You were injured in a traffic accident in Los Angeles. The other party was evidently negligent and didn’t take enough precautions or measures to prevent the mishap from happening. California is a fault state. Even if you were partly responsible for the accident, you could still sue the other party. While anyone can file an auto accident claim, not many victims get compensated for their losses. That’s precisely when hiring a car accident lawyer in LA becomes so necessary. Before you engage an attorney, here are five critical aspects worth knowing.
- You should hire an attorney soon. As per California’s statute of limitations, you have two years to file a car accident lawsuit, and the clock starts right from the day of the mishap. If you want to recover a fair settlement, you should engage an attorney soon so that they can start working on the case. Your lawyer will ensure that the initial time after the accident is utilized effectively to gather evidence.
- You should seek advice when you are at fault. California has claimant-friendly laws and is a pure comparative fault state. This means that even when you are more at fault than the other party, you have the option to sue them. Of course, your fault share will eventually decide the final compensation you get. Because things can get murky in such circumstances, you should engage an attorney.
- Your lawyer will offer a free consultation session. Most law firms that handle personal injury claims and lawsuits in LA offer free consultations for car accident victims. You can choose an attorney, schedule an appointment, and discuss the facts of your case. You can get a fair idea of what to expect in a settlement and how the case may shape up.
- Your lawyer will not demand a fee immediately. A car accident lawyer is expected to work on a contingency basis, which means they get a share of the compensation. They can only recover that money when you win, and therefore, you don’t have to worry about paying an hourly rate. The fee of lawyers may depend on many factors, but for car accident cases, the standard norm is 33%.
- Not all lawyers deal with car accident cases. It would help if you looked for an injury lawyer who regularly takes up car accident lawsuits in their practice.
Get an attorney soon so that you can start gathering relevant info.
