A fatal Bakersfield car accident will devastate the family members left behind. Beyond the emotional toll, many other unfortunate consequences will arise for loved ones. That includes financial difficulties for loved ones.
But when another driver’s mistake is behind a tragedy, the family of the victim should never have to face these hardships alone:
- The burial costs and leftover medical bills.
- The loss of income that the victim may have provided to support the family each month.
Securing full support for families becomes the mission of Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield. We want to take on car insurance companies while giving family members the time they need to focus on grieving.
We offer a free, no-obligation consultation for all family members in Kern County. It’s also a completely confidential meeting. It’s a chance to find out how to hold insurers fully responsible and get the most to protect the family’s future.
Does My Family Need a Wrongful Death Lawyer?
Families can file wrongful death claims against any careless driver who causes a deadly crash. It’s a way to seek justice and to make sure loved ones left behind aren’t put at risk of bankruptcy at such a difficult time.
No one can put a price on a precious loved one’s life, but Wrongful Death settlements can understandably involve a lot of money. It must account for the deceased’s contribution to the family, both emotionally and financially, and multiply that over the years that have been taken.
The cost to a car insurance company can be enormous. The insurer can pay it, but far too often, they decide to fight liability.
Insurers can question the fault in the accident, even if a Bakersfield Police accident report makes it clear who was to blame. An insurance company can also try everything possible to limit the support victims receive. They can offer a quick “lowball” settlement to loved ones, hoping they are too distraught to consider what they’ll really need in the future.
Your Bakersfield Wrongful Death Lawyer protects your family from these and other tactics. Your lawyer investigates the crash so that the facts can’t be changed. Your attorney makes a full list of everything that’s been taken from the family, and then files a claim that includes the demands that set them up for a brighter future.
Not every family receives the same level of support after a deadly accident. Those with strong legal representatives often secure much more in support than they could by handling a wrongful death case themselves.
Fatalities in Car Accidents in Bakersfield
Bakersfield has plenty of dangerous stretches of streets and highways. The traffic builds around busy intersections like the one at Real Road and Wilson Road during the rush hours.
Stop-and-start traffic along Highway 99 can lead to collisions involving one vehicle that’s not moving due to construction, and another car that’s going 75 mph. There are also plenty of less-traveled highways where drivers can be lulled into an unfocused state and veer across the centerline.
These examples can easily lead to traumatic injuries and life-threatening consequences.
According to California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), Bakersfield saw 45 tragic deaths on local roads in 2024. That was down only slightly from 2023, when 56 victims lost their lives in local traffic accidents.
Each number represents a devastated family that will be forced to deal with their grief while also trying to secure the family’s new future without the deceased’s care and financial contributions. It’s a good time to speak with a
Who Is Allowed to File a Wrongful Death Claim in California?
In California, there are a few people who would have the first right to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the entire family:
- A spouse
- A domestic partner
- Children (including adopted children and stepchildren)
- Grandchildren (if the victim had no living spouse or children)
- An executor named in the will
The parents of the victim may be able to file a claim if the victim had no spouse or children. A putative spouse could be allowed to file and receive a share of benefits. This is a spouse who believes they were married to the deceased, but finds out they weren’t legally married. A technicality may have nullified the marriage unknowingly, but in some cases, this person could still receive support.
A wrongful death lawyer could also represent the entire family and file the claim with as little disruption to close relatives as possible. A lawyer can represent everyone involved or just one person to see that fair support is earned after a tragedy.
What Is Compensated in a Wrongful Death Claim?
A wrongful death claim lawyer would collect a full list of every damage the family was struggling with now and would face in the years ahead.
Your attorney would also demand support for a few things the family may not have realized could be part of the compensation:
- Support for the emotional trauma caused to family members in the form of intense grief and sorrow.
- Support for the loss of a feeling of security and protection that the deceased may have always provided.
- Support for the precious life events that the victim can no longer share in. This can include the joy that comes from family gatherings or the birth of grandchildren.
- Support for the loss of guidance and wisdom a family leader may have provided, and the guidance lost in the years ahead.
- The expense of a funeral service and burial to remember a loved one properly.
- Reimbursement for the income the deceased may have provided monthly for the support of a spouse and children. The totals should include the lost income that won’t be available in the future.
- Compensation for any medical fees built up before the victim’s death. This can include ambulance fees and hospital invoices.
What If My Child Is Tragically Killed in a Bakersfield Traffic Accident?
Grieving parents can also file wrongful death claims after a tragic accident involving a child.
They would seek many of the similar damages listed above. A skilled Bakersfield wrongful death lawyer would also demand support for the family left behind to cover the companionship the family has lost in the decades ahead. This includes the special moments they’ll never be able to experience with a lost child, including birthdays, graduations, and weddings.
Contact a Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Serving Families in The Bakersfield Area
Families who lose a loved one to someone’s careless accident can count on a free case review from Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield. There’s no obligation for this informational meeting, and it’s always confidential.
Paying a Wrongful Death Lawyer: We understand that families coping with a tragic loss of life won’t usually be left in the best financial position. It’s why our wrongful death lawyers work for families on a contingency basis. We don’t ask for anything upfront, and only get paid if we win your case for your loved ones. Then our fee comes out of the settlement that a car insurance company must provide.