Twenty-two years ago, Daniel Rodriguez founded Rodriguez & Associates with the goal of providing his Bakersfield, CA community with a devoted and client-centered personal injury law firm to help individuals and their families through unthinkable moments in life. Today, Daniel is proud to announce the firm has signed its 5,000th case since opening its doors in 2001.
This significant milestone represents the culmination of extensive casework, detailed research, and countless court dates. As a firm built on relationships, 5,000 cases signifies the care and urgency provided to every individual and family member who walks through the door, and the team’s drive to fight for justice.
For team members like Patrick Benitez, Rodriguez & Associates’ Litigation Director, who has been with the firm since its doors first opened, this achievement is monumental. “Looking back to the beginning, we have grown so much and have been able to help an incredible amount of people through our pursuit of justice,” he says. “The long hours, extensive research, and challenges are all worth it when we take a step back and look at the larger picture which shows the impact we have made in our community.”
Phyllis Stassi, the firm’s case manager who handled the 5000th case says, “This accomplishment speaks to our level of experience, not only with the volume of cases we handle, but also the variety of scenarios, nuances, and exceptionalities that we have been exposed to through our individualized approach and close work with each client.” Like Patrick, Phyllis has experience with the firm back in its early years. She holds a tremendous amount of respect for Daniel and the culture he has developed at the firm.
Among the 5,000 cases the firm has completed, Rodriguez & Associates holds multiple record-setting verdicts and settlements, reflecting the level of expertise their team of personal injury attorneys provides across many practice areas including car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death, police misconduct, child abuse, and school shootings. Some of their most prominent cases include:
- $115,000,000 – Largest personal injury settlement in Kern County history
- $73,650,000 – Largest personal Injury verdict in Kern County history
- $70,578,289 – 2nd largest personal injury verdict in Kern County history
- $36,700,000 – 3rd largest personal injury verdict in Kern County history
- $17,500,000 – Downed power line electrocutes man
- $16,100,000 – Big rig wheel flies off and crashes into car
- $13,500,000 – School district employee runs over student
- $12,075,000 – Drunk big rig driver kills young girl
- $12,000,000 – Forklift incident that killed a truck driver
Currently, the firm is representing the family of a Bakersfield Police-involved auto accident victim, Mario Lares. Mr. Lares was killed on his way home from work on January 19, 2023, as officers pursued a stolen vehicle. This case exemplifies how evidence collection, research, and knowledge of the community can significantly impact the foundation of a case. Rodriguez & Associates examines each case individually and takes the time to research and involve expert witnesses and forensic engineers to collect the most accurate and relevant evidence and information.
Much of the firm’s notoriety is due to Daniel’s diligence when preparing for trial and his team’s determination to not back down from finding justice. Rodriguez & Associates has become known for taking on challenging cases and upholding those cases through the appeals process.
“Although [Daniel] has been practicing for 40 years, he continues to learn new techniques and new strategies. He leads by example which inspires the team to grow personally and professionally as well.”
-Patrick Benitez, Litigation Director at Rodriguez & Associates
Congratulations to Daniel Rodriguez and his team at Rodriguez & Associates for reaching 5,000 cases! This milestone achievement is a testament to the firm’s dedication to the Bakersfield community, its commitment to placing clients first, and the team’s drive to fight for justice.