English 
Spanish Los Angeles has its fair share of car accident lawyers. However, only some attorneys will be a good fit. You want to pick the car accident lawyer and law firm that is right for you.
Below, we have created a comprehensive guide to hiring a personal injury lawyer for your car accident case.
Do I Need an Attorney?
Legally, you don’t need an attorney for a car accident claim. However, if you don’t hire a lawyer, you have to handle every part of your case on your own. Some of the legal proceedings you’ll need to handle include:
- Determining the strength of your case
- Identifying the at-fault driver and all liable parties
- Gathering evidence
- Interviewing witnesses
- Building a robust case
- Hiring and working with expert witnesses
- Determining fair compensation and negotiating with insurance companies
- Preparing your case for trial
- Representing you at trial
It can seem impossible to do any or all of these while you’re attempting to recover from injuries, care for an injured loved one, or grieve someone lost in an accident.
It’s also important to note that without legal help, you’ll need to fund all of this on your own. This can cost you thousands of dollars out of pocket. And there’s no guarantee that you’ll win your case. Typically, when you work with a car accident attorney, you won’t need to pay them until they recover compensation for you.
Know What to Look For in a Car Accident Attorney
You want to hire an accident injury attorney with experience handling auto accident cases.
Prepare Some Questions
Most auto collision lawyers offer a free consultation that allows them to learn more about your car crash and allows you to ask questions. Before your consultation, be sure to prepare some questions to ask:
- How much experience do you have handling car accident cases?
- How many types of car accident cases have you handled?
- Do you have experience filing claims against government entities?
- How often will you communicate with me? Will you receive regular updates, or will I need to chase the attorney down?
- How will you communicate with me?
- Who will be handling my case?
If the attorney can’t satisfactorily answer these questions, you may want to look elsewhere.
Look at Results and Testimonials
You want to ensure that the attorney you choose has had success with car accident cases. Look at their results to ensure they have recovered settlements and verdicts on behalf of car accident victims. If there are none on their site, you can ask them during the consultation.
Results are only one part of ensuring you’re choosing the right law firm. You also want to see what former clients say about working with the team. Look for testimonials or ask the attorney when you meet with them.
Local Experience
A local attorney may benefit your case, as they will have experience with the local courts and judges. Meeting with a local attorney will also be easier than meeting with someone 100 miles away.
Know What You’ll Pay for an Attorney
Most personal injury lawyers handle cases on a contingency-fee basis. This means you pay no upfront fees and only pay attorney’s fees if they win your case.
However, some attorneys charge retainers or hourly fees. You must know exactly what you’ll be paying for. You don’t want any more surprise costs. Make sure they review their fee agreement with you. You’ll need to know what percentage of your settlement they’ll take and if you’ll be responsible for copying fees or other administrative costs.
Don’t Ignore Your Gut Feelings
You want an attorney with experience and a history of success, but you also want someone with whom you feel comfortable. If you feel rushed or ignored during the initial consultation, you may want to look elsewhere.
Take notes if you meet with them in their office. Be sure to look around. Does the building look well-kept? Is the office staffed? You want to ensure that your attorney has the necessary resources to fund your case.
Remember That the Decision Is Yours
Remember that you have choices; you don’t need to go with the first attorney you meet with. A car accident case can take months or even years, and you don’t want to handle it with someone you don’t trust. If you are uncomfortable with the attorney or their team in any way, move on to the next law firm on your list.
Get Started With Our Car Accident Attorneys Today
We want to help you in any way we can. Call KJT Law Group today for a free consultation and post-accident legal advice: (818) 507-8525. We’ll answer any questions you may have about working with us and show you we’re the right firm for you.
