San Diego, CA: When Do You Need a Car Accident Attorney?

Car accidents happen all the time – and knowing when you need legal assistance and when you don’t can be confusing. If you’ve been in an accident in San Diego and you’re wondering if you need to call a personal injury attorney or not, keep reading!

What Does a Car Accident Attorney Do?

A car accident attorney helps you get you achieve the compensation that you deserve by

• Helping you understand your rights
• Defending you against insurance companies and the other driver’s attorneys
• Helping you avoid settling for a compensation amount that is too low
• Preventing you from being considered at-fault for an accident that you didn’t cause
• Negotiating with insurance companies
• Investigating your case completely
• Interviewing witnesses, experts, and relevant professionals
• Gathering all possible evidence in your favor
• Successfully building your claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company
• Analyzing all of your damages, both past and future.
• Making sure that your compensation claim covers all the expenses that the accident has or will cost you.
• Estimating your non-monetary damages, such as the emotional impact of the accident, and what your corresponding compensation should be.
• Preparing a settlement demand letter
• Filing a lawsuit if needed
• Representing you in court if needed.
• Making a difficult situation easier and less stressful.

If you’re concerned about your case being “too much trouble,” remember that a car accident attorney can do the heavy lifting for you! When experienced attorneys are involved, many car accident cases are settled before ever going to court. In fact, with an attorney’s negotiating help, settlements can often be reached even before needing to file a lawsuit! Don’t let the perception of your case being a “hassle” keep you from getting the justice you deserve!

An attorney can help you win the compensation you’re entitled to and ensure that you’re not cheated – without the extra headache of trying to figure out everything on your own.

Situations Where You Need a Car Accident Attorney

• You’ve suffered a serious injury in a car crash. Remember that the more your injuries might cost you, the more insurance companies are going to try to “lowball” you to get out of paying what’s fair. And also know that “serious” injury can be something as seemingly mundane as a broken bone or joint fracture. Even injuries that are far from life-threatening and that will heal relatively quickly and easily can still be exorbitantly expensive and can prevent you from making an income and otherwise impact your life in significant ways!
• You’re not sure how serious your injury is or you’re not improving. This could be a sign that there are many more expenses down the road!
• You are struggling to receive the recovery you feel you deserve from insurance adjusters
• You’ve received a settlement offer from your insurance, but it isn’t enough to cover your injury expenses.
• Your insurance company is not taking your injuries seriously.
• You are being blamed for an accident when you were not at fault
• The other driver was drunk, distracted, or drove recklessly, resulting in injuries
• You’ve missed work because of the accident
• Someone in your car was killed in the accident

Important Tips to Keep In Mind

• Just because you think you aren’t injured doesn’t mean that you’ve avoided serious injuries or the high costs that come with them. Your injuries just might not have started showing symptoms yet. Don’t rule out serious injuries after a car accident. That other driver might have cost you more than you think!
• Even if you think it’s obvious who caused the accident, don’t put it past the other party to make up an argument that tries to shift the fault to you! You should always protect your best interests by being prepared to defend your side of the story!
• Don’t waste time wondering if you need legal help. In California, you only have a short window to file a personal injury case – which means you only have a short window to defend your case, whether you’re trying to recover compensation for your damages or you’re trying to keep from having to unfairly pay damages to the other driver for an accident that wasn’t your fault. If you’re at all in doubt, call a San Diego car accident attorney right away! Your future could depend on it.
  • The California statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of the accident (or the date of the death) to file a personal injury or wrongful death case. If you were injured by a government employee, you only have six months from the date of the accident, according to Nolo.

When you’re in doubt about your car accident case or are concerned about getting the compensation you need, call a car accident attorney!