Were you hurt as a result of someone else's negligence? Accidents that result in personal injury cases—whether caused by careless drivers, unsafe property conditions, or other wrongful acts—can have serious consequences that affect nearly every aspect of your life.
The days and weeks following an injury of this nature are often filled with emotional uncertainty, medical appointments, and financial strain. While the process may seem like too much to handle, know that you don't have to bear the weight of your situation all by yourself.
Instead, reach out to Vaziri Law Group. Our attorneys have over 200 years of collective experience. Together, we have recovered more than $1 billion in compensation. We're here to represent you as your personal injury lawyer in Kern County.
Understanding California's Negligence Laws
Personal injury claims in Kern County are governed by California's civil tort law system, which uses a comparative negligence standard. Under this rule, more than one party—including the injured person—can share fault for an accident.
Compensation is then reduced based on the percentage of fault assigned to the injured party. This is known as pure comparative fault, and it applies even when the injured party is primarily responsible, as long as another party is also partially to blame.
To succeed with your claim, your personal injury attorneys in Kern County need to prove these four legal elements:
- Duty of care: The defendant had a legal obligation to act reasonably to prevent harm.
- Breach of duty: The defendant failed to meet that obligation.
- Causation: The breach of duty directly caused the plaintiff's injury.
- Damages: The plaintiff suffered actual harm, such as medical expenses or lost income.
These elements form the foundation of all personal injury cases. Your personal injury accident lawyer in Kern County can help you establish these points as you work to pursue compensation and seek justice in your case.
Cases Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Kern County Can Handle
Personal injury laws cover a wide range of accidents. As such, the types of cases that arise often depend on the region's industries, infrastructure, and population. Whether an injury happens in a rural farming community or a busy Bakersfield intersection, victims often face overwhelming medical bills, time off work, and physical and emotional pain.
Here are cases our Kern County personal injury attorneys can help you with as you pursue compensation and fight for justice:
- Kern County car accident lawyer: We handle crashes involving distracted driving, speeding, failure to yield, or unsafe lane changes on highways and local roads throughout the county.
- Kern County truck accident lawyer: We can handle claims involving commercial trucks or semi-trailers, especially when the crash involves multiple parties, serious injuries, or violations of state and federal trucking regulations.
- Kern County slip and fall lawyer: We represent individuals injured due to unsafe conditions on public or private property, including wet floors, uneven surfaces, poor lighting, and unmarked hazards.
- Kern County dog bite lawyer: We take on cases involving unprovoked dog attacks that result in puncture wounds, infection, permanent scarring, or emotional trauma.
- Kern County wrongful death lawyer: We pursue compensation for families who have lost a loved one due to another person's negligence, including claims for funeral expenses, lost income, and emotional suffering.
- Kern County pedestrian accident lawyer: We help people who were hit by vehicles while walking in crosswalks, along sidewalks, or across busy intersections with poor visibility or traffic control.
No two personal injury cases are exactly alike, but all victims deserve the chance to recover physically, emotionally, and financially. By identifying the type of case and understanding how California law applies, injured individuals in Kern County can start building a case for their claim.
If you're dealing with the aftermath of an accident, speaking with a personal injury attorney in Kern County can help you reflect on your options. Many people begin the process by searching for a personal injury lawyer near me in Kern County to find local legal assistance.
Types of Compensation That Might Be Available
In California, personal injury law allows plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. These damages fall into two main groups, including economic and non-economic.
Economic Damages
These include financial losses that are objectively measurable:
- Medical expenses, including past and future
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Property damage, such as vehicle repairs
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to care or mobility
Non-Economic Damages
These are more subjective, and they may vary greatly depending on the individual:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship in wrongful death cases
In rare cases, punitive damages may be awarded when the defendant's behavior was particularly reckless, malicious, or fraudulent. While not common, punitive damages serve to punish and deter egregious conduct.
Time Limits for Filing a Personal Injury Claim
California has a two-year statute of limitations for the majority of personal injury cases. This means that the injured person usually has 24 months from the date of the accident to take legal action.
That said, if your case involves a government entity—such as a city-owned property or public transportation system—a special administrative claim must be filed within six months of the incident.
Ultimately, no matter how much time you have, missing these deadlines can result in you losing your right to pursue compensation altogether. That's why it's so important to contact Kern County personal injury attorneys as soon as possible.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in Kern County Today
If you or someone you care about was injured due to someone else's negligence, you don't have to try to find your way through the aftermath all by yourself. The consequences of a personal injury case can be overwhelming—physically, emotionally, and financially.
However, you can trust the Kern County personal injury lawyers at Vaziri Law Group to stand by your side through every step of the legal process. We can advise you of your rights under California state laws and how to seek compensation as the victim in your case. Don't wait any longer to reach out to us.
As soon as you call, we can start looking into the details of your case and exploring ways to reach a favorable outcome. Contact us as soon as possible. We're here for you.