A serious injury can upend your life. If you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, a personal injury lawyer in Bakersfield can help you pursue damages.
Fowler | Helsel | Vogt has been representing injury victims since 2010. If you suffered an injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, a Bakersfield personal injury lawyer can help you file a claim and seek compensation.
How a Bakersfield Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
A personal injury claim involves more than just submitting medical bills to an insurance company. A Bakersfield personal injury attorney can assist with your case by:
- Investigating the accident: A lawyer can investigate how the accident happened and determine who is at fault.
- Gathering evidence: A lawyer can collect medical records, accident reports, photographs, video footage, witness statements, employment records, and other evidence that supports your claim.
- Calculating damages: A lawyer can evaluate both your current and future losses and calculate your claim’s value.
- Handling insurance companies: A lawyer can communicate with insurance adjusters, respond to requests for information, review settlement offers, and attempt to negotiate a fair settlement.
- Preparing for litigation: A lawyer can prepare your case for court if a reasonable settlement cannot be reached.
“Just tell us what happened—we’ll help from there.”
- Free Consultation
- A real person who listens to your story
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Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
At Fowler | Helsel | Vogt, we represent clients who have been injured in many different circumstances. We can help with your claim if you need a:
- Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer: Car crashes can lead to expensive medical treatment and lost income. We can investigate your crash, determine who is responsible, and pursue compensation for your losses.
- Bakersfield Truck Accident Lawyer: Commercial truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries. We can gather evidence to determine liability and negotiate with insurers on your behalf.
- Bakersfield Motorcycle Accident Lawyer: Motorcycle riders can suffer severe injuries in crashes with passenger vehicles. We can deal with the insurance company and fight for the compensation you need to get back on your feet.
- Bakersfield Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer: A slip and fall can result in broken bones, head injuries, back injuries, and other serious harm. We can determine who is at fault for your fall and help hold them accountable for your injuries.
- Bakersfield Wrongful Death Lawyer: Losing a family member unexpectedly can have devastating consequences. We can help you and your family pursue a wrongful death claim.
“We’ll help you make sense of what’s next.”
- Straight answers, not legal jargon
- Help dealing with insurance headaches
- Regular updates—never left wondering
- A team that treats you like a person.
What Types of Compensation Can You Recover?
The amount of compensation available in a personal injury claim depends on the circumstances of the accident, the severity of your injuries, and the losses you suffered. You may be able to pursue several types of damages, including:
- Medical expenses: You may recover compensation for emergency treatment, hospital bills, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and other reasonable medical expenses.
- Future medical care: If your injuries require ongoing treatment, assistive equipment, additional surgeries, or long-term care, you may be able to recover the anticipated costs of this future care.
- Lost income: You can pursue compensation for wages you lost because your injuries prevented you from working.
- Reduced earning capacity: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation or earning the same income, you may be able to recover damages for diminished future earning capacity.
- Property damage: Depending on the type of accident, you may recover costs associated with repairing or replacing damaged personal property.
- Pain and suffering: You may seek compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the accident and your injuries.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: If your injuries prevent you from participating in hobbies, activities, social events, or other aspects of life you enjoyed before the accident, you may receive additional compensation.
- Punitive damages: Additional damages may be available if the defendant’s conduct involved oppression, fraud, or malice.
“We’re here when things feel overwhelming.”
- No pressure—just honest guidance
- We take the time to get it right
- We fight for what’s fair, not quick
- We stay with you from start to finish
How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in California?
CCP § 335.1 generally gives you two years from the date of an injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in California. If you miss this deadline, you will lose the ability to pursue compensation through the courts.
Different rules may apply if your case involves delayed injuries, government agencies, wrongful death, or injured minors. A personal injury attorney in Bakersfield can help make sure you don’t miss any deadlines.
How Do You Prove Negligence?
To recover damages for an injury, you must prove that another party failed to act with reasonable care and that the failure caused your injuries. More specifically, you must establish four legal elements:
- Duty of care: The other party owed you a legal duty to act reasonably under the circumstances.
- Breach of duty: The party failed to meet that duty through an act or omission.
- Causation: The breach of duty caused or contributed to the accident and your injuries.
- Damages: You suffered actual losses as a result of the injury.
Common Types of Injuries in Personal Injury Claims
A variety of injuries can provide grounds for a legal claim.
Common ones include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Internal injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Burn injuries
- Amputations
- Psychological trauma
What Should You Do After an Injury in Bakersfield?
The steps you take immediately after an accident can affect both your health and your ability to hold those at fault accountable.
You should:
- Seek medical care: Get evaluated promptly, even if your symptoms initially seem minor. Some injuries worsen over time.
- Document the accident: Take photographs or videos of the accident scene, your injuries, damaged property, hazardous conditions, and anything else that may help show what happened.
- Collect information: Obtain contact information for witnesses and anyone else involved in the accident.
- Report the incident: Depending on the circumstances, you should report the accident to law enforcement, a property owner, your employer, or another appropriate party.
- Keep records: Save medical bills, receipts, wage information, repair estimates, correspondence, and other documents related to the accident and your losses.
- Be careful with insurance companies: Insurers may ask questions about the accident or your injuries. Avoid discussing fault or minimizing your injuries.
- Talk to an attorney: Our lawyers can guide you through the process of filing a personal injury claim.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Bakersfield
If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you have legal recourse. A Bakersfield personal injury attorney from Fowler | Helsel | Vogt can collect evidence to prove what happened, handle the insurance company, and help you obtain compensation for your losses.
Schedule a free consultation to start building your claim.
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- We handle the paperwork & phone calls
- We explain everything in plain language
- We move things forward while you recover
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