Having a Los Angeles car accident lawyer on your side can help you get through this difficult time. When you hire a lawyer, you gain a team member who can fight for your compensation. You should be able to take this time to heal and recover from your injuries and damages. Let a lawyer take care of the rest.
Advantages of Hiring a Lawyer
Hiring a car accident lawyer can certainly have its advantages. They can review your claim at no cost to you to help you determine what your best plan of action will be. A lawyer can help in a variety of ways, such as:
Proving Negligence
California Civil Code (CIV) §1714 allows you to hold the at-fault driver responsible if their actions or failure to act led to an accident and caused your injuries or damages. A lawyer can gather evidence to prove the other driver was at fault. Types of evidence include medical documentation, statements from your mechanic, photographs of the damage, video surveillance, and eyewitness statements. By providing this evidence, a car accident lawyer helps show that you were not at fault in the car accident and the other driver caused your injuries.
Defining the Cost of Damages
A lawyer can help you determine how much compensation you may be entitled to receive. This process can be more difficult than it seems. A car accident lawyer can determine how much you suffered as a result of your car accident and assess your economic and non-economic damages. It can be hard to figure out how much you should be paid for damages that you cannot put a monetary value on, so a lawyer can see how the said non-economic damage affected your life and put a dollar value on it.
Building a Strong Claim
When you have a claim with evidence, proof of damages, proof of negligence, and an understanding of insurance policies, you can create an effective argument to gain compensation in your car accident claim.
Negotiating a Settlement
A car accident lawyer can negotiate a settlement offer that gives you the best possible outcome. Just because an insurance company offers you a settlement does not mean you have to accept it. A lawyer can explain to you if you should be fighting for more compensation than you have been offered. They can then provide the evidence to show how much you should be receiving instead of negotiating a settlement.
Statute of Limitations
According to the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §335.1, you have two years after your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. A car accident lawyer can help you ensure you file your lawsuit within this time frame. They have an understanding of the statute of limitations and can work with you to determine how you can go about fighting for your compensation.
Your Entitled Compensation
A lawyer can help you understand how much compensation you could be entitled to receive. If you are in a car accident, you could be entitled to more compensation than you realize. For example, some damages you can claim include:
- Medical expenses
- Vehicle damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of income
- A decrease in salary
- Domestic assistance around your house
- A decrease in your quality of life
- Funeral expenses if you lost a loved one
- Loss of companionship if you lost a loved one
These are just a few examples of what could be considered when determining your compensation. A lawyer can work with you to review exactly what you lost as a result of the car accident so you can get the compensation you deserve.
How Our Team Could Help You
You may be wondering if your car accident is worth hiring a car accident lawyer. The choice to hire a lawyer is yours to make. When you are in a car accident, the aftermath can be overwhelming, and a lawyer can be a helpful asset when it comes to fighting for your legal rights and your compensation.
A lawyer can help take a lot of the work off your hands. Our team at Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices can work with the at-fault parties along with their lawyers and insurance companies so you can focus on recovery and returning to normal life. Give our team a call at (866) 559-7223 to get started with a free consultation at no cost to you.
In addition to our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, Jacoby & Meyers Injury Lawyers serves clients across numerous California cities, including Sacramento, Bakersfield, San Bernardino, Oakland, and San Diego.