If you have been in a recent car accident, you are undoubtedly asking yourself whether or not you really need to hire a car accident attorney to represent you in your car accident case. Surprisingly, Mendocino County car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates says that you don’t always need the help of a car accident attorney. There are a few important factors to consider before deciding whether you need to hire a car accident attorney to represent you.
One of the first questions that you should ask yourself is whether or not liability was clear in the accident, says Mendocino County car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates. In other words, whose fault was the accident? More importantly, if the other driver was at fault, have they and/or their insurance company admitted that they were at fault. You may believe that they were clearly at fault, but if they are not admitting fault then liability – or negligence – isn’t clear. In cases where it is not clear who was at fault, you frequently need the assistance of an experienced car accident attorney. Remember, the insurance companies spend a lot of time and money making sure that they are not paying for accidents that were not the fault of their insured’s. If, on the other hand, the accident was clearly the other driver’s fault and they have admitted as much, then you may still want to consider representing yourself.
Another issue that becomes important, according to Mendocino County car accident attorney Emery Ledger, is the amount of damages that you are asking to be compensated for in your car accident case. While the goal is to settle your claim without the need to file an actual lawsuit, sometimes filing a suit becomes necessary. If you have a file a lawsuit, the maximum dollar amount that you can recover in small claims court in Mendocino County is $7500. If you are asking for more money than that then you will have to file in Superior Court. The rules in small claims court are much more relaxed and informal and are geared toward pro se (people not represented by attorneys) defendants. If you think that you may be asking for more than $7500 you should consider hiring an experienced car accident attorney to represent you so that you can be sure all the paperwork is handled correctly. For claims that total less than $7500 you may be able to handle it yourself in small claims court.
Lastly, there is the peace of mind factor. Many people simply do not want the stress and headache of dealing with insurance companies and courts. Knowing that you have an experienced Mendocino County car accident attorney on your side can give you invaluable peace of mind. If you have a relatively simple case with clear negligence and a small dollar amount, then handling the case yourself may save you money. On the other hand, if your case is complicated or you suffered a significant amount of damages in the car accident, then you should consider hiring an experienced Mendocino County car accident attorney.
If you would like a confidential and free detailed evaluation of your Mendocino County car accident case, please make an appointment with Mendocino County car accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or www.ledgerlaw.com
