Kern County Personal Injury Attorney

Kern County Personal Injury Lawyer

Cities in Kern County, California, like Bakersfield, are no strangers to personal injuries from accidents, including car crashes. According to the 2024 Court Statistics Report, from 2022 to 2023, Kern County saw 508 cases involving personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death. Unfortunately, a single injury from any type of accident can cause heavy medical bills, lost income from missed work, and emotional distress from all these. We know this can be overwhelming.

This is why, when dealing with the aftermath of an accident, your best bet is to hire our personal injury lawyer in Kern County. We will manage your claim so you receive the compensation you deserve to recover from the losses while you focus on your recovery.

When you partner with The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, you align with a law firm deeply rooted in California’s legal landscape. Recognized for our expertise, we are committed to securing compensation for any accident or personal injury. Whether you’re facing injuries from car accidents, slips and falls, or other truck crashes, we can leverage our experience, knowledge, and resources to handle and win your case. Call 562-573-8875 or fill out our contact form to take the first step toward resolving your case.

Why Should I Hire a Personal Injury Attorney from The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker?

Several personal injury law firms can say they will do their best to win your case. However, what defines a successful outcome? While compensation can benefit you, claiming a minimum settlement may not really be a successful case.

At The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, we have competent Kern County and Bakersfield personal injury attorneys with extensive experience winning personal injury cases. We aim for settlements greater than the initial insurance offer. Working with our legal experts also gives you peace of mind during this challenging time, knowing your case is in good hands while you recover from your injuries.

Here’s why hiring a lawyer from our personal injury law firm is a smart choice:

Dedicated Legal Teams: A skilled team of attorneys and case managers manages each case, ensuring every detail is meticulously handled.
Client-Centered Service: Your needs come first with customized strategies, open communication, and compassionate support.
No Win, No Fee: You only pay if we win your case, removing financial risks.
Proven Track Record: We have a strong history of success with 50+ years of experience and $2 billion recovered.
Convenience: Offices across California and Arizona, plus virtual support, make help easily accessible.
Free Consultations: Start with no obligation and clear guidance to evaluate your case.

We are committed to maximizing your compensation while making the process as smooth as possible.

When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

If you’ve been hurt in an accident, your health should be your first concern—getting medical care right away can prevent complications and set you on the path to recovery. Once you’ve seen a doctor, contacting a personal injury attorney can help lighten your burden.

Dealing with injuries is hard enough without trying to gather evidence, handle paperwork, or take on insurance companies determined to pay as little as possible. Let our Bakersfield personal injury lawyers fight for your total compensation while you focus on healing.

To give you an idea, here are the common scenarios that may require you to have a legal expert by your side:

You Sustained Injuries and Significant Damages.

Even minor accidents can result in severe or hidden injuries. The adrenaline from the incident may mask pain, or internal damage might surface days later. Settling quickly without fully understanding your injuries could cost you your right to further compensation. Remember to release the at-fault party from future claims once you accept a settlement.

A personal injury lawyer can connect you with medical professionals to assess your injuries, calculate all damages—including future costs—and negotiate with insurers to ensure you receive fair compensation.

The Other Party Disputes Liability.

Insurance companies often aim to minimize payouts. Without solid evidence, they may claim you share fault, downplay your injuries, or challenge inconsistencies in your statements. Even slight gaps in medical records can give them grounds to deny your claim.

An experienced lawyer can help you gather and present clear, compelling evidence to counter these tactics, leveling the playing field and ensuring you aren’t unfairly denied what you’re owed.

You Have Complex Legal Issues.

Accidents involving multiple parties can make determining fault and pursuing claims incredibly challenging. Filing against several liable parties, managing evidence, and going through legal complexities can overwhelm anyone, especially while recovering from injuries.

A personal injury attorney understands these challenges and can handle the case while protecting your rights. They’ll manage the legal process so you can focus on healing.

You Need to Go to Court.

Most cases settle out of court, but litigation may be necessary if the other party denies liability or offers an unfair settlement. For example, if a grocery store denies responsibility for injuries caused by their poorly lit parking lot, taking the case to trial may be the only option.

Your lawyer will prepare and present a strong case, advocate for you in court, and fight for justice. You’ll have the final say on whether to proceed, but with professional guidance, you can feel confident in your decisions.

Not all accidents require legal representation, but serious injuries or disputes over fault can make an attorney beneficial. They can protect your rights, maximize your compensation, and handle the complex legal work while you focus on what matters most—your recovery. If you are ready to start your case and hold the liable party accountable for their actions, call 562-573-8875 or complete the contact form for trusted legal guidance.

What Defines the BEST Personal Injury Attorney?

You can spend days and weeks researching attorneys from a local list of personal injury lawyers in Kern County; these directories are massive, and most lack the detailed information you need to make a good decision on your shortlist.

When you find a personal injury law firm like The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker serving the communities of Kern County, CA, call and let the person know your legal problem and the type of personal injury attorney you hope to work with. Here are some of the top attributes clients look for in the best personal injury lawyers:

Lawyer’s fees

Some lawyers charge for their time in blocks of minutes or use a token system represented by time increments. This method can cost you a large sum of money.

Instead, look for the best Kern County or Bakersfield personal injury lawyers who only adjust their fees if the case goes to litigation. Furthermore, they should only collect their payment if you win your case.

Communication

Some lawyers only communicate through email; others have set up phone or in-person meetings at specified times with strict limits. The best personal injury lawyers in Bakersfield, CA, will be more readily available to communicate with you based on your needs and reasonable expectations. A top-tier law firm has a designated legal expert with whom you can connect if you have questions about your case.

Aside from an acceptable level of communication frequency, look for attorneys you feel comfortable speaking to. Dealing with the aftermath is already challenging. You wouldn’t want to add unnecessary stress, especially when communicating with your lawyer.

Reputation

The best personal injury lawyers in Kern County have offered verified, transparent client testimonials and a history of settlements won for their injured clients. Each attorney on staff will have a biography on their website.

You may want to check the following when choosing your lawyer:

What do they stand for?
Who do they help?
What philanthropic gestures have they made?
How have they helped their local community?
What kind of reputation does the firm have in their industry and at the Bakersfield courthouse?
Do they advertise, and is their name instantly recognized due to their years of service and successful growth?
How many personal injury claims have they won?

Note that hiring a personal injury attorney means trusting them to claim the justice you deserve. This is why it is essential to gauge how well your lawyer works, communicates, and deals with minor to complex cases.

How Do I Find a Good Personal Injury Lawyer?

When you or a loved one has been injured due to careless choices made by another person, you may feel many sensations: anger, fear, sadness, helplessness, and physical and emotional pain will undoubtedly be at the forefront of these feelings.

Dedicated Team Members: A good personal injury lawyer will have ample experience in all types of injuries and causes, with an entire staff of specialized experts, each focusing on specific components of your case.
Compassionate and Takes Action: A qualified personal injury attorney will also be empathetic and take genuine care in handling your case as if you were family. Ultimately, you and your attorney are in the case together, so having a lawyer who relates to you and your case personally is critical to your ability to get the highest settlement.
Experience and Expertise: Finally, the best personal injury lawyer in Bakersfield and Kern County will also be one of many attorneys from a large firm with decades of experience. Negotiating with insurance companies, combating insurance writers, and finding expert witnesses require years of experience and connections that took decades of professional experience to form.

When interviewing your shortlist of attorneys, you can identify the best personal injury lawyer Kern County has on the map by ensuring they hit all the above points.

Do I Have to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney for a Minor Accident?

Filing a personal injury claim on your own is an option, particularly in the case of a minor accident. However, hiring personal injury attorneys can be beneficial, especially when you experience delayed-onset injuries or encounter complexities in your situation.

For instance, you suffered delayed-onset head injuries resulting from a slip-and-fall accident. Initially, you perceived it as a minor incident and didn’t take steps to gather evidence at the accident scene. Unfortunately, you already accepted an initial settlement offer before your injuries appeared. In this case, you won’t be entitled to any other compensation besides the first offer.

Personal injury lawyers can thoroughly investigate your accident and collaborate with investigators to accumulate the necessary evidence when constructing your claim. Additionally, they can connect you with medical professionals who can appropriately diagnose and care for your injuries.

What to Do in an Accident in Kern County

In any accident, your health comes first. It is advised to follow the steps below to guarantee your safety in an accident and successfully negotiate the legal system when pursuing a personal injury claim:

Stay calm.
Move to a safe location, if possible.
Dial 911 or contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Department to request their assistance at the accident location.
Assess whether you have incurred physical injuries during the car collision.
Request medical assistance and reach out to the nearest hospital in Kern County.
If possible, gather evidence at the accident site, including contact details of the responsible party, photographs of the damage, and statements from witnesses.
Collaborate with law enforcement.
Reach out to our Kern County and Bakersfield personal injury attorneys, who can assist in constructing your personal injury case.

What Is Personal Injury?

A personal injury claim is a legal action if you are hurt in an accident caused by someone else’s wrongful actions or behavior. The primary purpose of personal injury cases is to recover compensation to pay the costs of the accident’s damages or financial losses. This means you can recover monetary compensation for the medical bills you sustained, the lost income from your missed work, and other related costs from the incident.

However, you can’t simply file a claim and receive a settlement afterward. When pursuing a case, you’ll go through a legal process where you must prove that another person’s wrongful actions directly caused the injuries or damages you sustained from the accident.

Unfortunately, this process can be overwhelming, especially if you need to recover from your injuries. Here is where our experienced personal injury lawyers step in. We will collect evidence to prove your case and manage it efficiently, helping you focus on healing.

When Can I File a Personal Injury Claim for an Accident?

You can file a personal injury claim IF you sustain injuries or other damages from an accident caused by another individual’s wrongful actions.

Let’s take a slip-and-fall accident as an example. An older woman slipped into a supermarket. With their age, the impact of the fall was so severe that they needed hip surgeries. During the investigation, it was discovered that the injury victim fell due to spilled milk on the floor, which the employees were aware of but did not clean urgently.

In this case, the employee and supermarket can be liable for the damages since their action or inaction caused the fall.

Generally, you’ll know you have a personal injury case if you answer yes to these questions:

Did another individual act unreasonably or negligently?
Did the accident result from their negligent behavior?
Did you sustain injuries or other damages from the accident?
Do you have evidence of the other party’s negligent behavior resulting in the accident?

Defining Negligence and Liability in Personal Injury Cases

Negligence happens when someone fails to exercise the care that a responsible person would in a similar situation. Liability, on the other hand, is the legal obligation for the resulting harm.

For example, distracted driving is a negligent act because a reasonable person wouldn’t drive while distracted, as they know this could become a risk to themselves and others.

Furthermore, if this distracted driving violation results in an accident and injuries, the driver is liable for damages.

As a victim, you can file a personal injury claim. However, you must prove another individual’s negligence in an accident to hold them liable for the damages. How can you do this?

Typically, negligence is justified through the following:

The at-fault party was responsible for ensuring everyone’s safety, including yours.
They failed to fulfill this duty.
Their negligent behavior caused the accident.
You sustained injuries or other damages as a result.

Note that solid evidence, like a police report and witness statement, can demonstrate these elements of negligence. Without it, your personal injury claim may be dismissed by the court. This is why having sufficient proof is crucial to support your case.

However, gathering evidence can be difficult, especially when recovering from injuries. By hiring our Kern County and Bakersfield personal injury lawyers, they will use their resources and connections to collect evidence and prove liability. As a result, you can take the burden off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on healing while they manage your case. Call us today to protect your rights.

What Damages Can I Collect in an Accident?

Damages are the result of an accident. This can be injuries, vehicle damage, lost wages, and others. In a personal injury claim, you must prove that your damages directly result from the accident caused by another person. If you can successfully prove this, these damages will be the basis of your compensation value.

Typically, an accident can result in one or more of the following types of damages:

Economic Damages

Economic losses, or special damages, are quantifiable monetary damages that may be calculated using receipts and other records like invoices. For instance, this might include medical expenses and lost wages documented by your employer.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic losses are damages that can’t be quantified in terms of financial value. Emotional trauma and the inability to enjoy life as you did before the accident are examples of non-economic damages.

Punitive damages

Punitive damages are additional expenses that a court may impose if they find that the at-fault party’s actions were exceptionally egregious or deliberate.

Economic Damages (financial losses)	Non-Economic Damages (non-monetary losses)
Medical bills Other health-related expenses, such as medical equipment or aid Vehicle repair or replacement costs Lost wages Future loss of income	Pain and suffering Emotional distress Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Loss of life enjoyment Loss of companionship or love

In most cases, calculating economic damages in a settlement is simple, as you can demonstrate these through receipts and other documentation. However, calculating non-economic losses may be more complex. How can you quantify pain and suffering, for instance?

Our Bakersfield personal injury lawyers know how to calculate these intangible losses accurately, enhancing your potential monetary compensation. They can also evaluate the particulars of your personal injury case to see whether you are eligible for punitive damages. To maximize your compensation, connect with our legal experts today.

Does Filing a Personal Injury Case Have a Deadline?

You should contact a personal injury lawyer and file a case as soon as possible, primarily if you sustained injuries from the accident. This is because personal injury cases have deadlines in California.

According to California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §335.1, you can only pursue a claim within two years after the incident. If you fail to do so, your case will likely be dismissed.

However, specific situations can impact the deadline for initiating a claim:

If the car accident results in property damage, the statute of limitations extends to three years.
If the victim passes away days after the accident, the statute of limitations starts from the deceased person’s death date.
When filing a personal injury claim against a local government entity, you have six months to file a claim.
If the car accident victim is a minor, the statute of limitations starts when they reach the legal age of 18.
The statute of limitations might be paused or extended if the responsible party is out of state, incarcerated, or mentally incapacitated.
The statute of limitations can be extended if the involved parties are mentally incapacitated.
If the person responsible for the accident declares bankruptcy, the personal injury case will automatically be postponed until the proceedings conclude.

When pursuing a personal injury claim, it’s crucial to understand the time limits, or statute of limitations, for filing your case. We highly recommend avoiding trial-and-error approaches, which can waste valuable time and lead to incomplete legal work.

To ensure your claim is managed correctly and you meet all necessary deadlines, seeking the guidance of our Bakersfield personal injury attorney is essential. They are skilled in handling the legal requirements to meet the deadline, helping you take the right actions to defend your claim and recover the compensation that you deserve.

How Long Does an Accident Claim Take?

How long it takes to settle a Kern County or Bakersfield accident claim depends on several factors. It may be resolved for weeks or even months. Generally, the length of your claim depends on the necessary evidence available, the severity and impact of the damages, and your capacity to establish liability.

For example, a catastrophic car accident resulting in permanent brain injuries can take longer to resolve than a minor slip-and-fall incident that causes bruises and sprains.

Do I Need to Prepare for Trial?

Most personal injury claims are resolved through out-of-court settlements with the insurance company, avoiding courtroom proceedings. However, specific circumstances may require you to take your case to trial, such as when the insurance provider dismisses your claim.

Initiating a personal injury lawsuit is a resource-intensive and time-consuming process for both parties. Nevertheless, it presents the potential for more significant awards in court if your case is successful.

The ultimate decision regarding whether to proceed to trial or reach a settlement lies entirely with you. While we will guide you through the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a trial in your specific case, we will never impose a decision on you. The authority to choose between going to trial or settling always remains in your hands.

If you choose to proceed with a trial, you must have an experienced Kern County and Bakersfield personal injury attorney with impressive court skills. Remember that not all lawyers can win a case, especially in a trial. So, hiring one wiexceptionalessive background and experience in winning litigation is best.

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Bakersfield?

The majority of personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will only be responsible for their fees if they effectively win your case. Otherwise, you will not pay any expenses.

Accident attorneys typically charge a fee of 33% or more of the monetary compensation awarded. However, the precise percentage set by personal injury attorneys can differ and is influenced by various factors, such as:

The intricacy of your case.
The amount of time and effort required to attain a favorable outcome.
The potential impact on their ability to pursue other personal injury claims.
The customary fee for comparable legal services.
Any additional charges associated with the representation.
The outcomes achieved in analogous cases.
Constraints and deadlines that are specific to your lawsuit.
The character and duration of the attorney-client relationship.
The attorney’s experience, standing, and proficiency in delivering legal services.

With our Kern County and Bakersfield personal injury lawyers, you won’t haconsider about any costs during your legal process. Additionally, you will only pay IF we win your case, reducing financial risks when hiring us.

Is It a Good Idea to Consult Multiple Attorneys Before Making a Decision?

It’s a good idea to consult with multiple personal injury lawyers bdecidingcision. This allows you to compare their qualifications, communication style, fees, and level of expertise in handling your specific case.

If you worry about financial risk, most personal injury law firms offer free consultations to accident victims. By maximizing this opportunity, you can better gauge which lawyers fit you without worrying about the costs.

With our law firm’s free consultation, you can talk to a legal expert, understand your legal rights, and determine the best options with NO FINANCIAL OBLIGATION.

What Should I Expect During an Initial Free Consultation With The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker?

We start with a free phone consultation when you contact our law firm. During the call, we collect basic case information and explain the process. We will then discuss your legal options, potential case outcomes, and the next steps if you decide to proceed with our firm.

If you choose to hire us, we’ll guide you through signing the retainer agreement with no upfront costs. Our services are based on a contingency fee, meaning you only pay if we win your case—no payment is required if your claim is unsuccessful.

Whether you’re filing your first personal injury claim or have been through this before, you don’t have to face it alone. We’ve supported thousands of individuals just like you, helping them recover the justice and compensation they deserve. Our personal injury lawyers in Kern County are here to stand by your side every step of the way, starting with a no-cost consultation.

If you’ve been hurt, don’t wait—let us fight for the justice you deserve. Call us now at 562-573-8875 or fill out our contact form. We’re here 24/7 to support you.