Areas We Serve

Attorney: Doug Fitz-Simmons, Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff was climbing a ladder to work on the roof at Parkway Apartments on Wible Road when he lost his balance and fell, suffering severe injuries to his andles and back, requiring surgery.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

A 19-year-old man paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by a Bakersfield police officer who found him sleeping in his car. The plaintiff, Gilberto Fajardo, was asleep, unarmed, and did not pose a threat of death or serious bodily injury to anyone on the evening of May 17, 2015, when he was approached in a church parking lot by Bakersfield Police Officers Lindy DeGeare and Juan Orozco. For more on this case, click here.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark, Tanya D. Alsheikh

Summary:

The decedent was riding his bicycle in an alley when a City of Bakersfield employee operating a garbage truck struck him, and then made an unsafe backing maneuver dragging him several feet. As a result of the crush injuries and blunt force trauma, the bicyclist ultimately died. Chain | Cohn | Clark spent nearly 5 years litigating this case by consulting and retaining necessary experts, taking depositions of the driver and numerous City of Bakersfield employees, and successfully arguing motions before the court before reaching a successful resolution of this case.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Details of this pedestrian accident case involving a truck are confidential.

Attorney: Chad J. A. Boyles, David K. Cohn

Summary:

Russell Lester and Bryan Walls were attending a party on Fourth of July in west Bakersfield, celebrating our nation’s independence and wedding reception. By the end of the night, they were in local hospitals The two arrived at the party where party-goers were allegedly setting off illegal fireworks and explosives. Four people were severely injured in the blast, including Lester and Walls. Chain | Cohn | Clark represented the injured in this premises liability lawsuit, which settled in April 2018.

More Information: “Chain | Cohn | Clark represents victims in explosive accident garnering media attention“

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Client was crushed at mid-section of body between truck and company vehicle.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

On the night of May 7, 2013, David Sal Silva fell asleep in front of a home in east Bakersfield, across from Kern Medical Center. Several law enforcement officers arrived on scene and proceeded to use unreasonable and excessive force in striking Silva with batons several times all over his body, while he screamed for his life and repeatedly begged the officers to stop. After being repeatedly beaten, bitten and hog-tied, Silva stopped breathing. And shortly after midnight, Silva was taken to Kern Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. These events and those that followed after this night made international news, including the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Chain | Cohn | Clark on behalf of Silva’s family in 2013, to the settlement reached in May 2016.

More Information: “The wrongful death case of David Sal Silva”

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

The driver left the roadway onto the sidewalk, where he struck and killed the decedent as he was out for a morning jog.

More Information: News story: Chain Cohn Clark files lawsuit on behalf of family of jogger killed by driver who allegedly fell asleep

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff was sleeping in a park when he was run over and killed by a truck driven by a city of Bakersfield worker. (verdict)

More Information: News story “Over $2.1M Awarded To Family Of Man Killed By City Worker”

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff was beaten to death by more than a dozen Kern County Sheriff’s Department detention deputies.

More Information: News story, “County Settles For $6 Million In Jail Death Lawsuit”

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff was walking to her vehicle after she had gotten off of work. On the way to the vehicle, the defendant drove the wrong way on a one-way street and struck the plaintiff. She suffered severe rib and spinal injuries from the the collision.

Attorney: Chad J. A. Boyles, David K. Cohn

Summary:

Confidential plaintiff suffered severe burn injuries at a confidential residential care facility due to the negligence of an employee.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiffs were pushing the motorcycle to a relative’s house crossing Norris Road in Oildale when they were struck and killed by a Kern County Sheriff’s deputy patrol car, speeding with lights and sirens off.

More Information: News story “Media covers record-breaking Chain | Cohn | Clark settlement”

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Client was moving pipes to an area where he needed to cross railroad tracks. In the process of crossing the tracks, another employee was moving tank cars and was hit and severely injured by the tank cars.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Defendant ran a stop sign and crashed into the plaintiff’s car on Brimhall Road, causing severe injuries.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff suffered fatal injuries when a tank exploded as he instructed to perform pneumatic testing as part of the process for repairing a leak at the bottom of a tank. The pneumatic testing was unsafe and ultimately caused the explosion, which resulted in one man’s death and another man being seriously injured.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

The decedent was a resident of a residential care facility and was involved in an altercation with staff members of the group home. He died of asphyxiation when group members restrained him.

Attorney: David K. Cohn, Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Defendant entered the roadway and did not allow enough room for the plaintiff on a motorcycle to enter with traffic approaching, causing him to be hit by crane. Plaintiff lost his right leg.

Attorney: David K. Cohn, Tanya D. Alsheikh

Summary:

Plaintiff was a passenger in a pick-up truck being driven by his boss on Highway 99. Traffic ahead was slowing to a stop due to a lane closure, and as the truck slowed, they were rear-ended by the defendant, causing injuries.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Claim brought by a truck driver who suffered injuries when PVC pipes fell onto him after being improperly loaded onto his trailer by the defendant.

Attorney: David K. Cohn, Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Parents died of blunt force trauma in an auto accident involving a big rig.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff suffered major leg injuries when she was attacked by a Kern County Sheriff’s Office K-9 that has escaped from its patrol car. The settlement is the largest against a public entity in California, according to VerdictSearch.

More Information: Chain | Cohn | Clark settles K-9 dog bite case against County of Kern for record $2 million

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

On the night of May 7, 2013, David Sal Silva fell asleep in front of a home in east Bakersfield, across from Kern Medical Center. Several law enforcement officers arrived on scene and proceeded to use unreasonable and excessive force in striking Silva with batons several times all over his body, while he screamed for his life and repeatedly begged the officers to stop. After being repeatedly beaten, bitten and hog-tied, Silva stopped breathing. And shortly after midnight, Silva was taken to Kern Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. These events and those that followed after this night made international news, including the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Chain | Cohn | Clark on behalf of Silva’s family in 2013, to the settlement reached in May 2016.

More Information: “The wrongful death case of David Sal Silva”

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

The driver left the roadway onto the sidewalk, where he struck and killed the decedent as he was out for a morning jog.

More Information: News story: Chain Cohn Clark files lawsuit on behalf of family of jogger killed by driver who allegedly fell asleep

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff was beaten to death by more than a dozen Kern County Sheriff’s Department detention deputies.

More Information: News story, “County Settles For $6 Million In Jail Death Lawsuit”

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Client was moving pipes to an area where he needed to cross railroad tracks. In the process of crossing the tracks, another employee was moving tank cars and was hit and severely injured by the tank cars.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff was rear ended by a truck trailer on Highway 138.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

This case arises out of a motor vehicle collision occurring on October 7, 2013 on State Route 46 in unincorporated Kern County. Plaintiffs were stopped for traffic on Highway 46 when they were rear-ended at a high rate of speed and pushed them into the vehicle in front of them, causing major injuries. The defendant was in the course and scope of his employment with Brinderson, L.P. at the time of the wreck.

Attorney: Doug Fitz-Simmons, Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiffs were driving on Highway 166 when they rear-ended a forklift that was traveling 5 mph without and rear taillights. One of the plaintiffs suffered broken bones, while the other died in the crash.

Attorney: Chad J. A. Boyles, David K. Cohn

Summary:

This case arises out of an industrial injury sustained by Plaintiff Salvador Sanchez that occurred on an oil lease owned by Defendants Berry Petroleum Company, LLC and Linn Operating, Inc.

At the time of his injury, Mr. Sanchez was assigned to a tank cleaning crew. In order to clean the tank the crew had to open 1,800-pound manway cover door, During cleaning operations, the cleaning crew would “swing” the manway cover door open or closed. Mr. Sanchez pulled on the bottom of the manway cover door to open it further so as to get a better angle with his high pressure washer. At that point, the eye bolt supporting the 1,800-pound manway cover door failed and the manway cover door fell on Mr. Sanchez causing serious and crushing injuries to his right leg and right knee.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff was riding a motorcycle when the defendant in a truck that was parked on the side of the road pulled out in front of the motorcyclist. The crash caused the plaintiff to be thrown 50 yards down the road, and suffered severe injuries.

Attorney: David K. Cohn, Tanya D. Alsheikh

Summary:

Chain | Cohn | Clark resolved four cases on behalf of students at North High School who were victims of sexual misconduct by an athletic equipment manager at the school. Kern County Sheriff’s Office had arrested Edwin Rodriguez on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with minors 14 to 15 years old, exhibiting harmful matter to a minor, annoying a child under 18 and false imprisonment.

More information: “Chain | Cohn | Clark resolves several cases involving misconduct at North High School”

Attorney: Doug Fitz-Simmons, Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Chain | Cohn | Clark filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of 72-year-old Nancy Joyce Garrett, who was killed when a Kern County Sheriff’s Office patrol car operated by Deputy Nicholas Clerico struck and killed her.

More Information: Chain | Cohn | Clark files lawsuit for family of woman killed in crash with Sheriff’s deputy

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

On July 14, 2015, Larry Maharrey was driving his motorcycle eastbound on Norris Road, when a Kern County Sheriff’s deputy abruptly made a left turn against a red light onto Airport Drive directly into Maharrey’s path. Maharrey was unable to avoid the collision with the deputy’s patrol vehicle, and died as a result of the crash. The deputy violated KCSO policies and procedures by failing to pre-clear the intersection before turning left against a red light. Chain | Cohn | Clark filed a wrongful death claim against the County of Kern on behalf of Maharrey’s wife, Paula, and other family members. A settlement was reached in April 2018.

More Information: “Law firm files wrongful death claim in fourth deputy-involved fatal crash in four years”

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiffs were pushing the motorcycle to a relative’s house crossing Norris Road in Oildale when they were struck and killed by a Kern County Sheriff’s deputy patrol car, speeding with lights and sirens off.

More Information: News story “Media covers record-breaking Chain | Cohn | Clark settlement”

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff suffered fatal injuries when a tank exploded as he instructed to perform pneumatic testing as part of the process for repairing a leak at the bottom of a tank. The pneumatic testing was unsafe and ultimately caused the explosion, which resulted in one man’s death and another man being seriously injured.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff suffered major leg injuries when she was attacked by a Kern County Sheriff’s Office K-9 that has escaped from its patrol car. The settlement is the largest against a public entity in California, according to VerdictSearch.

More Information: Chain | Cohn | Clark settles K-9 dog bite case against County of Kern for record $2 million

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Jesus Garcia-Santana was travelling on Highway 101 just north of Paso Robles to his son’s home in Bakersfield when his car became inoperable. He pulled to the side of the road, exited his car, opened the hood, and called for assistance. He then sat in his car on the passenger side, and waited for help.

As he waited, a Stevens Trucking tractor pulling two trailers full of carrots veered onto the shoulder and struck Garcia-Santana’s car. As a result, Garcia-Santana suffered significant life-threatening injuries.

Chain | Cohn | Clark successfully resolved a negligence claim alleging that the truck driver was not paying attention, not scanning the road ahead of him, when he overreacted to a car changing lanes in front of him.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff was a passenger in a vehicle that was rear-ended by a van while stopped at a stop sign.

Attorney: James A. Yoro

Summary:

The plaintiff was working as a refrigeration technician when he was sprayed in the face with anhydrous ammonia. The employer failed to assure the equipment met manufacturer design specification and was working properly, failed to provide employees with proper safety equipment, and other safety failures, according to the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The injury required multiple surgeries for stem cell transplants and corneal transplants in both eyes.

Attorney: Chad J. A. Boyles, David K. Cohn

Summary:

This case arises out of an industrial injury sustained by Plaintiff Salvador Sanchez that occurred on an oil lease owned by Defendants Berry Petroleum Company, LLC and Linn Operating, Inc.

At the time of his injury, Mr. Sanchez was assigned to a tank cleaning crew. In order to clean the tank the crew had to open 1,800-pound manway cover door, During cleaning operations, the cleaning crew would “swing” the manway cover door open or closed. Mr. Sanchez pulled on the bottom of the manway cover door to open it further so as to get a better angle with his high pressure washer. At that point, the eye bolt supporting the 1,800-pound manway cover door failed and the manway cover door fell on Mr. Sanchez causing serious and crushing injuries to his right leg and right knee.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Client had stopped at the stop sign, and among the heavy fog, she did not see any vehicles approaching. As she began to cross the intersection, she collided with defendant’s vehicle, which did not have headlights on, and suffered injuries in the crash.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

A 27-year-old man suffered fatal injuries when the defendant crossed a double yellow line while driving and slammed head-on into decedent. Defendant slept 35 minutes in 48 hours.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff suffered serious injuries while working on a rig, when the sand line failed and struck plaintiff as he was coming out of the hole.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff suffered serious injuries as a result of defendant’s failure to adequately maintain, inspect, repair, and control their high pressurized flammable gas pipeline in accordance with standard engineering practices. Defendant’s negligence resulted in catastrophic failure and explosion because of internal pipe corrosion.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff was burned over 80 percent of his body in an oilfield accident.

More Information: Click here for more information on oilfield accident cases.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Client was driving his motorcycle westbound on Highway 119 when the defendant pulled directly into his path of travel.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

Plaintiff was stopped when the driver of a truck failed to stop and rear-ended his vehicle.

Attorney: Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

Plaintiff was the mother of a teenage girl who was struck and killed by a drunk driver while she was walking home. The driver was in a company truck at the time of the crash, and fled the scene.

Attorney: David K. Cohn

Summary:

The plaintiff pulled off the side of Highway 58 to take pictures. While doing so, he was hit by a truck and suffered severe brain and bodily injuries.

Attorney: David V. Stiles

Summary:

Plaintiff was walking through a restaurant parking lot when a truck made a U-turn, struck the plaintiff and dragged her a several feet.

Attorney: Chad J. A. Boyles, Matthew C. Clark

Summary:

A disputed liability trucking accident case where the plaintiff suffered a traumatic brain injury. Other details on the case are confidential.