Unfortunately, car accidents happen every minute of every day. If you live in the state of California then you are undoubtedly aware of this. Whether you live in a large city like Los Angeles or in one of the picturesque towns in wine country, you can’t turn on the television or the radio without hearing about a car accident. If you have been involved in one of these accidents, you will eventually ask yourself whether or not you really need to hire a car accident attorney to represent you in your car accident case. The answer to that question, according to California car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates, depends on a number of factors. The two most important factors, however, are negligence and damages.
There are situations when you truly do not need to hire a car accident attorney to represent you in a car accident case. When trying to decide whether or not to hire a car accident attorney, the first issue that you should consider is the issue of negligence. Negligence is a legal term that is used to describe fault or blame. In the state of California, the comparative negligence approach is used meaning that more than one party to an accident can be at fault. So the first question you need to ask yourself is whether the other driver is accepting the blame for the accident. If they are accepting some blame then the next question is how much? In order to handle your own car accident case, negligence should be agreed upon by the parties. If the other driver-or more importantly their insurance company- is accepting 100% negligence then you are in a good position to handle your case without the help of a car accident attorney. On the other hand, if the other driver (or insurance company) is not agreeing to negligence, or is only agreeing to partial negligence, then you may need the help of a car accident attorney to settle the issue of negligence. You cannot receive ANY compensation unless the other driver is more at fault then you were in the accident. Additionally, the amount of compensation you receive is directly related to the percentage of negligence that the other driver accepts. For this reason, if negligence is not clear, then you should consult with a car accident attorney.
The second issue that needs to be considered when deciding whether or not to hire a car accident attorney is the value of your injuries or “damages”. “Damages” in a car accident case is the legal term used for the injuries you have received. Damages can be economic such as lost wages, medical bills or car repairs or non-economic such as pain, suffering and anguish. If you suffered only minor injuries and had only minimal car repairs then you may be able to handle the case without the help of a car accident attorney. Make sure, however, that you are thoroughly checked out by a medical professional and that you do not jump at an early offer to settle by the insurance company. Many car accident injuries do not show up for days after the accident. Additionally, some internal or soft tissue injuries that do not seem significant at the time may ultimately cause you a tremendous amount of pain and suffering-not to mention medical bills- down the road. If you have ANY doubt about the extent or value of your injuries, then you should consult with a car accident attorney before accepting an offer to settle.
If you have been involved in a California car accident and would like an experienced car accident attorney to evaluate your case, please contact the law offices of Ledger & Associates for a free consultation. They can be reached at 1-800-300-0001 or you may visit them on the web at www.ledgerlaw.com
