Car Accident Lawyer in Bakersfield

The last thing you need after a car crash is to pick up the pieces alone. The Bakersfield car accident lawyers at Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys have decades of combined experience advocating for victims in Kern County and beyond. We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients.

We know the deep stress that comes with medical bills, lost wages, and getting fair compensation after another party’s negligence has disrupted your life. We will take the reins and protect your rights through the claims process. 

Call today to learn more about how our Bakersfield personal injury lawyers can help. You deserve justice, and we’ll fight to deliver it.

The Benefits of Hiring a Local Bakersfield Law Firm

When you’re facing a legal problem, having a lawyer who truly understands Bakersfield and Kern County can make a big difference.

Our local personal injury law firm knows the judges, the court system, and even the tendencies of insurance companies in the area. That insight helps us prepare stronger strategies and anticipate challenges before they come up.

Local firms also bring a personal touch. We live and work in the same community as you, so we’re invested in your greater well-being, not just in closing a case.

You’ll find it easier to meet in person, ask questions, and stay connected throughout the process. That accessibility often translates into more trust and less stress during a difficult time.

Types of Cases Our Car Accident Attorneys in Bakersfield Handle

Car accidents are among the most common types of personal injury cases, yet no two cases are ever exactly the same. Each accident involves different circumstances, injuries, and insurance issues, so treating them as routine can overlook important details.

Our team of car accident lawyers in Bakersfield includes:

• Bakersfield drunk driving accident lawyers: Drunk driving accidents are often severe and life-changing. We will work to make sure you are not left to deal with the financial burden of someone else’s reckless decision.
• Bakersfield hit and run accident lawyers: Being the victim of a hit-and-run crash is especially stressful because the at-fault driver may not be identified right away. We can investigate the crash, gather evidence, and explore all options for securing compensation, including uninsured motorist coverage.
• Bakersfield rear-end collision lawyers: Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of car accidents, but they can still cause serious injuries like whiplash and back trauma. Our team will help prove fault, deal with insurers, and fight for fair payment for your medical costs and other damages.
• Bakersfield rideshare accident lawyers: Accidents involving Uber or Lyft drivers can be complicated because of the insurance policies involved. Our lawyers understand how these claims work and can help you pursue compensation whether you were a passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian.

What Our Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyers Offer

The claims process can be complicated, and there are often challenges that can put your claim and your compensation at risk. Our car accident attorneys in Bakersfield can expedite the process and help you avoid costly mistakes that may jeopardize your claim.

Advocacy and Protection

Insurance companies have a financial incentive to pay out as little as possible on claims. They will look for any reason to lowball or deny portions of your compensation. Our experienced Bakersfield car accident attorneys can use our legal knowledge and skill to level the playing field.

We will aggressively fight to establish the full extent of your losses. This thorough advocacy is critical for maximizing your financial compensation.

Legal Compliance and Claims Handling

Following a car accident, some strict procedural rules and deadlines must be met when dealing with insurance companies and filing a legal claim. A single missed deadline or improper submission could result in otherwise valid aspects of your case being dismissed due to technicalities.

Our experienced injury attorneys in Bakersfield will handle all required notifications, forms, filings, and related documentation on your behalf to ensure total compliance with the claims process.

Accurate, Efficient Documentation

Sometimes, the full nature and severity of accident injuries take time to manifest or be diagnosed by medical professionals. We can arrange for independent medical examinations and expert reports to provide comprehensive evidence of all your damages to the at-fault insurer.

Such extensive documentation is needed to persuade them to offer fair monetary compensation reflective of current and future treatment costs.

Precise Damage Calculations

In addition to out-of-pocket medical bills and property losses, other financial impacts involving lost income, ongoing care, and diminished quality of life must be accurately quantified to give you the best chance at recovering the full value of your claim.

Our car accident attorneys will exhaustively review and account for all your economic and non-economic losses to present the maximum legally supportable claim value. Our detailed analytical work sets the baseline for negotiations and potential litigation.

Aggressive Negotiation

Rather than immediately accepting low settlement offers, your car accident lawyer is prepared to negotiate firmly with insurance adjusters on your behalf. Our personal injury lawyers for car accidents will employ refined tactics honed over years of experience dealing with insurers.

Court Representation

On occasion, insurance companies refuse to offer fair monetary remedies for injuries their clients have caused. If this happens, we can file a lawsuit against the at-fault party to seek justice through the court system. Our litigation experience is indispensable for guiding cases toward positive resolutions when opposing parties refuse to cooperate.

Accurate Fault Determination

After a car collision, it’s common for insurers and at-fault parties to shift blame or muddy the waters when determining fault. Our experience allows us to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident.

We will use the evidence and relevant traffic laws to determine who is legally responsible. Accurate liability determinations are crucial to fully recovering your losses from the responsible parties.

Understanding California Auto Insurance and Liability

California’s auto insurance requirements specify that all drivers must carry insurance to cover damages if they cause an accident. At a minimum, policies must include liability coverage, which pays for injuries or property damage you cause to others.

The state’s minimum limits are:

• $60,000 for injury or death to one person
• $60,000 for injury or death to more than one person
• $15,000 for property damage

This basic coverage helps protect other drivers, passengers, and property owners, but it may not be enough in a serious crash. If damages exceed your policy limits, the driver could be held personally responsible for the remaining costs. That’s why many drivers choose higher limits or add-ons like uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

What Is Comparative Negligence?

In California, Cal. Civ. Code § 1431.2 says that multiple parties may share liability for an accident. That means that even if you’re partly at fault for the accident, you may still be eligible for compensation, although your percentage of fault will decrease the amount owed to you.

If you are found to be 25% responsible for the accident, for example, a payout of $100,000 would be decreased to $75,000.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Motor Vehicle Accident?

For a personal injury claim in California, the deadline to sue someone is two years, based on Cal. Civ. Code § 335.1. However, you shouldn’t wait too long to contact an experienced car accident lawyer in Bakersfield. We need time to gather evidence and build a strong case.

Besides, the sooner we start the ball rolling, the sooner you can get the money you need for medical bills, lost wages, and more.

What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Car Accident Claim in California?

The money the insurance company owes you will be broken down into various types of damages. Here are the main types of damages that our firm may be able to get for you in a car accident claim in California.

As a car crash victim, you could receive the following economic and non-economic damages:

• Medical expenses: This includes all past and future costs for doctor visits, hospital treatments, surgeries, prescriptions, physical therapy, medical devices, and other medical care needed as a result of injuries from the accident.
• Lost wages: If the accident caused you to miss time from work or lose pay, you may recover wages and income that were lost due to your injuries. This also includes potential future lost earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering: Even after physical injuries heal, the accident may have caused mental and physical pain that requires compensation. Emotional trauma after a car accident can cast a vast shadow over your life for years to come.
• Property damage: If your vehicle or personal property was damaged in the crash, you can recover repair or replacement costs for property damage alongside your personal injury lawsuit.
• Wrongful death: If a loved one was killed due to another’s negligence, wrongful death allows recovery of economic support and non-economic losses like grief. A Bakersfield wrongful death lawyer can help you get compensation for the death of your spouse, child, or parent.

While nothing is likely to fully make you “whole” again after the accident, our car accident lawyers in Bakersfield will pursue all applicable damages to get you maximum compensation for your loss.

How Much Compensation Could I Get After a Crash?

The more severe your injuries, the higher your medical bills, and the more significantly your injuries will affect the rest of your life, the more your case will be worth.

If you returned to work within a few days of the accident and have no long-lasting injuries, then you probably shouldn’t expect to get $1 million. On the other hand, if you’re now permanently disabled and will never be able to return to work, you may be eligible for significantly more than $1 million.

The dedicated team at Omega Law Group can tell you how much your case may be worth when you schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Bakersfield?

The personal injury lawyers of Omega Law Group work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we charge you zero upfront costs. Rather than charging hourly rates, the attorney only gets paid a percentage of your win if the case is successfully resolved through a settlement or judgment.

The payment is only due when you receive money through your claim. Until then, you pay nothing at all for legal counsel. This way, you have access to quality legal representation regardless of your financial situation.

Common Types of Car Accident Injuries

While you could suffer nearly any type of injury in a car crash, some of the most common injuries that qualify for large settlements include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Spinal injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Deep soft tissue injuries
• Broken bones
• Amputated limbs
• Disfigurement
• Burn injuries

Common Causes of Auto Accidents

While any number of things can cause car crashes, we see a few common themes crop up repeatedly. Here are a few frequently occurring causes of motor vehicle accidents:

• Distracted drivers: These days, it seems like we’re all addicted to our smartphones, but they aren’t the only things distracting people from focusing on the road. Eating, trying to find a good song, and even disruptive passengers can cause distracted driving and catastrophic accidents.
• Reckless drivers: Reckless driving, whether caused by road rage, speeding, or refusing to let somebody merge, can cause a number of accidents.
• Drunk drivers: Unfortunately, it’s still all too common for people to get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking or doing drugs, and innocent people often end up paying the price for these terrible decisions.
• Hazardous conditions: Sometimes Mother Nature is the biggest culprit, with high winds, torrential rain, landslides, or even earthquakes contributing to car crashes.

Hazardous conditions don’t let other drivers off the hook, however. If the accident had been caused by a driver following too closely for the conditions, they would still be at least partially at fault, even if it was hydroplaning on a slick highway that led to their car hitting yours.

What Should You Do After Getting in a Car Accident?

The steps you take immediately after getting in a car crash can significantly affect how much compensation you are eligible to receive and how easy or difficult it is to get that money.

For the best chances of getting maximum compensation, do these things in the order that makes the most sense at the time. For instance, if you suffered serious injuries in the wreck, don’t worry about taking photos of the accident scene.

Contact the Police

Call 911 and have the police and paramedics come to the scene of the accident. You might have injuries you can’t feel yet. If the other driver caused the crash, their insurance company should pay for your medical bills, so it’s a good idea to let the paramedics look you over.

If you suffer catastrophic injuries and need medical care before you can provide a statement to the police, contact them to not only tell your side of what happened but also to get a copy of the official police report.

Collect Evidence

Assuming you aren’t too badly injured, get the other driver’s insurance card and contact information, and take pictures or videos of the crash site and the damaged vehicles.

Our Bakersfield car accident lawyers can work on gathering evidence later. However, nothing beats pictures or videos taken immediately after the crash while the vehicles are still in or near their original positions.

Get Medical Care

Even if you don’t feel pain after a car crash, seek medical care. We encourage this for a couple of reasons:

• The adrenaline flowing through your system can mask the pain caused by hidden injuries like whiplash, internal bleeding, and organ damage.
• Going to the doctor provides crucial evidence that you were, indeed, injured and that the crash caused your injuries.
• Early treatment can prevent minor injuries from turning into serious, long-term health problems.

Call Your Insurance Company

Even if the other driver was at fault, you should inform your insurance company of the accident. Keep the conversation brief and factual. Remember that anything you say can and will be used against you. After you hire us, we will take over all communications with the insurance company.

Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm to Pursue a Fair Settlement

The at-fault driver’s insurance company won’t just automatically write you a huge check to cover all your medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress. To get maximum compensation, you need our lawyers on your side to force the insurance company to pay you a fair settlement.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Bakersfield for a Free Consultation

If you are still searching for “a Bakersfield car accident lawyer near me,” look no further. At Omega Law Group, we make the claims process as easy and stress–free for you as possible.

Our experienced Bakersfield car accident lawyers will keep you regularly updated on the status of your claim and answer any questions promptly.

With the strength and knowledge of an experienced car accident attorney behind you, you can hand your worries to us and focus on healing.

Schedule a free consultation; we will fight for the maximum settlement you deserve. Let our law family take care of you and your family.