Founded on the renowned hospitality of Col. Thomas Baker when he opened his property to tired and weary travelers in the 1860s, Bakersfield, CA, stayed true to its roots. Over the last hundred and fifty plus years as the seat of Kern County, Bakersfield has grown into California’s most bountiful producer of agriculture, a major contributor in oil and gas, a top producer of California wines, the 9th largest city in California, and 53rd largest city in the United States.

Stationed in the San Joaquin Valley, north of the Los Angeles basin, and at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Bakersfield is a gorgeous, mid-sized city of nearly 400,000 people ready to welcome and impress with its breathtaking views and thriving arts and adventure culture. Here the spirit of Col. Baker lives on. Bakersfield still serves as a refuge for many seeking a break from fast-paced city life while still enjoying the Southern California climate and remaining close to many of the best amenities California has to offer. Whatever your passion, be it music, art, nature, or anything in between, there are countless venues, galleries, and preserves, including the Sequoia National Forest, that are sure to fill your soul.

Are you suffering from injuries you received in an accident that was not your fault? If you are, you are likely struggling with a whirlwind of physical, emotional, and mental pain and stress. You are likely trying to figure out what to do next. There are many choices to make, but it is important to know that you are within your rights to file a personal injury claim against the parties who caused your accident.

Bakersfield personal injury claims include car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, workplace accidents, nursing home abuse, and dog bites. There is a chance your suffering qualifies for financial compensation. You could recover money lost from missed work or work you will miss from your injuries, medical bills, property damage, emotional trauma, or any other physical, emotional, or mental suffering you have had to live through.

We understand how hard these decisions are, and we encourage you to weigh all of your options. If you choose to take on an insurance company without the guidance of a Bakersfield personal injury lawyer, you run the risk of being lowballed and missing out on the compensation you and your family need to get back to a life that is as close to normal as possible. The lawyers at OnderLaw are here for you. Our team has been in practice for nearly 20 years in Bakersfield and across the country, and we are skilled in making sure that you and the insurance company are on even ground. We have secured over $3.5 billion and counting for our clients, and this is only the beginning.

Don’t waste another moment. Call today or visit our contact page to get your no-cost consultation and learn how we can try to right the wrongs you and your family are suffering.

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help if You’ve Been Injured in Bakersfield

During your recovery from the accident, an insurance representative will probably contact you or your family with a settlement offer that may seem like a large amount of money. However, insurance companies are businesses. Their priority will always be to save as much money as possible. Your well-being is not their concern. That means whatever amount they offer, it is probably going to be well below what you need. Additionally, if they begin to ask questions, they will be taking notes about your case to use against you. In order to secure the appropriate amount of financial compensation while also protecting yourself and your family from any further harm, we strongly recommend calling a skilled Bakersfield personal injury lawyer.

Having a skilled, experienced Bakersfield personal injury lawyer in your corner will make this a fairer fight. They will take over the challenges of gathering statements, evidence, and paperwork so that your case is as strong as possible and you can focus on healing. Most of the time, a fair settlement can be reached. However, if an insurance company refuses to pay or honor your suffering, that is where your lawyer can stand up for you and make sure you get what you and your family deserve. We can file a lawsuit seeking appropriate damages and take them to court.

Talking to a lawyer often feels intimidating and expensive under normal circumstances, and it’s only made worse in a time of crisis. At OnderLaw, we are keenly aware of the stresses you’re under and how difficult it is to trust a lawyer with your livelihood. You want to be assured that your lawyer is just as motivated for the best possible outcome as you are. That is why we do not charge you a dime unless we all win.

Don’t hand the fate of your future to some lawyer who could not care less about you or your case. Trust the Bakersfield personal injury lawyers at OnderLaw to handle your case with the care, compassion, experience, and tenacity you deserve.

Common Injury Claims in Bakersfield

At OnderLaw, we have spent over twenty years helping personal injury accident victims get compensation for their catastrophes. Those cases include:

Motor Vehicle Collisions

A vehicle crash can happen to anyone. You hope one won’t happen to you. But if it does, you should know that we handle these types of cases.

Premises Liability Accidents

When you’re visiting another property, whether you’re at a friend’s place for a social call or at a business to shop or perform some work task, the property owner is supposed to keep his premises safe for visitors. But accidents happen. Premises liability cases we handle include:

Worker’s Compensation Accidents

For on-the-job injuries, most people think of workers’ compensation benefits. If your employer has workers’ comp coverage, you could be eligible to recover medical expenses and some compensation for work missed because of your injuries. Types of workers’ compensation accidents we can help with include:

  • Toxic material/fume exposure
  • Heavy machinery accidents
  • Car accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Commercial vehicle accidents
  • Flying object accidents
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Falling debris accidents
  • Jobsite altercation/physical violence

Nursing Home Abuse Accidents

No one wants to imagine that a loved one they helped re-home to a residential nursing facility could be the victim of abuse, but it happens. There may be compensation available if your loved one suffered any of these types of abuse:

  • Financial exploitation
  • Incorrectly diagnosed illnesses
  • Delayed diagnosis of illnesses
  • Delayed diagnosis of injuries
  • Incorrect diagnosis of injuries
  • Abandonment/neglect
  • Dehydration
  • Psychological/emotional abuse
  • Malnutrition
  • Physical abuse
  • Slip and fall
  • Sexual abuse

Common Injuries Suffered in Accidents in Bakersfield

Personal injury accident severity ranges from minor cuts and scrapes to debilitating injury and even death. OnderLaw is ready to help you hold the people responsible for these injuries accountable.

Compensation may be available for these types of injuries.

Motor vehicle accident injuries:

Being injured in a car crash is no picnic. Even when you don’t feel immediately injured, a condition may show itself a few days later. Common injuries in these accidents include:

  • Cuts and scrapes
  • Sprains
  • Strains
  • Soft-tissue injuries
  • Head injuries
  • Brain injuries
  • Concussions
  • Whiplash
  • Neck injuries
  • Fractured bones
  • Burn injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis injuries

Premises liability accident injuries:

Being injured on someone else’s property seems improbable, but it happens all the time. Possible injuries include:

  • Head injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Brain injuries
  • Dislocated joints
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Sprains
  • Loss of limb
  • Drowning injuries
  • Burns
  • Dog bite injuries
  • Lacerations
  • Broken bones

Worker’s compensation accident injuries:

Not all workplaces seem dangerous, but even in a seemingly safe office environment, serious injuries can occur. Some of the more common industrial injuries include:

  • Repetitive motion injuries
  • Sprains/strains
  • Soft-tissue injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Brain injuries
  • Concussions
  • Dismemberment/amputation
  • Electric shock or electrocution
  • Toxic exposures
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis
  • Burn injuries

Nursing home abuse injuries

 Your loved one could be the victim of any of these conditions if they are prey to an abuser at their facility:

  • Slip and fall
  • Choke injuries
  • Head injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Prescription medication overdose injuries
  • Severe bruising
  • Ignored infections/diseases
  • Bedsores
  • Sexual abuse injuries
  • Emotional/psychological abuse injuries
  • Fractured bones

What Compensation Am I Owed?

You might be owed compensation for what are known as damages, or losses, you suffered in an accident that was caused by another party. Damages are broken down into three main categories: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.

Economic damages are damages related to money lost or paid as a result of the accident. They commonly include:

  • Medical costs- these are expenses related to your medical care. “Medical costs” include any medical bills, insurance co-pays, prescription drug costs, and any other financial requirement associated with your medical treatment and recovery. The best way to show proof of these costs is to use your medical records to document all the services that were performed for you. Then you can get billing copies for every medical appointment related to your care. Be sure to keep all receipts from your prescriptions and co-pays, too. Then you can show the exact cost of your medical care.
  • Lost current or future wages- this is for any work that you have missed due to your injury or medical appointment and/or any work you will no longer be able to do because of serious injury or disability. The best way to show proof of lost earnings now or in the future is to keep copies of all check stubs, punch cards, scheduled appointments, and disability paperwork to clearly show how much missing work has cost you now and what it may cost in the future.
  • Property damage- this is for any personal property items that were damaged or destroyed in the accident. This includes damage to your vehicle and belongings. The most effective way to prove the value of the damage is to take the item to a repair shop for an estimate if possible. If the item is unable to be repaired, you will need to provide either a receipt for the damaged item or be able to show how much it will cost to replace it. Keeping copies of the estimate, receipt, and/or proof of replacement cost will work strongly in your favor to recoup property damages.

Non-economic damages are for suffering you endured that is not directly related to monetary expenses. These damages can be for:

  • Physical suffering- the pain you suffered from injuries caused by the accident.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life- no longer being able to enjoy life the same way you did or no longer being able to take part in once-enjoyed activities due to your injuries.
  • Emotional pain- any emotional trauma you have suffered post-accident, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Mental strain- the overall stress of functioning every day with a serious injury and fear and worry about your physical, emotional, and financial future.

Non-economic damages are less tangible than economic damages, but they are just as serious and worthy of compensation. The best way to show how they have affected you is to keep track of your thoughts and feelings in a daily journal or notebook. First and foremost, expressing your thoughts and feelings is a simple, therapeutic way to share what you’re dealing with, and it will also act as proof of how the accident has affected your physical, mental, and emotional states.

Punitive damages- these are less common, but they are, in essence, fines levied against the person responsible for the accident that are designed to punish and curb severely reckless, negligent, or malicious behavior. A jury will be involved in determining these damages, and they will decide whether or not the evidence shows the at-fault party’s actions were extreme enough to merit punishment.

California Accident Statistics

 California has its share of accidents. Here are our state’s accidents by the numbers:

In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control determined that 15,116 people were killed in accidents.

A 2018 California Office of Traffic Safety reported the following death statistics for traffic accidents:

  • 1,069 motorists killed by drunk drivers
  • 155 bicyclists were fatally injured
  • 488 people died in motorcycle accidents
  • 42 percent of traffic fatalities resulted from a drugged driver
  • 893 pedestrians died

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control also found that seniors 65 and above died from falling accidents at a rate of 40 per 100,000 people.

The State of California Department of Industrial Relations reported 451 workers were killed on the job in 2019.

In a 2019 report, the California DIR found 483 workers were injured at their workplace

According to Dogsbite.org:

  • Dogs bite 4.5 million Americans every year in the U.S.
  • Approximately 27,000 dog bite victims require reconstructive surgery after being bitten by a dog

A 2017 report by The San Luis Obispo Tribune showed that California led the country in dog bites for that year with 488

Statute of Limitations on Injury Claims in Bakersfield

The time limits for filing a lawsuit in the state of California are set forth in the statute of limitations. The statute dictates the amount of time you have to file after the day of the accident. There are three timelines to be mindful of:

  • Nearly all people injured in accidents have two years from the date the accident occurred to file a claim.
  • Medical malpractice accidents are limited to a one-year limit from the day of the accident.
  • Government agency accidents are limited to a filing period of six months from the date of the accident.

Resources for Bakersfield Accident Victims:

When you have been involved in an accident, you need to know where to go and who to call. Local medical and law enforcement contacts for your post-accident care include:

Hospitals

Mercy Hospital Bakersfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mercy Hospital Downtown – Bakersfield

Address: 2215 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301

Phone: (661) 843-5183

Adventist Health Bakersfield

 

 

 

 

 

Adventist Health – Bakersfield

Address: 2615 Chester Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301

Phone: (661) 395-3000

Bakersfield

 

 

 

 

 

Mercy Hospital Southwest – Bakersfield

Address: 400 Old River Rd., Bakersfield, CA 93311

Phone: (661) 663-6000

Kern Medical Center Bakersfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kern Medical

Address: 1700 Mount Vernon Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93306

Phone: (661) 326-2000

 

Law Enforcement

Bakersfield Police Department

 

 

 

 

 

Bakersfield Police Department

Address: (Headquarters) 1601 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301-5109

Phone: 661-327-7111

 

Sheriff’s Office

Address: 1350 Norris Rd, Bakersfield, CA 93308

Phone: (661) 861-3110

 

DMV / Accident Reporting

https://buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com/ (to find your crash report)

Why Choose OnderLaw?

We know that there are countless Bakersfield personal injury lawyers to choose from, but they will not match the level of care, services, and quality that the lawyers at OnderLaw provide. From the very beginning, we make every effort to ensure the lines of communication are open and that we are available. We believe that trust is a product of time and consistency, and we show up every time.

As our relationship grows, we begin to gather as many details as possible about you and your accident. Getting to know your story and your experience allows us to connect with you and deeply empathize with your pain. That connection is the cornerstone of everything that we do. We are nothing without the relationships we build with our clients, and they are what give us the extra edge we need to fight for you as if you were a member of our own family.

In our nearly two decades of serving clients, that commitment to putting people first has led to some large settlements for our clients: more than $3.5 billion in total. Our track record is clear, and our lawyers care.

High-Quality Legal Representation in Bakersfield

If you or someone you love are suffering from injuries caused by an accident that was not your fault, there is no way to measure how much you are hurting or how much you have lost. The Bakersfield personal injury lawyers at OnderLaw are here to lend a helping hand so that you can regain as much of your life as possible. We want to hear your story, and we want to do everything we can to make sure we help you get the compensation and justice you deserve.

However, the longer you wait to pick up the phone, the harder it will be to get everything that you need. Don’t let anything else get in the way of your recovery. Call us now at or scroll over to our contact page and fill out our online form to learn how we can get you and your family back on track to better days.