Hurt in a Semi Truck Crash? Talk to a Bakersfield Lawyer Who Focuses on Accident Cases

Bakersfield Semi Truck Accident Lawyer for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

If a semi truck hit you on foot or on a bicycle, you may have a claim. Whether you do depends on the facts of the crash. Commercial truck cases usually involve more companies, more records, and more evidence than an ordinary car crash. This page explains those differences and how a Bakersfield semi truck accident lawyer at Colvin Accident Lawyers can help you weigh your next step.

Who This Page Is For: Pedestrians and Bicyclists Hit by Commercial Trucks

This page is for people struck by a commercial vehicle, and for families of people killed in one.

Commercial vehicles include semi trucks, box trucks, dump trucks, delivery vans, and buses. These crashes happen on Bakersfield streets, on State Route 99 and Highway 58, and on Kern County roads.

A loaded truck is much heavier than a car and needs more distance to stop. A pedestrian or cyclist has little protection. Those facts often lead to serious injuries.

Most people face three decisions in the first days:

• Whether to speak with the truck company’s insurer
• How to handle medical bills and time off work
• Whether to talk with a lawyer before legal deadlines pass

What Colvin Accident Lawyers Handles in Truck Crashes

Colvin Accident Lawyers handles pedestrian and bicycle claims involving commercial trucks. It also handles wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases that arise from the same crash.

• Pedestrian and bicycle injury claims involving trucks and other commercial vehicles
• Wrongful death claims for families who lost a loved one
• Catastrophic injury claims where the harm is lasting
• Review of carrier records when they matter, such as driver hours and maintenance history
• Identifying who may be responsible: the driver, the vehicle owner, the motor carrier, or others who controlled the truck or load

Carrier records can matter a lot. Federal rules require carriers to inspect and maintain their trucks and keep records of that work, as federal truck maintenance rules describe. Federal driving-hours limits also apply.

Responsibility can reach beyond the driver.

Early evidence can include nearby video, dashcam footage, crash reports, witness names, and the bicycle or clothing involved. Evidence that isn’t requested early can be lost.

Can You Sue If a Semi Truck Hits You?

Yes, you may be able to sue when another party’s careless conduct caused the crash. The facts of your crash decide whether a claim exists.

California generally allows two years to file most personal injury lawsuits, counted from the injury. The same two-year rule covers a wrongful death action. See Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. The California courts self-help guide notes that exceptions and tolling can apply.

Claims against a public entity move on a shorter clock. Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 allows two years for an action for injury to an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another, but under Government Code § 911.2, a claim relating to a cause of action for death or for injury to person must be presented not later than six months after the accrual of the cause of action. See Government Code § 911.2.

Traffic rules matter too. Pedestrians still must use due care. An early crash report or insurer’s view does not decide fault.

How the Process Works, Step by Step

The process starts with a free consultation. It then moves through evidence, investigation, damages, and either settlement talks or a lawsuit.

1. Consultation. You describe the crash, your injuries, and any insurer contact. The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.
2. Evidence. Requests for footage, records, and vehicle data go out early, because that material can be lost.
3. Investigation. The scene, police reports, and the truck’s compliance records get reviewed.
4. Damages. Medical records, bills, lost income, and effects on daily life and future work get documented.
5. Negotiation or filing. The claim goes to the insurer. If needed, a lawsuit is filed in the proper California court.

Timing matters for testing, too. After certain truck crashes, the employer must test surviving drivers for alcohol and controlled substances as soon as practicable. Alcohol testing attempts stop after eight hours, and drug testing attempts stop after 32 hours. See federal post-accident testing rules.

The timeline is set by your injuries, the insurer’s response, and whether a lawsuit is needed. No one can set a firm schedule at the start.

What Affects the Value of a Truck Accident Claim

No lawyer can predict what a specific claim is worth, since each claim turns on its own facts. Common factors include:

• Medical care received and still needed
• Lost wages and reduced ability to earn
• Whether the injuries are permanent
• Effects on family life and daily tasks
• How strong the evidence of fault is

Wrongful death claims follow California’s own rules about who may sue. A surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and issue of deceased children may bring the claim, or, if there is no surviving issue of the decedent, the persons, including the surviving spouse or domestic partner, who would be entitled to the property of the decedent by intestate succession. Certain dependent family members, such as stepchildren, parents, and putative spouses, may also bring it. See the California wrongful death statute.

Medicare can affect a settlement. Questions about Medicare can come up in an injury claim, so they are a good topic to raise during your free first consultation.

Why Work With Colvin Accident Lawyers

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a personal injury firm based in Bakersfield, California. Donald Norman Colvin is the responsible lawyer for this site.

The firm handles car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, bus, train, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases. Its commercial vehicle work sits inside that broader injury practice.

The firm represents accident victims and families in Kern County and in communities including Fresno, Visalia, Lancaster, Palmdale, Delano, and Tehachapi.

Our team helps organize records and keeps clients informed as each stage moves forward. Bring every question to your consultation, including ones you think may not matter.

Common Questions About Truck Accident Claims

Here are short answers to common questions about truck crash claims in California.

Talk to Colvin About Your Bakersfield Truck Crash

If a semi truck or other commercial vehicle hit you or someone you love in Bakersfield or Kern County, the records and footage that matter most can be lost if they aren’t requested now. Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers to talk through your crash and your next steps.