Hurt in a Rear End Collision? Talk to Colvin Accident Lawyers.

A rear end collision injury lawyer in Bakersfield can explain how an injury claim works after one vehicle hits the back of another. In California, an injured person may seek money for medical bills, lost income, and other losses, but every claim depends on its facts. This page covers who can bring a claim, common injuries, how fault is proven, what a claim can include, and what happens next. Colvin Accident Lawyers is based in Bakersfield and offers a free first consultation.

What a Rear End Collision Injury Claim Is and Who It Helps

A rear end collision injury claim seeks compensation after one driver crashes into the back of another vehicle and someone is hurt. These crashes often happen at stop lights, in slow traffic, or when a driver brakes hard. Even a low-speed impact can cause real injuries, even when the cars look only lightly damaged.

A claim may be brought by:

• People in either vehicle, including drivers and passengers, can be hurt in a collision.
• Pedestrians and bicyclists can be struck from behind by vehicles.
• Family members of someone killed in a crash often have questions about what happens next.

It helps to separate two kinds of claims. A property damage claim covers the vehicle, such as repairs or a rental car. An injury claim covers the people hurt, including medical care and lost income.

Rear end crashes happen on Bakersfield city streets and across Kern County roads. This guide is written for people who were hurt, and for family members acting on someone else’s behalf.

Common Injuries in Rear End Collisions

Many rear end injuries are soft-tissue injuries to the neck and back. Symptoms can appear hours or days after the crash, so early care matters.

Common injuries include:

• Neck and back strains and sprains, including whiplash
• Head injuries, such as concussion, where symptoms may show up later
• Injuries from airbags, seatbelts, or impact with the steering wheel or dashboard

The neck holds the cervical spinal nerves, labeled C1 to C7. According to the NINDS spinal cord injury overview, these nerves control signals to the back of the head, the neck and shoulders, the arms and hands, and the diaphragm. The same source notes that an injury to the spinal cord between C1 and C4 can stop breathing.

That is why even a crash that feels minor deserves prompt medical evaluation. Medical records do two jobs. They support your health, and they document how the crash led to your symptoms. Keep every appointment note, prescription receipt, and imaging report.

Proving Fault in a Rear End Collision in California

Under California law, a person who fails to use ordinary care and injures someone can be responsible for that injury. Civil Code § 1714(a) states this general duty. In a rear end case, the key questions are usually whether the rear driver stopped in time, followed too closely, or was distracted. Fault in a rear-end collision is not always one-sided, and the facts of each crash matter.

If a court found you 30% at fault, your damages would be reduced by 30%.

Situations that can shift or divide fault include:

• A sudden, unexplained stop or a cut-in
• A chain-reaction crash involving several vehicles
• Brake or mechanical failure
• A staged or intentional impact
• Conduct by a commercial truck or bus driver

Evidence that helps show what happened includes the police report, photos of both vehicles and the scene, damage patterns on each car, dashcam or traffic camera footage, witness statements, and vehicle data.

What a Rear End Claim Can Include and What Affects Its Value

A rear end claim can seek economic losses, non-economic losses, and property losses. Economic losses are objectively verifiable monetary losses, such as medical expenses, lost earnings, and loss of use of property, under Civil Code § 1431.2. Non-economic losses are subjective, such as pain, suffering, emotional distress, and loss of companionship, under the same section.

California law measures damages as the amount that compensates for all detriment proximately caused by the wrong, as stated in Civil Code § 3333. Damages can also cover detriment that will certain occur in the future, under Civil Code § 3283. Where more than one defendant is at fault, each one’s share of non-economic damages is limited to its own percentage of fault.

Factors that commonly affect value include:

• How serious the injuries are and how well they are documented
• Gaps in treatment
• Prior injuries or pre-existing conditions
• Disputed fault
• Insurance policy limits

No lawyer can say what a claim is worth before reviewing the medical records, the crash evidence, and the fault issues. Any average figure is not a promise about your case.

How a Rear End Injury Claim Typically Works, Step by Step

A rear end injury claim usually moves from medical care to evidence, insurance talks, and, if needed, a lawsuit. Each claim differs, but most follow this general order.

1. Get medical care. Keep every record, bill, and appointment note.
2. Write it down. Log symptoms, missed work, and daily tasks you can’t do.
3. Preserve evidence early. Save photos, the vehicle’s location, and the other driver’s details. Evidence can be lost over time.
4. Be careful with insurers. Adjusters may ask for a recorded statement. A free consultation can help you plan what to say.
5. Investigate and negotiate. The claim is investigated, a demand is made, and the insurer responds. If the claim doesn’t resolve, a lawsuit may be filed.

One crash can carry two different deadlines, so confirm both dates early.

Why Injured Bakersfield Residents Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers

Colvin Accident Lawyers is based in Bakersfield, California. Here is what you can expect from the practice.

• The lawyer: Donald Norman Colvin is the California lawyer responsible for this practice.
• The team: Our team includes assistants and office staff who support the work of the practice.
• Practice areas: Car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, bus, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death matters. Rear end collisions are car accident claims.
• Where we serve: Kern County and nearby communities, including Fresno, Visalia, Lancaster, Palmdale, Delano, and Tehachapi.
• First consultation: Free, confidential, with no obligation to continue.

No lawyer can promise a particular result, and this page does not claim one. What the first consultation offers is a clear look at your facts.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rear End Collision Injury Claims