Bakersfield Truck Accident Lawyers
If you were injured in a truck accident, call Chain | Cohn | Clark, the Bakersfield truck accident lawyers, at 661-616-9829. We understand that car accidents can be devastating. A semi-truck cruising down Interstate 5 or Highway 99 at 70 miles an hour may weigh up to 80,000 pounds. That’s 20 times heavier than a typical passenger car. An accident involving a loaded truck is far worse—with 20 times the force behind the impact.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Bakersfield?
The steps you take in the hours and days after a truck accident can affect your right to compensation. If you are able, take these steps after a Bakersfield truck accident:
- Check on everyone involved and call 911. California law requires drivers to provide reasonable assistance to anyone injured. Get medical attention right away—some truck-crash injuries have delayed symptoms.
- Report the accident to police. A police report is a key part of any insurance or personal injury claim. Describe what happened clearly and factually, and note anything unusual about the other driver.
- Preserve evidence. If you can, photograph the scene, vehicle damage, road conditions, and skid marks. Commercial trucks also carry electronic logging and black-box data that should be preserved quickly before it is lost.
- Get medical treatment and keep records. Follow through on all care and save every bill and record—these document the full extent of your injuries.
- Contact a Bakersfield truck accident lawyer. The sooner an attorney gets involved, the sooner critical evidence like driver logs and company records can be secured. Chain | Cohn | Clark offers a free, no-obligation consultation.
California law holds all drivers responsible for their share of the blame in a motor vehicle collision, and truck drivers are no exception. And, of course, few people are eager to own up to their mistakes on the road, especially if they’ve caused a crash.
But accidents affect the livelihoods of both truck drivers and trucking companies. Truckers, their employers, and the insurance companies that represent them vigorously fight truck accident claims. Instead of a fair deal, you may be . . .
- Facing blame for an accident that wasn’t your fault
- Tied up with insurance company red tape
- Waiting through seemingly endless delays
- Feeling pressured to sign a lowball settlement quickly
You might be up against experienced negotiators from multiple insurance companies—one for the truck driver and another for their employer. It’s not a fair fight—especially when you’re recovering from injuries, missing work, and watching your medical expenses pile up.
The truck accident attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark level the playing field. We can carry the load for you—in negotiations or in bringing a lawsuit to trial. We’ll do whatever it takes to hold the responsible parties accountable and ensure you’re fairly compensated. We know how to…
- Investigate an accident and gather evidence of who was at fault, and retain experts to testify on your behalf
- Meet filing deadlines and handle the complicated paperwork involved in car accident claims
- Document your injuries—physical and emotional—in ways the insurance companies can’t refute
- Negotiate a fair settlement and, if necessary, argue your case in court
California Truck Accidents Cause Serious Injury and Death
Truck accidents are among the most devastating incidents on California’s roads, often resulting in severe injuries and loss of life. Each year in California alone, there are over 10,000 crashes involving large trucks. In 2023, those crashes resulted in over 5,000 injuries and 400 fatalities. These statistics underscore the serious risks posed by large commercial vehicles. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
At our Bakersfield law firm, we understand the challenges victims face after a truck accident. Determining liability can be complex, involving trucking companies, drivers, and even manufacturers. Working with an experienced truck accident lawyer can make a significant difference in obtaining the justice and financial recovery you deserve. Our dedicated lawyers have the skills and resources to investigate your case thoroughly, hold the responsible parties accountable, and fight for the compensation you need to move forward. Whether you are dealing with serious injuries or the tragic loss of a loved one, our team is here to guide you every step of the way.
Injured in a Truck Accident?
Get a Free Consultation
Many people worry they can’t afford a lawyer. But you can. At Chain | Cohn | Clark, we believe justice should be within reach for everyone. Our truck accident attorneys work on contingency. That means you don’t pay any fees up front. Instead, your lawyer is paid a percentage of your final settlement or jury award.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents?
Most truck accidents are caused by driver error. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)—the federal agency that regulates commercial trucking—studied nearly 1,000 large-truck crashes in its Large Truck Crash Causation Study and found that driver error was the critical reason behind 87% of fatal and injury-causing collisions. Understanding why a truck crash happened is the first step toward proving who is responsible for it.
The FMCSA groups driver error into four categories:
- Non-performance — the driver failed to act in time, often because of a medical emergency or falling asleep at the wheel.
- Inattention — the driver did not recognize a hazard, frequently because of distracted driving such as cell phone use.
- Poor decisions — the driver misjudged speeds, drove too fast for conditions, tailgated, or braked too hard.
- Poor driving — the driver made a technical mistake such as oversteering or panicking.
Truck crashes are also caused by factors beyond the driver, including poor vehicle maintenance, brake failure, tire blowouts, improperly secured cargo, and hazardous weather or road conditions. Because commercial trucking is heavily regulated, any violation of federal or California safety rules our Bakersfield truck accident lawyers uncover can help prove your case.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Truck Accident in Bakersfield?
Liability for a truck accident often extends far beyond the driver. Truck cases are more complex than ordinary car crashes because several parties may share responsibility, and each may carry a separate insurance policy. Identifying every liable party is essential to recovering full compensation. Depending on how your crash happened, the responsible parties may include:
- The truck driver — for negligence such as distracted driving, fatigue, speeding, or driving under the influence.
- The trucking company — for neglecting vehicle maintenance, failing to enforce safety rules, or pushing drivers past federal hours-of-service limits.
- The truck or parts manufacturer — when a defect such as faulty brakes or a tire failure contributed to the crash.
- A maintenance provider — when inadequate servicing or a missed safety inspection led to a mechanical failure.
- The cargo loader — when improperly loaded or unsecured cargo caused the truck to become unstable.
- A broker or third-party contractor — such as a logistics company or dispatcher whose decisions contributed to the crash.
- A government entity — when poor road design, neglected maintenance, or inadequate signage played a role.
Our Bakersfield truck accident attorneys know how to investigate all potential sources of liability, preserve driver logs and company records, and hold every responsible party accountable.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Truck Accident in Bakersfield?
Liability for a truck accident often extends far beyond the driver. Truck cases are more complex than ordinary car crashes because several parties may share responsibility, and each may carry a separate insurance policy. Identifying every liable party is essential to recovering full compensation. Depending on how your crash happened, the responsible parties may include:
- The truck driver — for negligence such as distracted driving, fatigue, speeding, or driving under the influence.
- The trucking company — for neglecting vehicle maintenance, failing to enforce safety rules, or pushing drivers past federal hours-of-service limits.
- The truck or parts manufacturer — when a defect such as faulty brakes or a tire failure contributed to the crash.
- A maintenance provider — when inadequate servicing or a missed safety inspection led to a mechanical failure.
- The cargo loader — when improperly loaded or unsecured cargo caused the truck to become unstable.
- A broker or third-party contractor — such as a logistics company or dispatcher whose decisions contributed to the crash.
- A government entity — when poor road design, neglected maintenance, or inadequate signage played a role.
Our Bakersfield truck accident attorneys know how to investigate all potential sources of liability, preserve driver logs and company records, and hold every responsible party accountable.
Truck Accidents in Kern County
Kern County’s roads carry heavy commercial traffic along Highway 99, Interstate 5, and Highway 58, which means truck accidents are a serious local problem. According to provisional data from the state’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), there were 307 truck crashes in Kern County in 2023, resulting in 19 people killed and 450 injured. In the first half of 2024 alone, there were an additional 114 truck accidents, with seven fatalities and 144 injuries.
A collision with a fully loaded 40-ton semi-truck is often far more dangerous than a typical car crash. If you were injured or lost a family member in a truck accident anywhere in Bakersfield or the surrounding Kern County communities, the Bakersfield truck accident lawyers at Chain | Cohn | Clark are ready to help.
Client Stories
We’ve heard the stories straight from our clients and sat with them as they relived the awful moments when their lives changed forever.
When you walk through our doors, we know you’re there for a reason—you’re hurting, trying to heal, and in need of help. From our reception staff to our senior partners, we go out of our way to support you and keep you in the loop as we work to get you the compensation you deserve.
Want to know what it’s like to have Chain | Cohn | Clark in your corner? Our client stories offer a clear picture:
Tammy came to Chain | Cohn | Clark after her husband suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in an accident with a tractor-trailer. “Matt (Clark) was willing to go to trial for the case. And if I needed something, the law firm would help,” she says. “I had a flat tire one day, and I needed a new tire but didn’t have any money, so I called Matt, and they brought a check to the tire shop where I was at, which I thought was really cool, because they didn’t have to do that.”
Jenna was driving with her kids when she was rear-ended by a tow truck. Her SUV flipped over, causing serious injuries. “Everything changed for the better once we started on the case. I didn’t have to deal with insurance or doctors’ bills. The office helped with all of that. I probably would have been drowning in bills if it wasn’t for the law firm,” Jenna recalls. “A lot of the employees were my personal therapists as well. I would email them with my problems. They always had something positive to say to me.”
Garret was a passenger in a limousine that collided with a semi-truck, injuring him. “[Matt Clark’s] professionalism and communication were, in my opinion, outstanding, and I feel he went above and beyond to assist me throughout the whole process,” he says. “During my two-year interaction with Matt, not only did we meet face to face, but I feel Matt made it a priority to contact me and keep me up to date via phone calls and after-hour emails. I would recommend Chain | Cohn | Clark to anyone.”
Case Results
Chain | Cohn | Clark has delivered more multimillion-dollar case results than any other personal injury law firm in Kern County.
$6
million
Truck accident: Our client sustained a TBI in a collision with a truck.
$5.75
million
Truck accident: A trucker ran a stop sign and hit our client’s vehicle.
$3.85
million
Truck accident: A truck driver rear-ended our client at a stop.
$2.1
million
Wrongful death: Our client was killed by a truck driven by a Bakersfield city worker.
Local Lawyers: Part of Your Community
Many big-city law firms go to great lengths to make it look like they’re local–but don’t be fooled. With an L.A. or national firm:
- You’ll probably never meet your lawyer.
- If you do meet them, it won’t be in Bakersfield.
- Do you think an L.A. lawyer you’ve never met wants a court date in Bakersfield? We don’t, either.
Chain | Cohn | Clark was founded in Bakersfield 90 years ago—and we’re still here. Our offices are downtown, at 1731 Chester Avenue. That’s a five-minute walk from the courthouse.
- We’ll negotiate with trucking companies, insurers, and other parties involved in your case to try to reach a settlement.
- But if we can’t settle your case, we won’t hesitate to take it to trial.
- Whether we’re at a conference table or in a courtroom, the insurance adjusters, opposing lawyers, and judges know and respect Chain | Cohn | Clark.
We’re a truly Kern County Personal Injury law firm, a proud part of your community. We hope you’ll let us be a neighbor to you in your time of need.
$22.1
million
Pedestrian Accident
$15
million
Products Liability Explosion
$11
million
Premises Liability
$10
million
Oilfield Accident
$10
million
Motorcycle Accident
$9
million
Industrial Accident
$8.8
million
Police Misconduct
$8
million
Pedestrian Accident
Frequently Asked Questions
In California, you have two years from the accident date to file suit. For wrongful death lawsuits, the statute of limitations is also two years. However, the deadline for filing a case against a government entity is only six months.
The size differential between a semi-truck and a passenger car distinguishes truck accidents from ordinary car crashes.
But there are other important differences:
- Truck accident cases often involve several parties—anyone at least partially responsible for the accident, including:
- The driver
- The trucking company
- The manufacturer of the tractor or trailer
- The shipper
- The workers who loaded the truck
- Commercial trucking is subject to far more regulation than you are when you drive your car around town. Violations of commercial transportation regulations can affect your case.
- Commercial trucks have electronic logging devices (ELDs)that record their speed, braking patterns, and other relevant information about their driving.
It’s challenging to sift through all these details on your own. Our attorneys know how to investigate a crash, gather evidence, and retain any experts needed to testify on your behalf.
In a trucking accident claim, you can recover:
- Economic damages to compensate for things with a definite dollar value, such as property damage, medical expenses, and lost wages.
- Noneconomic damages to compensate for things that are hard to assign a dollar value, such as pain, suffering, disfigurement, or the loss of a limb.
- Punitive damages, which are awarded in rare cases by a jury to punish a defendant who acted with malice or extreme negligence.
No one can accurately predict how much a case will bring in. Trucking accident cases are particularly difficult to gauge until all the details are known. The best way to get a reasonable idea of what your case is worth is to talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Chain | Cohn | Clark handles truck accident cases on contingency, which means you pay no fees up front. Your attorney is paid a percentage of your final settlement or jury award, so you owe nothing unless we win your case. Consultations are always free.
Liability may extend well beyond the truck driver. Depending on the facts, the trucking company, the truck or parts manufacturer, a maintenance provider, the cargo loader, a broker or third-party contractor, or a government entity responsible for road conditions may all share responsibility for a truck accident in Bakersfield and Kern County.
Why Hire Chain | Cohn | Clark?
Here’s what you can expect from our experienced Bakersfield truck accident lawyers:
Personal attention
You’ll meet your lawyer at your first appointment. You’ll know and have access to your attorney throughout your case.
Support
We’ll handle legal filings, investigations, research, and negotiations. If we need to, we’ll argue your case in court. We’ll also support you in any other way we can.
Communication
Although we want to take a load off your shoulders and allow you to focus on your recovery, it’s still your case. We’ll keep you informed so you can make the best decisions for you and your family.
Don’t try to go it alone. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
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