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Some of the most devastating vehicle crashes are those that involve large commercial trucks. And one of the main causes of such crashes is driver fatigue. When those behind the wheel of a semi-truck, big rig, or other large commercial truck are fatigued or drowsy, they substantially increase the risk of causing a major…

Drinking and driving, or driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, impairs a person’s ability to drive safely and threatens the well-being of other motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians that they encounter on the road.  Over the last 40 years, public information campaigns such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have set out…

California is one of the top oil-producing states in the country. A lot of that production is based in Kern and Ventura counties, and provides employment to residents of those areas.  Oil field work is an inherently dangerous job. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries notes that 489 oil and gas extraction workers were…

Car accidents can happen at any time, in any place, and for any reason. Many of these collisions occur due to negligent driving behaviors, such as speeding, running a red light, or driving under the influence. Other accidents occur due to bad weather, poorly maintained roads, and sudden unintended acceleration. If you are injured…

Many Bakersfield residents rely on rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft to travel from place to place. While these services may seem safe and reliable, Uber and Lyft drivers are not exempt from accidents. If you are in a collision while riding in an Uber or Lyft, it is important to remain calm…

Child sexual abuse is a serious crime that can have devastating and lifelong consequences for the victim, and it is on the rise in many education settings. Data cited recently by The Washington Post shows that reports of sexual assault at elementary schools and middle and high schools increased more than 50 percent between…

The brain is responsible for controlling our body’s most important functions, from memory and concentration to movement and speech. If you sustain any injury to the brain, you can sustain severe, long-term damage and permanent disability. Some of the most serious brain injuries are coup and contrecoup injuries, which occur when the brain hits…

Truck accidents are physically and emotionally devastating events for those involved. Because of their size, commercial trucking vehicles tend to cause more destruction than a regular car would, so the risk of serious injury or even death goes up in a truck accident. In 2018, the most recent year for data, 5,096 large trucks…

When you encounter an emergency situation, you may try to act as a Good Samaritan and help any injured victims instead of walking away from the scene. However, our actions may end up causing more harm than good—which often opens us up to civil liability. In these situations, California’s Good Samaritan laws can protect…

Daniel Rodriguez and Chantal A. Trujillo of Rodriguez & Associates are co-representing Bakersfield, California neighbors injured by the Wildwood gas explosion. In November 2015 the California almond farm, Wildwood, triggered a fire and explosion after rupturing an underground gas line while the farm was being excavated in preparation for planting almond trees, causing personal…