The first question we get tends to be: Do I need a lawyer for my car accident?

Simply put, it is not an exaggeration to say that failing to hire an attorney could be the difference between being paid little to nothing, and a potential for life-changing money. In California, the minimum insurance bodily injury coverage, beginning from January 1, 2025, has been increased to a minimum of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. With commercial vehicles, company cars, trucks, umbrella policies, individuals with high insurance limits, there could be a potential for millions of dollars in insurance coverage for a bodily injury. That is why it is essential to get a free consultation as soon as possible after an accident to see what is available, and maximize getting paid as much as possible.

At The Injury Law Firm, LLP we specialize in injury law and offer a free consultation with our accident lawyers to analyze YOUR specific case to see what is possible, how much money you might be able to expect, and what the insurance company can be expected to pay. If you're not sure if you need a lawyer, Schedule a Free Consultation today or call us at (800) 597-5596.

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Reasons You Should Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident That Wasn’t Your Fault

The Insurance Research Council conducted a study and found that clients who retain a lawyer for their personal injury case, on average, recover 350% (3.5x) more than those who do not. This study held true by an internal study done by Lawyers.com, who found that clients were receiving, on average, net payouts of three times higher settlements than without counsel. This is especially noteworthy given that according to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2022, the average auto liability claim for bodily injury was $26,501. In other words, the difference between being represented and not is massive. The chart below from the insurance information institute states these exact statistics.

But you might still be wondering — does my specific accident need a lawyer and why? We will address this below. We have compiled this guide to explain when to hire an accident attorney, why accident attorneys are valuable to your case, and how to find the best one in California.

1. No Accident Injury Is Too Small To Neglect

One common question clients ask is whether their case is too small to take. Right off the bar, no. If you're injured in an accident that was not your fault, you're entitled to be compensated for your pains — whether the pains are minor, or major. We work to make sure you get paid the most possible for your case. Of course, every case is different, but we had one specific case that began with "I just got into an accident and have a little bit of neck pain," and fast forward six months, that client's case settled for the maximum limit of $100,000.00. Therefore, every case is worth, at minimum, seeking a legal consultation. You can get a free consultation at our law firm today by calling (800) 597-5596.

2. The Threat Of A Lawsuit Gets You Paid More

Hiring an accident lawyer also ensures that you have the constant threat of a lawsuit, if the insurance company does not pay what your injuries are worth. Please find below, some of the following benefits this would provide:

✅ Prove fault and liability – Oftentimes the insurance companies will try to lower the amount they are paying by blaming you for the car accident, saying that you could have taken steps to avoid the accident (even if it wasn't your fault). With an accident lawyer's threat of a lawsuit, insurance companies are less likely to engage in such conduct.

✅ Negotiate with insurance companies – Representation prevents lowball offers. We have had situations where the insurance company is doing nothing with the claim, but as soon as we sent a letter of representation to the insurance carrier, they pay their maximum policy limits. The threat of a lawsuit is massive for insurance companies, and it is important you pick an injury law firm that specializes in injury law because insurance carriers recognize when a lawyer is not a personal injury attorney.

✅ Maximize your settlement – Our accident attorneys run searches to see the maximum possible limits for the insurance policy, asset searches, and other investigative efforts to make sure you are getting paid the maximum possible. Without an accident attorney, it is likely that you will not know what the maximum you can recover would be.

3. Insurance and Personal Injury Law

Not only is it important that you get a lawyer, but the lawyer should specialize in injury law and should be hired as soon as possible. There are complicated laws, deadlines, and insurance loopholes with car accidents that include, but are not limited to, the below. Namely, these are all things an experienced attorney can do for you to maximize how much you get paid.

• A California SR-1 report may have to be filed with the DMV

• Insurance companies may be liable to pay you more, following a lawsuit, if they wrongfully deny your claim in accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure § 999

• Medical coordination, medical bill gathering, medical records

• Forcing insurance carriers to commit to their California Legal Duty to accept or deny claims within 40 days

• Investigations including requesting camera footage, witness statements, and police reports

• Challenging unfair denials and delays

• Taking cases to court

There are things that requires an accident lawyer to analyze - not using an attorney to navigate these processes can significantly reduce your settlement.You can get a free consultation at our law firm today by calling (800) 597-5596.

4. Insurance Companies Don't Negotiate Fairly

Insurance companies are not on your side, they do everything in their power to reduce how much they are paying you — their job is to make money, not pay you money. They may:

• Delay your claim

• Offer lowball settlements

• Pressure you into signing away your rights in exchange for a small amount

As an example, we have had numerous cases where a client has been offered nothing, or a few thousand dollars early on in their case. However, after obtaining representation, we were able to get them a 6-figure settlement with the same case because our accident attorneys value cases based on jury verdict research.

An accident attorney is necessary to ensure that you also recognize all of the types of damages that California Law provides for you to recover for. Judicial Council of California Civil Jury Instructions lists that you may recover the following non-economic, general damages:

• Past and future physical pain

• Mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life

• Disfigurement, Physical Impairment

• Inconvenience, grief, anxiety

• Humiliation, emotional distress, among other such damages.

In addition, you may recover economic damages such as:

• Loss of earning capacity

• Loss of past and future income (wages)

The above-listed general and economic damages are only the tip of the iceberg of potential legal theories that may be used in a case. Therefore, it is important that you seek consultation with an accident lawyer to make sure there is no category of damages that you suffered that is being unaddressed. When you contact The Injury Law Firm, our accident attorneys look at your case to make sure no stone is left unturned. You can get a free consultation at our law firm today by calling (800) 597-5596.

5. Injuries Aren’t Always Immediately Felt

The types of injuries we have seen in accidents are limitless. From tooth injuries, to arm pains, to back pains, to emotional suffering — we've seen it all. One of the key things that an insurance carrier looks for is to see whether the client's injuries were treated. Why? Simply because the insurance carriers look for every reason not to pay a claim. Their key arguments tend to be, "if [client] was so injured, why did they not seek treatment" or "if [client] was so injured, why did they stop treating?"

Our injury attorneys have an expansive network of doctors that you pay nothing upfront for out of pocket, and you get seen immediately. You do not have to wait for approvals, and months, to get seen by a doctor through health insurance. We get you seen, immediately.

Some injuries don’t show up immediately after an accident, including:
✔ Whiplash – Neck pain that can take days to appear — can be slight or major. Sometimes the pain comes week or even months later according to care facilities
✔ Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Concussions - this can include forgetfulness, headaches, and/or manifest in other varieties
✔ Soft tissue injuries – this can include head, neck, back, shoulder chest, knee, arm, and/or left injuries that resolve within a few months
✔ Disc herniations – This can cause numbness, tingling, and/or pain in the back, neck and/or other areas of the body
✔ Internal bleeding – Can be life-threatening if untreated

An attorney helps connect you to medical professionals that see you immediately, treat you for your injuries, ensure that you are fully healed, and you pay nothing upfront for the treatment.

6. Meeting Deadlines & Maximizing Your Settlement

In California, you have:

• 🚗 2 years to file a personal injury claim

• 🏛️ 6 months for government-related accident claims

A lawyer ensures your case is filed on time and correctly, maximizing your compensation.

7. Your Initial Claim Was Denied

Insurance companies deny claims due to:

• Lack of evidence

• Disputes over liability

• Technical filing errors

An accident lawyer can sue when the insurance company is attempting to blame you for an accident.

8. Insurance Companies May Try to Blame You

As discussed above, even if the accident wasn’t your fault, insurers might claim you were partially responsible to reduce your settlement.

California follows a comparative negligence law, meaning:
🔹 If you were 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would still receive $80,000.

A lawyer fights to ensure that the party you are making a claim against accepts 100%, or as close to 100%, of the liability.

9. Car Accident Lawyers Don’t Charge Upfront Fees

The Injury Law Firm, LLP guarantees you pay nothing unless you win. Not only that, but we offer free consultations on all cases and you may call us at (800) 597-5596 to obtain a consultation regarding your car accident case.
✔ No upfront costs
✔ No hourly fees
✔ You only pay if you win

This risk-free approach makes hiring a lawyer a smart decision.

How Much Should You Expect for Your Car Accident Settlement?

💰 Example settlement ranges:
✔ Minor injuries: $10,000 – $50,000
✔ Moderate injuries: $50,000 – $500,000
✔ Severe injuries: $500,000 – Millions

A lawyer helps calculate the true value of your case, considering:
✔ Medical expenses (past & future)
✔ Lost wages & reduced earning capacity
✔ Pain & suffering damages

Therefore, every case is different and every website that is claiming to be able to calculate your case value without speaking to a lawyer, is an outright lie. Personal injury law is complex and it involves examining what insurance coverage is available, the maximum limits, and what damages were suffered. In some cases, the emotional distress is most important, in other cases there is significant bodily harm. Every case is unique and while we provide examples like the chart above, there is no one size fits all.

FAQs About Car Accident Lawyers

🔹 How much does an accident lawyer cost?
We work on contingency — you call us, we give you a free consultation. Then you pay us nothing unless you win, simple as that. Contact our accident lawyers today.

🔹 How long does a car accident claim take?
Simple cases settle in weeks, while complex cases can take months or years—especially if they go to court. Every case is different, but what we can promise you is that we do everything in our power to make sure the circumstances move in your case soon as possible.

🔹 Can I still get compensation if I was partially at fault?
Yes! Under California’s comparative negligence law, you can still recover damages even if you were partially responsible. You will be able to recover the damages for the percent you were not at fault. Therefore, if it is a 50/50 accident, we are able to recover based on the 50%.

🔹 What If My Injuries Are Minor?
Whether you have neck pain for four weeks, or lifetime neck pain, we specialize in all injury law. Every case is worth being looked at by our accident lawyers.

🔹 Can I still get compensation if I was partially at fault?
Yes! Under California’s comparative negligence law, you can still recover damages even if you were partially responsible. You will be able to recover the damages for the percent you were not at fault. Therefore, if it is a 50/50 accident, we are able to recover based on the 50%.

Why Choose The Injury Law Firm, LLP?

🚗 Millions Recovered for Clients
🏆 Years of Experience
💰 No Win, No Fee Guarantee
📞 Free Consultation – Call Today!

📍 Contact Us:
📞 Call: (800) 597-5596
🌐 Visit: theinjurylawfirm.com/contact