San Bernardino is one of the busiest freight hubs in Southern California, with interstates, a major rail yard and an airport all inside city limits. If you were hurt here because of someone else’s negligence, a personal injury lawyer can help you understand your claim and deal with the insurance companies. The Law Office of Brent D. Rawlings represents injured people across San Bernardino and the Inland Empire. Your first consultation is free.
Evidence disappears quickly. Truck data can be overwritten, store video is deleted and witnesses move on. We act fast to request reports, send preservation letters and document your injuries, then handle insurer communication so you can focus on recovery.
San Bernardino recorded 1,370 people killed or injured in traffic crashes in 2022 (OTS). High-risk corridors include:
CHP investigates freeway crashes, while city crashes are handled by local police.
For collisions between passenger vehicles, see our San Bernardino car accident lawyer page.
San Bernardino is home to a BNSF intermodal freight yard and San Bernardino International Airport, the former Norton Air Force Base. Semi-trucks crowd I-10, I-215 and the 210 around the clock. A truck claim may involve the driver, the carrier, the shipper or a maintenance company. See truck accidents.
In the California Office of Traffic Safety’s 2022 comparison of 61 similar-sized cities, San Bernardino ranked 3rd for pedestrian victims, with 137 people killed or injured. Wide, fast streets and long distances between crosswalks put people on foot at high risk. See pedestrian accidents.
The same OTS data counts 80 motorcyclist victims (8th of 61) and 166 fatal or injury hit-and-run collisions (8th of 61). When a hit-and-run driver is never found, your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay. See motorcycle accidents and hit-and-run accidents.
Under California Civil Code §3342, a dog owner is generally liable for bites in public places or where the victim was lawfully present, regardless of the dog’s history. See dog bite injuries.
Stores, apartment complexes and warehouses must keep their property reasonably safe. Broken stairs, spills and inadequate lighting or security can support a claim. See premises liability and slip and fall injuries.
When an accident takes a life, eligible family members may bring a wrongful death claim. Read who can file a wrongful death claim in California.
For defective vehicles, see our San Bernardino lemon law attorney page.
Serious injuries in San Bernardino are often treated at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton or Loma Linda University Medical Center, both Level I trauma centers. Loma Linda is also a Level I pediatric center. Keep every record from your treatment.
Omnitrans buses, the sbX Green Line, Metrolink and the Arrow rail line to Redlands are run by public agencies. Crashes involving these vehicles, or a county or city vehicle, usually require a written government claim within six months (Government Code §911.2).
Most claims settle with insurers. If a lawsuit is needed, it is generally filed in the superior court for the county where the injury happened. The general deadline is two years from the date of injury. Read what evidence you need for a personal injury claim.
We help clients in Downtown, the University District, Arrowhead Springs, Muscupiabe, Seccombe Park, Shandin Hills, Verdemont Hills and the Medical Center area, as well as nearby Loma Linda and Redlands. See also our Rancho Cucamonga personal injury lawyer and Riverside personal injury attorney pages.
Wherever the accident happened in San Bernardino, the first steps are similar: get medical care, report the incident, keep photos, records and receipts, and be careful about giving a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer before you understand your options.
Ready to talk? Contact us for a free consultation.
Every San Bernardino injury case depends on its facts: how the accident happened, what evidence exists, the injuries involved and the insurance coverage in place. Our approach is to learn those details first, explain the process in plain language and keep you informed at each stage.
California generally allows two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, and claims against a public agency have much shorter deadlines, so it helps to get advice early.
Answers to common questions from people injured in San Bernardino.
The driver, trucking company, shipper, cargo loader or maintenance provider may share responsibility. Driver logs and electronic data often prove what happened.
Get medical care right away, call police and note the exact location. Save your clothing and shoes, and collect witness contacts.
Usually the owner, often through a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy.
You usually must file a written government claim within six months of the injury before any lawsuit.
Generally two years from the date of injury.
Report the crash to police within 24 hours and notify your insurer promptly. Your uninsured motorist coverage may pay for your injuries.
Many cases settle within several months after treatment ends. Truck and wrongful death cases often take longer.
