If another driver crashed into you and injured you or a loved one, the last thing you need is to pick up the pieces alone. The Bakersfield car accident lawyers at Omega Law Group have years of experience advocating for victims in Kern County and beyond, and we have recovered millions of dollars for our clients.
Our team understands the stress of medical bills, lost wages, and getting fair compensation after another party’s negligence has disrupted your life. That’s why we’re here to take the reins and ensure your rights are protected through every step of the claims process.
Reach out today to learn more about how our Bakersfield personal injury lawyers can help. You deserve justice, and we’ll fight to deliver it.
What Should You Do After Getting in a Car Accident?
The steps you take immediately after getting in a car crash can significantly affect how much compensation you are eligible to receive and how easy or difficult it is to get that money.
For the best chances of getting maximum compensation, do these things in the order that makes the most sense at the time. If you suffered serious injuries in the wreck, don’t worry about taking photos of the accident scene, for example.
Contact the Police
Call 911 and have the police and paramedics come to the scene of the accident. You might have injuries you can’t feel yet. If the other driver caused the crash, their insurance company should pay for your medical bills, so it’s a good idea to let the paramedics look you over.
If you suffer catastrophic injuries and need medical care before you can provide a statement to the police, contact them when you can to not only tell your side of what happened but also to get a copy of the official police report.
Collect Evidence
Assuming you aren’t too badly injured, get the other driver’s insurance card and contact information and take pictures or videos of the crash site and the damaged vehicles.
A car accident lawyer can work on gathering evidence later. However, nothing beats pictures or videos taken immediately after the accident while the vehicles are still in or near their original positions.
Get Medical Care
Even if you don’t feel injured after a car accident, you should seek prompt medical care. We encourage this for a couple of reasons:
- The adrenaline flowing through your system can mask the pain caused by hidden injuries like whiplash, internal bleeding, and organ damage
- Going to the doctor provides crucial evidence that you were, indeed, injured and that the crash caused your injuries
Call Your Insurance Company
Even if the other driver was at fault, you should inform your insurance company of the accident.
Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm to Pursue a Fair Settlement
The at-fault driver’s insurance company won’t just automatically write you a huge check to cover all your medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress. To get maximum compensation, you need our lawyers on your side to force the insurance company to pay you a fair settlement.
A Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You Get Maximum Compensation
The claims process can be complex, and there are often challenges that can put your claim and your compensation at risk. Our lawyers can help expedite the process and help you avoid costly mistakes that may jeopardize your claim.
Here are some of the benefits and services an experienced car accident lawyer in Bakersfield can provide.
Advocacy and Protection
Insurance companies have a financial incentive to pay out as little as possible on claims. They will look for any reason to lowball or deny portions of your compensation. An experienced car accident attorney in Bakersfield understands how insurers operate and can level the playing field.
We will aggressively fight to establish the full extent of your injuries, losses, and quality of life impacts. This thorough advocacy is critical for maximizing your financial compensation.
Legal Compliance and Claims Handling
Following a car accident, some strict procedural rules and deadlines must be met when dealing with insurance companies and filing a legal claim. A single missed deadline or improper submission could result in otherwise valid aspects of your case being dismissed due to technicalities.
An experienced attorney will meticulously handle all required notifications, forms, filings, and related documentation on your behalf to ensure total compliance with the claims process.
Accurate, Efficient Documentation
Sometimes the full nature and severity of accident injuries take time to manifest or be diagnosed by medical professionals. An attorney can arrange for independent medical examinations and expert reports to provide comprehensive evidence of all your damages to the at-fault insurer.
Such extensive documentation is needed to persuade them to offer fair monetary compensation reflective of current and future treatment costs.
Precise Damage Calculations
In addition to out-of-pocket medical bills and property losses, other financial impacts involving lost income, ongoing care, and diminished quality of life must be accurately quantified to give you the best chance at recovering the full value of your claim.
Our attorneys will exhaustively review and account for all your economic and non-economic losses to present the maximum legally supportable claim value. Our detailed analytical work sets the baseline for negotiations and potential litigation.
Aggressive Negotiation
Rather than immediately accepting low settlement offers, your attorney is prepared to negotiate firmly with insurance adjusters on your behalf. We will employ refined tactics honed over years of experience dealing with insurers.
If we can’t get reasonable compensation from the insurance company, your lawyer can go to trial and present a strong case before a judge or jury.
Court Representation
On occasion, insurance companies refuse to offer fair monetary remedies for injuries their clients have caused. An attorney must then file a lawsuit against the at-fault party to seek justice through the court system.
Our litigation expertise is indispensable for guiding cases toward positive resolutions when opposing parties refuse to cooperate.
Accurate Fault Determination
After a car collision, it’s common for insurers and at-fault parties to shift blame or muddy the waters when determining fault. Our experience allows us to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident.
We can then use the evidence and relevant traffic laws to determine who is legally responsible. Accurate liability determinations are crucial to fully recovering your losses from the responsible parties.
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(310) 526-8383 What Is Comparative Negligence?
In California, Cal. Civ. Code § 1431.2 says that multiple parties may share liability for an accident. That means that even if you’re partly at fault for the accident, you may still be eligible for compensation, although your percentage of fault will decrease the amount owed to you.
If you are found to be 25% responsible for the accident, for example, the total amount of money you would be eligible to receive will be decreased by 25%.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Motor Vehicle Accident?
For a personal injury claim in California, the deadline to sue someone is two years from the date of the accident. However, you shouldn’t wait too long to contact an experienced car accident lawyer in Bakersfield. We need time to gather evidence and build a strong case.
Besides, the sooner we start the ball rolling, the sooner you can get the money you need for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
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How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Bakersfield?
The personal injury lawyers of Omega Law Group work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we charge you zero upfront costs. Rather than charging hourly rates, the attorney only gets paid a percentage of your win if the case is successfully resolved through a settlement or judgment.
The payment is only due when you receive money through your claim. Until then, you pay nothing at all for legal counsel. And because attorneys are motivated to maximize your settlement or verdict, contingency ensures a strong alliance focused on achieving the best possible outcome.
Putting Our Clients First.
always.
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What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Car Accident Claim in California?
The money the insurance company owes you will be broken down into various types of damages. Here are the main types of damages that our firm may be able to get for you in a car accident claim in California.
Medical Expenses
This includes all past and future costs for doctor visits, hospital treatments, surgeries, prescriptions, physical therapy, medical devices, and other medical care needed as a result of injuries from the accident.
Lost Wages
If the accident caused you to miss time from work or lose pay, you may recover wages and income that were lost due to your injuries. This also includes potential future lost earning capacity.
Pain and Suffering
Even after physical injuries heal, the accident may have caused mental and physical pain that requires compensation. This also includes the loss of enjoyment of life.
Property Damage
If your vehicle or personal property was damaged in the crash, you can recover repair or replacement costs for property damage alongside your personal injury lawsuit.
Wrongful Death
If a loved one was killed due to another’s negligence, wrongful death allows recovery of economic support and noneconomic losses like grief. A Bakersfield wrongful death lawyer can help you get compensation for the death of your spouse, child, or parent.
While nothing is likely to fully make you “whole” again after the accident, an experienced attorney will pursue all applicable damages to get you maximum compensation for your loss.
How Much Compensation Could I Get After a Crash?
The more severe your injuries, the higher your medical bills, and the more significantly your injuries will affect the rest of your life, the more your case will be worth.
If you returned to work within a few days of the accident and have no long-lasting injuries, then you probably shouldn’t expect to get $1 million. On the other hand, if you’re now permanently disabled and will never be able to return to work, you may be eligible for significantly more than $1 million.
The dedicated team at Omega Law Group can tell you how much your case may be worth when you schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
While you could suffer nearly any type of injury in a car crash, some of the most common injuries that qualify for large settlements include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Broken bones
- Amputated limbs
- Disfigurement
- Burn injuries
Common Causes of Auto Accidents
While any number of things can cause car crashes, we see a few common themes crop up repeatedly. Here are a few common causes of motor vehicle accidents.
Distracted Drivers
These days, it seems like we’re all addicted to our smartphones, but they aren’t the only things distracting people from focusing on the road. Eating, trying to find a good song, and even disruptive passengers can cause distracted driving and catastrophic accidents.
Reckless Drivers
Reckless driving, whether caused by road rage, speeding, or refusing to let somebody merge, can cause a number of accidents.
Drunk Drivers
Unfortunately, it’s still all too common for people to get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking or doing drugs, and innocent people often end up paying the price for these terrible decisions.
Hazardous Conditions
Sometimes Mother Nature is the biggest culprit, with high winds, torrential rain, landslides, or even earthquakes contributing to car crashes.
Hazardous conditions don’t let other drivers off the hook, however. If the accident were caused by a driver following too closely for the conditions, they would still be at least partially at fault, even if it was hydroplaning on a slick highway that led to their car hitting yours.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Bakersfield for a Free Consultation
At Omega Law Group, we want to make the claims process as easy and stress-free for you as possible. Our experienced Bakersfield car accident lawyers will keep you regularly updated on the status of your claim and answer any questions promptly.
With the strength and knowledge of an experienced car accident attorney behind you, you can hand your worries to us and focus on healing. Schedule a free consultation—we’re here to fight for the maximum settlement you deserve.
Let our law family take care of you and your family during this difficult time.
