Bakersfield Car Accidents

Car crashes may result in catastrophic injuries, including broken bones, lacerations, crushing, amputation, and sometimes even death. Often, they are caused by negligent drivers who run red lights, make unsafe lane changes, fail to yield, drive aggressively, or drive while intoxicated. If you are injured in a crash due to someone else's negligence or misconduct, you may be able to recover compensatory damages. At Sharifi Firm, our Bakersfield car accident attorneys provide knowledgeable and experienced counsel to help our clients seek the full amount of the damages to which they may be entitled. It is important to consult a lawyer before speaking to an at-fault driver's insurer.

You may be able to recover compensation if you can establish the other driver's negligence. This means that you will need to prove that it is more likely than not that the other driver's failure to use due care caused your injuries. All drivers in California owe a duty to other drivers to use reasonable care under the circumstances. They must obey traffic rules, safety laws, and traffic signals. They are supposed to drive defensively rather than aggressively. Unfortunately, there are numerous ways that a failure to use reasonable care may result in an accident. Among these are distracted driving, drunk driving, failing to yield, running a light or stop sign, or driving under the influence of prescription drugs.

California follows the doctrine of pure comparative negligence. This means that the defendant may claim that you were negligent. If this argument is successful, the jury will decide which damages to award, and it will also attribute a percentage of fault to the defendant and to you. Your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if the total damages are $200,000, but you were 40% responsible, you may recover $120,000 from the defendant.

What if a car accident involved multiple negligent parties? For example, what if the negligence of two other drivers caused an accident in which you were hurt? California allows joint and several liability in the case of economic damages, such as wage loss and medical bills. This means that you may recover 100% of these damages from any one party. However, defendants are only severally responsible for noneconomic damages like pain and suffering. This makes it particularly important to bring all of the potentially liable parties into the litigation.

As the county seat of Kern County, Bakersfield has a population of over 350,000 residents. It is considered part of Southern California but is aligned in its interests with the Central Valley region, which produces oil and is more agricultural. The city grew four times in size between 1970 and 2010. At Sharifi Firm, APC, our experienced Bakersfield car accident lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation if you were hurt in a collision. We understand how important it is to take an aggressive approach to recover compensation for our clients. Contact us online or call us at (866) 422-7222 to set up a free consultation with a motor vehicle collision attorney.