Kern County injury lawyers · Valley floor to the high desert · Answering 24/7
Kern County Personal Injury Lawyer
Fog pileups on Highway 99, big-rig crashes on the Grapevine, injuries in the oil fields and orchards: Kern County's risks are its own. We help people hurt here go after full compensation. Free case review.
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Free Kern County case review
Let us know what happened and where in Kern County; an attorney looks at each request and calls you.
Key Takeaways
- Valley tule fog on SR-99, I-5 truck traffic over the Grapevine, and outdoor work in oil fields and farms drive many serious injuries here.
- Fog pileups and big-rig crashes can cause spinal and brain injuries, while oil field and farm work brings burns, crush injuries and heat illness.
- The County of Kern, Golden Empire Transit District, Kern Transit, Bakersfield and the other cities, and Caltrans usually require a written claim within six months Gov. Code 911.2.
- CHP Areas in Bakersfield, Buttonwillow, Fort Tejon and Mojave report highway crashes; city police or the Sheriff's Office cover other roads.
Why people in Kern County choose Green Law Group
Oil field crews, Arvin farmworkers and drivers caught in SR-99 fog want a straight answer fast. We give one free by phone or video, around the clock, from a founding lawyer with operating-room medical training.
- Phones answered 24/7. Call after a night shift and a person picks up.
- Free case review. Start by phone or video.
- Surgical training behind the casework. Steven D. Green trained surgeons on spine and cardiac devices in the operating room, then earned his law degree cum laude at Loyola Chicago with a Health Law certificate. He reads the records of a crushed hand or a fog pileup spine fracture closely.
- A 5.0 Google rating. That score comes from 53 client reviews.
Common causes of serious injuries in Kern County
Kern's serious injuries come mostly from high-speed highways, heavy trucks, seasonal fog and demanding outdoor work, with different hazards on the valley floor, the mountain passes and the desert.
- SR-99 through Bakersfield, Delano and McFarland. Caltrans warns that dense tule fog often covers the Central Valley in fall, winter and early spring. Low visibility leads to rear-end and chain-reaction collisions. See our car accident page.
- I-5 and the Grapevine. The interstate climbs toward Tejon Pass near Lebec and Frazier Park, where the CHP's Fort Tejon Area office and Grapevine commercial vehicle facility operate. Read about truck accident claims.
- SR-58 over the Tehachapi Mountains. The highway links Bakersfield with Tehachapi and Mojave, mixing freight with local drivers and motorcycle riders.
- Oil fields. The state's CalGEM division permits oil and gas work in Kern County. Wells, pipelines and heavy equipment can cause crush, burn and fall injuries. See workplace injuries.
- Farms and packing houses. California requires shade above 80 degrees and high-heat procedures at 95 degrees for agriculture and oil and gas work 8 CCR 3395.
Common injuries after accidents in Kern County
Kern's injuries track its highways and its jobs. Fog pileups and truck crashes bring high-force trauma, while oil field and farm work cause burns, crush injuries and heat illness. Prompt treatment protects your health and your claim.
- Spine injuries in SR-99 fog pileups. Being struck from behind, sometimes more than once, can cause delayed neck pain, back injuries and, at worst, spinal cord injuries.
- Severe trauma in Grapevine truck crashes. Fractures and brain injuries are common, and fatal crashes lead to wrongful death claims.
- Burns and crush injuries in the oil fields. Pressurized lines, fires and heavy equipment can burn, crush or sever limbs.
- Heat illness and falls on farms. Summer orchard work can bring heat stroke, and ladder falls cause fractures.
Getting your crash report
CHP Area offices in Bakersfield, Buttonwillow, Fort Tejon and Mojave write highway crash reports. Bakersfield, Delano, Shafter and Tehachapi have their own police departments, and the Kern County Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated areas and serves Maricopa.
Filing deadlines for Kern County injury claims
You usually have two years to bring an injury lawsuit CCP 335.1. If a public agency shares the blame, a written claim is due within six months Gov. Code 911.2. That rule reaches the County of Kern, Golden Empire Transit District, Kern Transit and all eleven cities.
School districts and Caltrans are included, for example when a highway defect on SR-99 or SR-58 played a part. If the agency denies the claim in writing, you generally have six months from that notice to sue Gov. Code 945.6. A child's ordinary lawsuit deadline is paused until 18, but the government claim deadline is not CCP 352. Our Claim Clock calculates your dates.
Injury cases we handle in Kern County
We represent people after fog and freeway crashes, big-rig collisions, oil field and farm injuries, falls on unsafe property and fatal accidents anywhere from Delano to Rosamond.
- Personal injury
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Premises liability and slip and fall
- Medical malpractice
- Wrongful death
- Workplace injuries and workers' comp
Wondering about the value of a crash claim? Our California car accident settlement calculator offers a quick estimate.
Cities and communities we serve in Kern County
Bakersfield is the county seat. We serve all eleven incorporated cities and the unincorporated towns from the valley to the desert.
- Bakersfield
- Delano
- Ridgecrest
- Wasco
- Shafter
- Arvin
- California City
- Tehachapi
- McFarland
- Taft
- Maricopa
- Lamont
- Rosamond
- Mojave
- Lake Isabella
- Frazier Park
Nearby counties
Kern County borders eight counties: Tulare, Kings, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Inyo. We take cases in all 58 California counties.
- Tulare County
- Kings County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Santa Barbara County
- Ventura County
- Los Angeles County
- San Bernardino County
- Inyo County
Reviewed by Steven D. Green, Esq. · Updated October 13, 2026
Client reviews
Every one of our 53 Google reviews is five stars.
“Steve and his team were always available, handled all insurance details and my questions always with complete professionalism.”
“Steven will cut right through the noise and directly tell you the objective facts, which I highly appreciated.”
“Working with Steven Green and Jen Kearney has been a very easy and smooth ride.”
Testimonials and reviews do not guarantee, warrant or predict the outcome of any legal matter. Every case is different.
Questions
Kern County personal injury FAQ
A big rig hit me on the Grapevine. What should I do first?
Get medical care, then write down the trucking company name, truck number and any DOT number you saw. Note the weather, the grade and which lane each vehicle was in. The CHP Fort Tejon Area usually handles crashes on that stretch of I-5, so keep the report number. Trucking companies move quickly to protect themselves, so call us before you talk with their insurer.
I was hurt in a chain-reaction crash in fog on Highway 99. Who is at fault?
Often several drivers share fault, especially anyone going too fast for the visibility. Under California's pure comparative fault rule, you can still recover if you were partly to blame; your award is reduced by your share. We gather the CHP Bakersfield report, vehicle data and witness statements to sort out each driver's role.
Can I file a claim after a Golden Empire Transit bus crash?
Yes, but act quickly. Golden Empire Transit District is a public agency, so a written claim is usually due within six months (Government Code section 911.2). The same applies to Kern Transit, which is run by the County, and to the City of Bakersfield. If the claim is denied in writing, a lawsuit generally must follow within six months (Government Code section 945.6).
Can I sue if I was hurt working in a Kern County oil field or orchard?
You usually cannot sue your own employer, but you can claim workers' compensation benefits. If a contractor, equipment maker or property owner other than your employer was at fault, you may also have a separate injury claim. Employers in agriculture and oil and gas must follow California's heat rules, including high-heat procedures at 95 degrees (California Code of Regulations, title 8, section 3395).
Hurt in Kern County? Talk to a lawyer tonight.
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