Bakersfield Hit-And-Run Accident Attorneys
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Our Bakersfield Hit-And-Run Accident Attorneys Are Dedicated To Your Legal Journey
Situated near the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley of California, the city of Bakersfield is home to approximately 400,000 residents. Bakersfield is in Kern County, California. The Bakersfield Metro Area is home to approximately 905,000 individuals, with a significant portion living in the city of Bakersfield, as well as Rosedale, Oildale, and East Bakersfield. The region surrounding Bakersfield is a rich agricultural and energy center in California.
Agricultural production and energy production have long been two important aspects of the economy in Bakersfield. The entire Kern County area is one of the national leaders in these two economic sectors. The following are some prominent industrial activities in Bakersfield and Kern County:
- Food processing
- Distribution
- Petroleum refining
- Mining
- Natural gas extraction
Bakersfield also has a diverse musical history, and the city is recognized as being the birthplace of the “Bakersfield Sound” in country and western music. “Streets of Bakersfield” is a popular country song recorded by Buck Owens and later reinterpreted by Dwight Yoakam.
Although Bakersfield has a diverse economy and a rich cultural heritage, it is still a populous area.
A hit-and-run accident can cause serious injuries and losses. Seeking legal advice from the Bakersfield hit-and-run accident attorneys at Arash Law can help you understand your options. Call us at (888) 488-1391 for a free initial case review.
Automobile accidents are quite common in Bakersfield. Under California law, drivers who find themselves in car accidents must stop their vehicles and pull over to the side of the road or highway.
Drivers who do not adhere to this law may face criminal charges. Individuals who suffer injuries during hit-and-run accidents are abandoned at the accident scene. These victims may be unable to seek medical assistance or contact others to help them. As a result, the victims typically suffer from severe personal injuries and excruciating pain.
Seeking the assistance of a hit-and-run accident lawyer can help you pursue compensation based on your losses. Contact us for a free initial consultation.
Car Accident
A farm worker, suffered multiple broken bones and other orthopedic injuries resulting from an auto accident where the defendant driver attempted to make a left turn in front of our client in heavy fog.– ARASH KHORSANDI
Bakersfield Hit-And-Run Accident Lawyers Can Help With Your Case
Some people who flee accident scenes attempt to evade law enforcement officers and others who search for them. The driver who abandoned you at the accident scene likely has no interest in being held accountable for the physical injuries and property damage you suffered. The fleeing individual also likely knows that they may face criminal charges if they are apprehended.
As the injured party, you may not know where to begin looking for the individual who caused your injuries. Pursuing financial compensation for your injuries can be more challenging if you cannot identify the person who caused your injuries.
Navigating Hit-And-Run Accident Investigations
Hit-and-run accident lawyers can help you conduct a broad and detailed inquiry into who possibly caused the accident in which you suffered injuries. Investigators and hit-and-run attorneys can guide you in collecting evidence to support your legal claim. Here are some of the things they may do:
- Hire accident reconstructionists to collect important data.
- Scrutinize the details in the traffic collision report.
- Interview witnesses who observed the hit-and-run accident.
- Analyze documentary evidence, such as video recordings and photographs.
- Collect recorded data from surveillance cameras near the accident scene.
- Walk through the scene of the accident to collect any evidence that may benefit your case.
Starting the investigation soon after the hit-and-run accident can benefit your case. Many witnesses forget important details as more time passes after the date of the hit-and-run accident. It’s also important to preserve any evidence that could fade or be lost over time.
Dealing With Insurance Companies
Personal injury lawyers work hard while representing plaintiffs and seeking financial compensation on their behalf. Experienced Bakersfield personal injury lawyers will determine a plaintiff’s damages and document them in a demand letter. The letter will contain the costs of medical treatment, lost earnings, and property damage. Other damages will also be included in the demand letter. Personal injury lawyers will then send the demand letter to the responsible party’s automobile insurance company. Personal injury attorneys will have to find the driver who caused the hit-and-run accident and then begin collecting data to include in the demand letter.
However, if the driver responsible for the injuries you suffered during a hit-and-run accident cannot be found, personal injury lawyers can work toward seeking monetary compensation through your own insurance policy. Your automobile insurance policy may include uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage.
You can substantiate your claim with evidence related to the conditions that led to the hit-and-run accident and the nature of your damages. Insurance companies often conduct in-depth investigations to validate claims, so detailed documentation may help prevent unnecessary delays.
Our hit-and-run accident attorneys can communicate with your insurance provider, advocate for a fair resolution, and guide you through the next steps. If negotiations with the insurance company fail, we can help you file a civil lawsuit and prepare to take your case to trial.
The Types Of Damages You May Pursue In A Hit-And-Run Accident Case
No two hit-and-run accident cases are exactly alike. The facts and circumstances of your hit-and-run accident case will be unique from all other cases. The nature of your bodily injuries, the extent of any property damage, and how the accident has affected your life will determine the amount of damages you can seek for your injuries.
The following are the common types of damages injured victims seek in hit-and-run accident cases:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental suffering
- Emotional distress
- The costs of wheelchairs and other devices
- Domestic modifications due to disabilities
- Lost future earnings
- Lost wages
- Past, present, and future medical treatment
The death of a family member due to a hit-and-run accident can be devastating. Eligible family members may be able to file a wrongful death case to seek monetary compensation for their losses. Our Bakersfield hit-and-run accident attorneys can provide guidance on the laws and procedures involved in wrongful death cases.
The Basics Of A Hit-and-Run Accident
Hit-and-run accidents can leave accident victims disoriented and confused. A hit-and-run accident occurs when one individual driver strikes a pedestrian or an automobile but does not stop their vehicle at the accident scene to assist those who suffered an injury. Drivers who flee accident scenes do not exchange contact information with others involved in the accident.
Fleeing drivers also do not give any personal information to law enforcement officers. Investigators may not have enough information about the driver as they attempt to discover who caused the accident. Hit-and-run accidents are defined in the following manner, according to the laws of California:
- A party was involved in an accident while driving a motor vehicle.
- Serious bodily injury or property damage resulted from the accident.
- A party had actual knowledge that they were in an accident, but they did not remain at the accident scene.
- A party did not confirm that the other party involved in the accident was physically safe.
- A party did not remain at the accident scene to give their contact information to the other party.
The Steps To Take If You Are Involved In A Hit-and-Run Accident
Car accidents can leave people with physical and psychological scars. The abrupt and often unexpected impact of an automobile accident can traumatize adults and children. But discovering that the individual who caused your injuries fled the accident scene adds insult to injury. You can speak to witnesses who may have seen the driver who caused the accident. Witnesses can provide important details that may need to be submitted to law enforcement agencies as well as insurance companies.
If you’ve suffered harm in a hit-and-run accident, consider taking these steps:
- Seek immediate medical treatment for all of your injuries.
- Obtain facts, such as vehicle descriptions, license plate numbers, and times, from any witnesses who may have observed the accident.
- Contact 911 and report the hit-and-run accident to a law enforcement agency.
- Seek out a hit-and-run accident lawyer.
Each of these steps can influence the outcome of any claim associated with a hit-and-run accident. When you consult a Bakersfield hit-and-run accident attorney, share as much detailed information as possible about the incident so they can better evaluate and build your case.
California Law
California has statutes related to hit-and-run accidents. Drivers who are party to an automobile accident and who abandon the accident scene before contacting a law enforcement agency may be charged with a felony or a misdemeanor.
California Vehicle Code 20001 governs hit-and-run accidents in California. If a driver is a party to an automobile accident, and a person suffers serious bodily injury or death, the driver who is not injured has to stop at the accident scene. Those who violate California Vehicle Code 20001 are subject to criminal sanctions, fines, and a term of imprisonment. If an individual driver causes a fatality, the criminal charges and sanctions will be more severe.
A second important statutory provision in California is California Vehicle Code 20002. Drivers who are party to an automobile accident that only causes property damage must pull over at a location that will not interfere with traffic or place other drivers and passengers in danger. The driver can provide the other driver with their personal contact information or leave this information on a note that is left on the other driver’s automobile. The driver who caused the property damage must also state how the accident occurred and alert a law enforcement agency about the accident.
Every hit-and-run accident in California is unique. You may need to speak to our hit-and-run accident attorneys in Bakersfield to discuss the details of a hit-and-run accident.
Facts And Figures
It’s crucial to keep in mind that there are other victims of hit-and-run accidents in Bakersfield. Hit-and-run accidents are common throughout California. Drivers strike other automobiles, pedestrians, and cyclists, but they abandon the injured party at the scene of the accident.
Hit-and-run drivers often leave the accident scene to avoid legal or financial consequences. Intoxicated drivers may flee the scene to avoid arrest for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Others may be driving while their driver’s license is suspended.
Under California law, drivers must purchase automobile liability insurance. Some hit-and-run drivers may not have automobile insurance and flee the scene to avoid facing the consequences of not having automobile liability insurance.
However, hit-and-run drivers violate California law by leaving the scene of the accident. The following facts and figures can provide insight into the prevalence of hit-and-run accidents in the United States.
- According to a report by CBS News, 337 hit-and-run fatalities occurred in California in 2016. California ranked seventh for per capita hit-and-run deaths in the United States. Only Florida and Texas had over one hundred hit-and-run fatalities in 2016.
- Bicyclists and pedestrians are highly likely to die due to injuries inflicted during a hit-and-run accident. Hit-and-run accidents caused twenty percent of all pedestrian fatalities during one decade.
- The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that there are about 682,000 hit-and-run accidents in the US each year.
- About 2,000 people across the country died during hit-and-run accidents in 2016.
- The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that a hit-and-run accident occurs somewhere in the United States every sixty seconds.
All drivers should be attentive, focused, and alert so they can avoid hit-and-run accidents. Distracted driving can be dangerous. Drivers who use their mobile phones while driving are more likely to be involved in an automobile accident. Motorists should also remain on the lookout for pedestrians, cyclists, and others who are traveling along roads and highways.
Pedestrians and cyclists can also take steps to make themselves safer while traveling along roads and highways in California and other parts of the United States. Reflective gear and brightly colored clothes can help pedestrians and cyclists stand out more to other drivers. Above all, drivers who cause automobile accidents should not flee the accident scene. Other parties may suffer serious bodily injuries and need someone to contact law enforcement and medical personnel.
The Different Types Of Charges Related To Hit-And-Run Accidents In California
The following categories of hit-and-run accidents are relevant to California law:
- Hit-and-run accidents that result in serious bodily injuries or fatalities.
- Hit-and-run accidents that result in physical injuries.
- Hit-and-run accidents that result in property damage.
Prosecutors in California can choose to charge hit-and-run accidents involving physical injuries or death either as felonies or misdemeanors. The nature and circumstances of the hit-and-run accident will often influence the state’s decision to charge offenders with either felonies or misdemeanors.
If a driver causes a hit-and-run accident that results in only property damage, they will likely be charged with a misdemeanor. Individuals convicted under California law may have their driver’s license suspended, be fined a maximum of $1,000, and face a six-month term of imprisonment.
If a driver causes a hit-and-run accident that results in bodily injury, they will likely be charged with a felony. The convicted individual will face a fine of up to $10,000 and a term of imprisonment not to exceed three years.
Misdemeanor charges for a hit-and-run accident resulting in physical injuries or fatalities will likely come with a one-year term of imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000. Felony charges for hit-and-run accidents resulting in fatalities will come with a maximum four-year term of imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.
Contact Arash Law To Schedule A Free Initial Consultation
If you suffered injuries during a hit-and-run accident in Bakersfield, contact Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 or fill out our “Do I Have A Case?” form to schedule a free initial consultation. We have years of experience representing clients in hit-and-run accident cases.
We represent clients in the following cities near Bakersfield: Fillmore, Farmersville, Exeter, Tulare, Corcoran, Lindsay, Porterville, Tehachapi, Delano, Taft, Wasco, Shafter, Arvin, Lamont, and Oildale. Contact us to learn how we can help you pursue financial compensation for your injuries.
