Address: 408 18th Street Bakersfield, CA 93301
Email: sandy.pluta.law@gmail.com
If you or someone you know are seeking legal avenues to the injuries suffered in a recent car accident, then you can benefit from getting a rough overview of your situation
Anyone involved in a car accident in Bakersfield can file a lawsuit against an at-fault driver without necessarily being a citizen of California or even the United States. Moreover, guardians of minors affected by a car accident can file a Bakersfield car accident lawsuit on their behalf, demanding compensation they’re entitled to for their recovery. You can ease much of the stress of fighting a car accident lawsuit by soliciting our experienced auto collision attorneys who can leverage their legal expertise to demand maximum compensation for you. We can:
You can pursue a personal injury lawsuit if your motor accident happened due to someone else’s negligence–whether a reckless driver, a poor road structure, or even an extension of someone’s private property near the accident that may have contributed to it. With a personal injury lawsuit, you can be entitled to the following compensatory damages:
The goal of a personal injury lawsuit is to demand a reasonable amount that justify’s the plaintiff physical, emotional, and property damages sustained.
Let’s Discuss Your CaseSeveral negligent drivers can cause serious road accidents by driving distractedly or drunk. In situations like these, you can contact our Bakersfield car wreck lawyer to evaluate the strengths of your case and determine the exact causes for pursuing it from among:
If you think that you deserve more than what the insurance company may be offering, then you must consult the legal expertise of our Bakersfield auto accident attorney
Car accident claims generally do not have a set value but fall within a range of potential compensation types. This is when it becomes crucial to depend on your attorney's knowledge of all car accident cases, tabled below:
Claim Type | Definition | Liable Defendants |
---|---|---|
Accident Liability Claim Against the Driver |
|
|
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Accident Liability Claim |
|
Motorists who caused the accident |
Product Liability Claim |
|
A car or car part manufacturer |
Car Accident Liability Claims Against the Government |
|
The city or county responsible for road building and upkeep |
Property Damage Car Accident Liability Claims |
|
The other driver responsible for the accident |
Our car accident lawyer in Bakersfield has unique insights to share for your benefit about the laws governing different motor vehicles on California roadways
If any of these federal and state laws are breached or violated, either through wilful negligence or unknowing carelessness, then someone injured or deceased in a motor vehicle accident has a very good case for suing the commercial truck driver and their company for a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. On the other hand, if the injured person was the commercial truck driver adhering to all the laws and regulations listed here, they can sue another driver for causing the accident.
Taxi services are seen as “common carriers,” i.e., a commercial venture that undertakes to transport people for hire; taxis make money out of the passengers, and the passengers solely rely on the taxi company for their own safety. Therefore, the law imposes the greatest duty of care on taxi companies to their passengers. This means that they must take more outstanding care than other drivers of motor vehicles, and the barest form of negligence will be considered actionable. Ultimately, in an accident, a taxicab driver will almost always be held liable for their negligent driving.
Buses are considered common carriers, much like taxicabs, and their drivers are subject to similar special laws regarding duty of care.
A motorcycle, by definition, is a motor vehicle, and a motorcyclist is subject to the same general duties as a driver of any other motor vehicle, where footrests for passengers should be provided at the motorcycle’s rear end apart from footrests for the rider.
Bicyclists have a special duty of care, much like other motor vehicles, and fall under California’s Vehicle Code statute when determining whether they have violated any of their laws and regulations.
Our car accident lawyer in Bakersfield recognizes economic and non-economic damages that the plaintiffs of auto accident lawsuits are entitled to. These damages are further divisible into:
Our car accident lawyer in Bakersfield can help you best if you file your auto accident case within the legal deadlines. See if you haven’t missed any
Activity | Deadlines |
---|---|
Filing a personal injury lawsuit for a car accident | 2 years from the date of the accident Exceptions:
|
Filing a personal injury lawsuit for a car accident | 2 years from the date of the accident |
Reporting the accident to your insurance company | Depending on the insurance policy, 24 hours to 90 days. However, filing a claim requires:
|
Investigation by the insurance company | 40 days after accepting your claim |
With our extensive expeirence with auto accident cases in Bakersfield combined with our team’s legal knowledge and insights gleaned from our practice, The Law Office of Joseph Pluta can help you get the compensation you deserve
Our Bakersfield accident lawyers specializing in car accidents have a strategically methodical approach towards guaranteeing your success. Take a look at what our process looks like:
Case Evaluation
Our car accident lawyer, Bakersfield, will first analyze the specifics of your case to assess the required medical and legal documentation, approaching deadlines, and the exact details of your injury and property damage. This will help us predict your case's strength, duration, and outcome.
Call Us Today!Investigation
To maximize recovery from the responsible party, our car accident lawyer in Bakersfield will ascertain who precisely the negligent driver(s) responsible for causing the accident were and what circumstances surrounded their negligent driving. In a shared-fault scenario, we will determine the party responsible through incriminating evidence while proving your innocence.
Call Us Today!Collecting Evidence
Through their extensive experience handling similar cases, our car accident lawyer in Bakersfield knows that mere statements of innocence don’t lead to victory in courtroom trials. That is why our team of legal specialists will get on the task of collecting undeniable evidence from witnesses of the car crash, medical professionals, and police departments to solidify the extent of the physical and psychological trauma you suffered.
Call Us Today!Filing Your Claim
With an insightful understanding of all approaching deadlines, necessary paperwork, and other documentation requirements, leave your car accident claims filing process to our legal team trained in Bakersfield accidents. With this step, Bakersfield’s judicial system will get involved in providing relief to everyone involved in a severe car accident.
Call Us Today!Insurer Negotiations
Like all other profit-driven companies, you must remember that insurance companies work to insure their financial interests over those of their customers. This is why they will wield their established organizational powers to minimize the compensation due to you. However, don’t worry since we can equally wield our law firm’s legal power to drive up the compensation amount that you’re owed.
Call Us Today!Heading to Trial for Victory!
With all the boxes ticked in the steps above, nothing stops us from marching toward assured victory in Bakersfield’s court of law. Expect compensation beyond your expectations with the justice we’d worked so hard towards!
Call Us Today!Find answers to common questions about Bakersfield car accident lawsuits
Our auto accident attorney in Bakersfield at The Law Office of Joseph Pluta works only on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don't have to pay any upfront legal fee to be legally represented by us. On the other hand, you only need to pay when you win your case by obtaining the settlement claim. Usually, most Bakersfield car wreck lawyers charge 25%-33% of the car accident compensation as their contingency fee. However, the exact percentage can vary based on whether your case goes to trial or the complexity of your case.
If the court finds you guilty of causing an accident, you are deemed the "at-fault" party and can face grave consequences. Firstly, you'll be demanded to pay the damages for other injured drivers and pedestrians involved in the accident. The financial burden may escalate if property damage is involved, too. However, it would help if you remembered that you may have been wrongfully framed in a shared-party fault scenario, implying that someone else's blame could be dumped on you. You need an experienced auto collision attorney to determine someone else's culpability in a shared-fault motor accident scenario with solid evidence and irrefutable arguments. Contact our auto accident attorney in Bakersfield to learn more.
You must hire an auto accident attorney in Bakersfield as soon as possible to maximize your chances of recovering the damages you rightfully deserve! Working with an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney from The Law Office of Joseph Pluta can help ensure you receive fair compensation in your car accident case while securing your rights. Our compassionate legal assistance can help you navigate the complexities of a car accident lawsuit through solid evidence, handling legal paperwork, and negotiating with the insurer for maximum coverage.
The factors involved in a car accident lawsuit can affect the total payable amount in the settlement. Some of those factors are:
Most settlements cover punitive damages to punish a negligent driver for causing the accident. While the average amount for car accident settlements was $29700 as of 2020, it can widely fluctuate based on the abovementioned factors. Contact our auto accident attorney in Bakersfield to calculate the accurate compensation you may be entitled to.
Indeed, California operates under a "no-fault" insurance system, which means you claim settlement from the insurer of an at-fault driver's responsibility for causing the car accident rather than your own. This also means that you can directly sue an at-fault driver for damages. Send our auto accident attorney in Bakersfield to learn more.