We help Bakersfield victims who are hurt in car accidents. We also stand up for victims who have been struck by unlicensed drivers and who may not even have insurance. If you have been hurt in a collision, contact us for a free consultation.
A Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer can help you determine where you can file an accident claim and how to win the most for your recovery.
Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer
If your accident involves a serious injury, you may benefit from having a lawyer’s help. More serious injuries involve higher medical bills, meaning you’ll need to win more to pay them. But the higher the totals go, the more insurers will fight to avoid blame. They can try to turn the blame on you or question how badly you are hurt. These are tactics you may face if you are dealing with your own car insurance company when the at-fault driver is uninsured.
A skilled attorney investigates every aspect of your accident and gathers evidence to make sure the facts can’t be changed. A lawyer can help you strengthen your case and often wins you much more than you could by handling your case yourself.
A lawyer is especially valuable if you come away with injuries involving something like a broken arm or a neck or back injury. If you have a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a lawyer is a great advantage in your fight with whoever’s insurers are involved.
A Free Consultation with a Real Bakersfield Car Accident Attorney
If you still have questions about whether you’ll need a lawyer for your case, take advantage of a no-risk question & answer session with a real lawyer. Victims in Bakersfield and across Kern County can schedule a free case consultation with Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield. There’s no obligation for this meeting, and it’s strictly confidential.
We want to help you navigate your recovery and make sure insurers provide the compensation that allows you to afford the best medical care available. Even if you don’t end up needing to hire us, we want to make you aware of all the benefits available to victims. It’s wise because insurers will likely “forget” to mention them when you negotiate a settlement.
Knowing What Your Car Accident Involving an Unlicensed Driver Is Worth
Just because the driver who caused your accident doesn’t have a license (and likely, no car insurance), it doesn’t mean that your injuries and hardships should be worth less.
Your attorney would be totaling up all of your economic losses, and estimating the toll a frightening accident and severe injury has taken on your mental well-being.
These damages and others must all be considered when determining the size of an acceptable settlement check:
- Totals on medical bills and estimates on potential care needed in the years ahead
- Estimates on longterm care for victims left with a permanent physical disability
- A reasonable award for the physical pain victims experience
- A reasonable award for the emotional trauma victims are put through
- Support for the income and benefits victims lose while they can’t work
- Wrongful death support for families who lose a loved one in an accident caused by an unlicensed driver
Finding Out Who Is Responsible for a Collision Caused by an Unlicensed Driver
California Vehicle Code (CVC) 12500. makes it illegal to travel on California roads without a driver’s license. The offense usually results in a misdemeanor for the unlicensed driver. This can lead to fines of up to $1,000 (not counting court fees) and jail time.
There are many reasons why a driver may be traveling without a license. These are just a few of the potential violators:
- Teen drivers who get on the road without a license or don’t have their full license to travel in a car alone
- Elderly drivers who might have been denied a license but still get behind the wheel
- An undocumented immigrant driver or foreign visitor who couldn’t get a driver’s license right away
- Drivers with revoked licenses who aren’t allowed to get in the driver’s seat
Fortunately for accident victims, criminal proceedings and a civil claim over injuries and damage are two separate cases. Victims can file a claim against an insurer at any time they are ready, and don’t have to wait for the outcome of a criminal trial.
The harder part is determining which insurance company may be held liable for an accident. In many instances, an unlicensed driver will also be uninsured. It’s another headache for victims just wanting help with their medical bills and car repair costs.
A skilled attorney would untangle the confusion to determine the best source of compensation for victims.
These are just some of the sources of support for victims:
- The Car Owner’s Insurance: In some cases, an unlicensed driver may have been able to get car insurance, and victims could file claims against the insurer as in a normal accident. In other cases, a motorist without a license may have borrowed someone else’s car. That owner may have insurance and be liable for a crash.
- The Victim’s Car Insurance: In California, even the minimum car insurance policy is supposed to include Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage. It’s provided unless a driver expressly demands that it be removed in a written request. UM insurance allows victims to file a claim with their own insurers to get help in paying their medical bills and other damages. A victim’s own insurer can still make it difficult to get 100% compensation for their hardships. A lawyer can help negotiate for the best outcome for clients.
- A lawsuit against an unlicensed and uninsured driver: Victims can file lawsuits against an unlicensed and uninsured driver. This is often a last resort, because drivers without insurance might not have any assets to pay out compensation awarded by a judge. A trial may earn the victim a judgment, but collecting on it could be difficult.
There are several options here, and figuring out which path is right for you can be difficult. If you trust your case to a skilled Bakersfield car accident lawyer, your attorney takes on the task of figuring out the insurance situation of everyone involved.
Then your legal representative files a claim or multiple claims against the right insurance companies and worries about the settlement negotiations for you. This is done while giving you the most time possible to focus on healing and rebuilding your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I wait to file a car accident claim?
California allows you to wait up to two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. However, waiting months or years can hurt your case. Evidence can disappear, and witnesses can become harder to locate. It’s even more important to act quickly when an unlicensed driver is involved. You’ll want to give your attorney a head start on figuring out where the best place to earn you recovery support will be.
What if I can’t afford a car accident lawyer?
After a frightening accident, an expensive ambulance ride, and a stay in the ER, you may not have any money left to pay a lawyer. That’s okay. We can still handle your case and fight on your behalf. Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyer doesn’t get paid unless we win your case for you. If we lose, you don’t pay anything. And if we win, our pay comes out of the settlement check an insurer must send you.
What should I do at the scene of an accident caused by an unlicensed driver?
You’ll want to secure as much evidence as possible for your accident claim. Contact 911 first and request an ambulance if anyone is hurt. Then, if it’s safe to move around, try to gather important details that may be cleaned up or towed away shortly as the scene is cleared. Get a lot of photos of the scene, the damage to vehicles, and any skid marks on the road surface. Show any visible injuries. Get contact information from witnesses. Note if any vehicles involved have dash cams. Jot down the locations of nearby homes or businesses that have security cameras that might have caught what happened.
Contact a Bakersfield Unlicensed Driver Accident Lawyer
If you suffered a serious injury, and an unlicensed or uninsured driver caused your accident, it’s a good idea to talk with a local lawyer. Contact us to set up a free meeting with a real attorney. You should go over your case with us before talking to any insurance company. You want to be armed with the facts before dealing with their insurance tactics meant to rob you of support.