usually settled out of court, so most car accident victims never have to make a court appearance. But if you’re not offered a fair and reasonable settlement amount, or if fault for the accident is in dispute, your lawyer can take your injury claim to court.

At trial, your lawyer can tell a jury how the crash happened and how you were injured. Your lawyer can then explain why the jurors should find in your favor and order the at-fault driver to compensate you. Your attorney should be a skilled negotiator and an experienced trial lawyer.

How is Liability Defined and Determined?

An at-fault driver’s insurance company may dispute your injury claim. To prevail with your claim and hold the other motorist liable for your injuries, you and your car accident lawyer may have to prove:

1. The other driver (the defendant) owed you (the plaintiff) a duty of care.
2. Instead, the driver breached that duty and drove negligently.
3. The breach and negligence are the direct causes of your injury.
4. Your damages are quantifiable, and jurors should order the defendant to compensate you.

How is the Value of a Car Accident Claim Determined?

After a car accident, with your lawyer’s help, you can add up your economic losses (like lost earnings and medical bills) and then determine an amount for your non-economic losses (pain, suffering, and emotional anguish).

You’ll have to show why the compensation you are seeking is fair, reasonable, and just. Keep and make copies of medical bills and receipts for prescriptions, auto repairs, and any other losses related to the accident.

If you suffer catastrophic injuries or if you are temporarily or permanently disabled in a car accident, you may need to pursue the maximum compensation available. In a worst-case scenario, a lifetime of medical care and treatment may cost several million dollars.

What if You Share Fault for the Accident?

In California, “pure comparative negligence” applies in car accident cases. If you are injured in the Bakersfield area in a car accident and you are partially at fault, you can nevertheless recover some damages.

If a speeding, reckless driver runs a red light and collides with your vehicle, your damages could amount to $100,000. But if you were moving at 10 or 12 miles per hour over the legal speed limit, a jury may find you were 25% at fault for the accident.

In this case, under the pure comparative negligence principle, you would be allowed to recover only 75% of your damages, or $75,000.

What Else Should California Drivers Know?

In California, you must report a car accident twice if it involves injuries or more than $1,000 in property damage. You must report it to the local police or the California Highway Patrol from the accident scene (or as quickly as possible), and you must report it again within 10 days to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

In most cases, you must report a car accident to your insurance company within 24 hours, though specific deadlines vary by policy. Make these reports brief and stick to the basic facts.

If the other driver’s insurance company contacts you, refer their questions and inquiries to your car accident lawyer. A Bakersfield car accident lawyer at The Paris Firm can speak and negotiate on your behalf.

What is the Deadline for Car Accident Claims?

California’s statute of limitations gives injured victims two years from the date of a traffic crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. The two-year period starts on the day of the accident and is strictly enforced, with these exceptions:

1. If the injured person was under 18, the two-year period begins when they turn 18.

1. If a victim’s injury was latent, the two-year period begins when they discovered (or should have discovered) the injury.

1. If the at-fault driver leaves the state, the two-year period pauses until they return.

Don’t wait two years to contact The Paris Firm. It’s critical to put an attorney on the case promptly. When you’ve been examined and treated after a car accident in the Bakersfield area, schedule a consultation with an attorney at The Paris Firm and call 909-325-6185.

What Will It Cost to Pursue Justice?

How can you pay for a lawyer if you’re out of work due to your injury, and the debts are piling up? It costs nothing to begin the personal injury process. If you’ve sustained an injury in a car crash in or near Bakersfield, your first meeting with an attorney at The Paris Firm is free.

You’ll receive sound legal advice. The Paris Firm represents clients on a contingency fee basis. Our clients owe no attorney’s fee until we recover compensation for their medical costs, lost earnings, and related damages.

About The Paris Firm

For more than 26 years, attorney Eric Paris has advocated for the injured victims of negligence in Bakersfield and across Southern California. We handle car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, and bicycle accident cases as well as wrongful death and premises liability claims.

After you’ve been injured in a car accident, call The Paris Firm at 909-325-6185 to schedule your free legal consultation.