Taking a walk or jog around Bakersfield, California should not put your life at risk. Unfortunately, due to reckless and careless drivers, pedestrians in Bakersfield can suffer serious and life-threatening injuries in traffic accidents.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident, help is available at Jacoby & Meyers. Our Bakersfield pedestrian accident attorneys can protect your rights in the pursuit of justice and fair financial compensation for your crash.
We’ve represented injured accident victims in California since 1972, with a 99 percent client success rate and recovered over $2B for our clients. Our law firm is dedicated and staffed with the best Bakersfield personal injury lawyers with proven success when it comes to the most serious injury cases.
Contact us today for a free consultation at (661) 402-8934 or fill out our online form. Available 24/7 to discuss your pedestrian accident case. We’ll fight for the compensation you deserve.
Pedestrian Accidents in Bakersfield
Pedestrian accidents affect thousands of people each year. The California Office of Traffic Safety reported 136 pedestrians injured and killed in traffic accidents in Bakersfield alone in 2022. Ten pedestrians were under the age of 15 and ten were over the age of 65. In Kern County as a whole, 291 harmful pedestrian accidents were reported in 2022.
Common locations for pedestrian-vehicle collisions in Bakersfield include intersections, such as Ming Avenue and New Stine Road, Gosford Road and Ming Avenue, and Real Road and Wilson Road. Residential streets and pedestrian-heavy areas, such as downtown Bakersfield, also have a high risk of pedestrian accidents.
Types of Pedestrian Accidents and Common Causes
Pedestrians can get hit by cars in Bakersfield for various reasons that are often traced back to human error. Negligence, or the failure to act with reasonable care, can contribute to serious and deadly pedestrian accidents. In these cases, the negligent party can typically be held accountable through the insurance claims process.
The top causes of pedestrian collisions in Bakersfield include:
- Driver distraction or inattention
- Speeding, especially in residential areas
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Red-light or stop-sign running
- Ignoring pedestrian traffic signals
- Making an unsafe turn
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Illegally passing a school bus
Common types of pedestrian accidents include intersection collisions, crosswalk accidents, failure-to-yield accidents, parking lot accidents, back-over accidents, and hit-and-runs. It is important to understand your rights as a victim of any type of pedestrian accident in Bakersfield, as you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Your Rights as an Injured Pedestrian
Motor vehicle drivers have a legal obligation to respect the rights of pedestrians. This responsibility includes following all traffic signs and signals, coming to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs, and yielding to pedestrians who are crossing the road. Violating the duty of care can make a driver liable, or legally responsible, for a pedestrian injury or death.
Drivers must obey California’s pedestrian right-of-way laws under Vehicle Code § 21950. This law states that drivers must yield to pedestrians who are crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. However, no pedestrian may suddenly leave a place of safety, such as the curb, to enter the path of a vehicle that is too close to reasonably brake.
If you are injured by a driver who is found to be at fault for the crash in Bakersfield, you may be eligible for financial compensation from the driver’s car insurance policy. All motor vehicle drivers must maintain minimum amounts of liability insurance to pay for accidents that they cause. You may also have the right to hold multiple parties accountable, such as a driver and the government for a road defect, depending on the cause of your crash.
Common Injuries and Compensation
Pedestrians suffer from a significant lack of protection in accidents, making them the most vulnerable road users in California. Because of this, they can sustain serious and life-changing injuries in accidents.
Common injuries are:
- Broken bones
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Bruising and contusions
- Head and brain injuries
- Neck and spine injuries
- Herniated disks
- Permanent paralysis
- Lacerations and road rash
- Facial and dental injuries
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Amputations
- Fatal injuries
- Psychological injuries
The financial compensation available for a serious pedestrian injury in Bakersfield can cover medical costs, therapies and rehabilitation, ongoing health care, lost income and benefits, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and wrongful death damages.
Since pedestrian accidents often inflict severe to catastrophic injuries, related settlements and verdicts should include future care considerations. It is important not to accept a settlement that does not address your future health care needs if you are someone with a long-term or permanent injury from the incident.
How a Bakersfield Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Helps
An experienced attorney with knowledge of pedestrian accident cases in Bakersfield can help you protect your rights as you navigate your claim and seek maximum financial compensation for your injuries and losses. An attorney can assist you with numerous legal services tailored to your unique needs and circumstances.
Legal services can include:
- Addressing your specific needs and concerns
- Investigating the pedestrian accident
- Reviewing police accident reports
- Interviewing eyewitnesses
- Gathering photographs and surveillance footage of the crash
- Hiring expert witnesses
- Preserving and collecting evidence to prove liability
- Handling communications with insurance companies
- Accurately valuating how much your claim is worth
- Negotiating a fair insurance settlement
- Bringing your case to trial, if necessary, for maximum compensation
An attorney will work for you – no one else. You can count on your attorney to work hard to optimize the outcome of your case when the results matter most. From preparing confusing legal documents to fighting for justice before a judge and jury, your attorney can do it all while you focus on healing from your injuries.
Contact a Bakersfield Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
At Jacoby & Meyers, you can request a free consultation, where you can tell your story to an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer and obtain personalized legal advice. If we believe you have grounds for a claim, we may offer to represent you throughout the rest of the legal process.
Our address
2020 Eye St,
Bakersfield, CA 93301
24/7 hotline:
Call us to book an appointment at our local law office. We can travel to you if you are seriously injured. Our law firm offers extremely flexible appointment scheduling, with availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us now for more information.