Lost a Loved One in a Highway 14 Crash? Get Answers From Bakersfield Wrongful Death Lawyers

A fatal crash on State Route 14, also called Highway 14, can leave a family with questions they never expected to face. In California, certain surviving family members may bring a wrongful death claim when someone dies because of another person’s negligence. This guide explains who can sue, which crash types apply, what a claim can cover, and the deadlines that matter. Colvin Accident Lawyers is a Bakersfield personal injury firm. Families can contact us to discuss a fatal Highway 14 crash wrongful death claim.

What a Wrongful Death Claim Means After a Fatal Highway 14 Crash

A wrongful death claim is a civil lawsuit that seeks money for a family’s losses after a death caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongful act. California law lets a person who suffers harm from another’s unlawful act recover money damages from the person at fault (Civil Code § 3281).

A criminal case is separate from a civil claim, even when both come from the same crash. The civil claim focuses on compensation for the people left behind.

Crashes on State Route 14 are reviewed case by case. Roadway conditions, speed, lane changes, and commercial vehicles can all matter. The facts of each crash decide how the claim is built.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in California

Certain surviving family members and dependents can bring the claim. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, the claim may be brought by:

• The decedent’s surviving spouse, registered domestic partner, and children, including children of a deceased child, or, if there is no surviving issue, the persons, including the surviving spouse or domestic partner, entitled to the decedent’s property by intestate succession.
• Dependents, including stepchildren, parents, and a putative spouse (someone who believed in good faith a marriage was valid).
• A minor who lived in the decedent’s home for the previous 180 days and relied on the decedent for half or more of their support.

The decedent’s personal representative (the person who handles the estate) can also file on the heirs’ behalf.

The at-fault party may be a driver, a vehicle owner, a trucking company, or another responsible party.

Types of Fatal Crashes on Highway 14 This Practice Covers

This practice handles wrongful death claims from car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, and bus crashes. Each type raises different questions about who is responsible.

• Car crashes: head-on, rear-end, and wrong-way collisions. California law bars driving faster than is reasonable for conditions (Vehicle Code § 22350).
• Vehicle owners: an owner can be liable for death or injury resulting from a negligent or wrongful act in operating the vehicle by a person using it with the owner’s permission (Vehicle Code § 17150). Under Vehicle Code § 17151, owner liability imposed by that chapter, if it does not arise through a principal-agent or master-servant relationship, is capped at $15,000 for death or injury to one person in one accident.
• Truck crashes: more than one party may be involved.
• Motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, and bus crashes: each can lead to a family claim when a death results.

For context, the IIHS state-by-state fatality data reports California crash deaths by road-user type.

What a Wrongful Death Claim Can Recover

A wrongful death claim seeks money for the family’s losses, and the amount depends on the facts. No amount can be predicted from this page.

Survival damages work differently. A survival claim carries the decedent’s own claim. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 377.34, those damages are limited to losses the decedent suffered before death. Pain, suffering, and disfigurement are excluded. The narrow exception covers only cases granted a preference under Section 36 before January 1, 2022, or filed on or after January 1, 2022 and before January 1, 2026, so a claim filed now generally cannot include them.

Under Civil Code § 1431.2, each defendant is liable for non-economic damages only in proportion to its own fault.

Deadlines That Apply to Fatal Crash Claims

Most fatal crash claims have a two-year limit, but claims against a public entity have a much shorter early deadline.

• Two years: Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 sets a two-year limit for actions for death caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect.
• Six months for public entities: if a city, county, or state agency may share responsibility, Government Code § 911.2 requires a written claim for a death claim no later than six months after the cause of action accrues.
• Claim first: under Government Code § 945.4, a suit against a public entity generally cannot be filed until the written claim has been presented and acted on, or deemed rejected.

Early steps matter. Crash reports, vehicle data, photos, and witness names are easier to secure soon after a crash. Families should keep copies of every letter they receive from insurers.

How a Fatal Crash Claim Works, Step by Step

A fatal crash claim generally moves through these steps.

1. First consultation: share the crash date, the location on State Route 14, and any reports you have.
2. Evidence: request the crash report from the investigating agency and gather vehicle data, scene photos, and witness contacts.
3. Fault review: identify the drivers, vehicle owners, carriers, or public entities that may be responsible.
4. Family records: confirm who may bring the claim and gather the death certificate, funeral bills, and income records.
5. Claim and negotiation: present the claim to insurers or responsible parties and work toward a resolution.
6. Lawsuit if needed: if a fair resolution isn’t reached, a lawsuit is filed in the proper court. Timelines vary with the facts, the parties, and court schedules, so no fixed timeline can be given here.

Why Families Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a personal injury firm based in Bakersfield, California. Donald Norman Colvin is the responsible lawyer for this page. The firm handles car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, bus, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases.

Office staff help with intake and paperwork. Families looking for a fatal Highway 14 crash wrongful death lawyer can reach the firm by phone or through the online contact form. Your first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fatal Highway 14 Crash Claims

Families often ask the same questions in the first call. Short answers are below.

Talk With Colvin Accident Lawyers About Your Highway 14 Loss

If your family lost someone in a crash on State Route 14, the deadlines may already be running. Colvin Accident Lawyers can review the crash date, the location, and any reports with you. The firm then explains who may bring a claim and which deadlines may apply. Send a message through the contact form to start.

Colvin Accident Lawyers, Bakersfield, California — responsible for this site. Donald Norman Colvin, responsible lawyer.