You may not know where to turn for help or advice that you can trust after being seriously injured in a trucking accident. Our Bakersfield personal injury lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, our Bakersfield truck accident lawyers will do everything we can to help you pick up the pieces and put your life back together.
We are experienced, highly trained and educated in the field of personal injury law in California, and are proud to be one of the industry’s finest advocates for our clients. We believe everyone deserves justice. Discuss your case in detail with our attorneys at no cost and no pressure today.
Why Choose Us?
- Our team of attorneys, medical case managers, assistants and negotiators are committed to helping our clients’ physical and financial recoveries. We will make sure you have everything you need to recover from a truck accident.
- We care about our clients. We will bring more than 50 years of experience to your truck accident case to handle it in the most effective way possible. We’ve earned the trust of tens of thousands of clients with detailed and personal case management.
- Jacoby & Meyers has a 50-year history of dedicated legal advocacy, with more than $2 billion in total recoveries for our clients. This record includes a $17.5 million recovery in a bicycle-versus-truck incident where our legal team documented complex liability and catastrophic injuries to secure the result permitted under California law. Past results do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.
How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer in Bakersfield Help?
Recovering from a truck accident isn’t easy. When you hire an experienced truck accident lawyer in Bakersfield to represent you, you can rest and focus on healing while your lawyer handles the complicated legal aspects of your case for you.
A lawyer can investigate the truck accident to determine fault and gather evidence to support your case. A law firm also has connections to experts who can strengthen your claim, such as crash reconstructionists and medical experts.
A lawyer knows how to negotiate with insurance companies for compensation for your past and future losses. Finally, if your case has to go to trial, you can count on an attorney to represent you in court and fight for justice on your behalf.
Common Causes of Bakersfield Trucking Accidents
Trucking accidents are often preventable. Trucking companies and truck drivers are required to obey federal and state laws to keep their drives as safe as possible. If any of these rules are broken, it increases the odds of a collision.
Top causes of trucking accidents in Bakersfield include:
- Truck driver errors
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Driving under the influence
- Drowsy driving (broken hours-of-service regulations)
- Unsafe lane changes
- Following too closely
- Legal violations
- Poorly trained truck drivers
- Inadequate truck maintenance
- Cargo loading mistakes
- Hit-and-runs
Under California’s fault-based law, it is necessary to determine the cause of a trucking accident before you can proceed with an insurance claim. The person or party found at fault for the crash will be held liable, or financially responsible.
The Differences Between a Truck Accident vs. Car Accident Case
It is important not to treat a commercial truck accident the same as a standard car accident case in Bakersfield. Trucking accidents have many unique legal elements that can get in the way of making a fair financial recovery if you don’t know what to look out for.
Federal Laws
Large trucks are subject to a set of federal laws enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. There are rules involving a truck driver’s hours of service, rest breaks, drug and alcohol consumption, truck driver training, truck maintenance, cargo securement, electronic logging devices, and more. Any violations of these common carrier laws can provide evidence against a trucking company in a truck accident case.
Serious Injuries
The physical forces involved in a commercial truck accident are substantially greater than those in a standard passenger vehicle collision. A fully loaded big rig can weigh up to 80,000 pounds—approximately 20 times the weight of an average car—which significantly increases the kinetic energy transferred during an impact. Because of this disparity, occupants of smaller vehicles are at a statistically higher risk for catastrophic or permanent injuries. Our legal team performs the comprehensive investigation required to document these injuries and identify the recovery permitted under California law before you consider any settlement offer from a motor carrier’s insurance provider.
Unique Evidence
Truck accident claims involve unique types of evidence. An attorney can help you preserve key evidence right away, before a truck company’s rapid response team can interfere. Evidence may include the truck’s black box information, electronic hour logs, employment and accident records, federal compliance history, cell phone records, and truck maintenance records.
Common Injuries in Bakersfield Truck Accidents
Due to the massive size and weight of commercial trucks, accidents frequently result in severe, life-altering injuries.
The force of impact in these collisions can cause catastrophic damage to the human body.
Common injuries sustained in truck accidents include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Multiple bone fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Severe burns
- Crushing injuries
- Amputations
- Neck and back injuries
- Chest injuries
- Fatal injuries
The severity of these injuries often requires immediate emergency treatment, multiple surgeries, extended hospital stays, and long-term rehabilitation.
Understanding the full scope of your injuries is crucial before accepting any settlement offer from insurance companies.
Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident in Bakersfield?
Another difference between a truck accident and a regular car accident case is the question of liability. Rather than only having another driver to hold responsible, you may have a truck driver, delivery truck, trucking company, truck owner/operator, cargo company, maintenance crew and many other parties at fault for your crash.
In most cases, a trucking company can be held liable for accidents involving their trucks or drivers. Trucking companies can be liable for their own mistakes, such as pressuring drivers to exceed their hours-of-service regulations, as well as vicariously liable for the actions of their drivers and employees.
How Much Is the Average Truck Accident Case Worth?
Every personal injury case in California is unique; potential recovery is determined by the specific facts and documented evidence of the incident rather than an ‘average’ value. Under Civil Code § 1431.2, available damages are categorized as economic or non-economic. Economic damages include verifiable losses such as past and future medical bills, lost wages, and property repair costs. Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, are subjective and do not follow a fixed financial formula. Our legal team provides the professional advocacy necessary to document these losses as permitted under California law.
Factors that may influence the potential recovery in your case include injury severity, the costs of medical care, lost wages, and the extent of any documented disability. Under California’s pure comparative negligence standard, your recovery may also be adjusted based on the specific facts regarding liability and the insurance coverage available. An attorney at Jacoby & Meyers can perform a comprehensive case evaluation to identify the recovery permitted under California law based on the evidence of your losses.
Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation in Bakersfield
If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident in Bakersfield, help is available. Jacoby & Meyers will provide you with access to high-quality legal and medical services to assist with your physical, emotional and financial recovery during this difficult time. We will fight for the justice you deserve, guiding you through your truck accident claim to get you back to the life you love.
Schedule a free consultation at our local Bakersfield office for more information. Call us 24/7 at (661) 402-8934 or contact us online and we will call you back as soon as possible.
Jacoby & Meyers Accident & Injury Lawyers – Bakersfield
2020 Eye St,
Bakersfield, CA 93301
24/7 Hotline
(661) 402-8934