California auto accident lawyers normally represent people on a contingency basis. This means that they do not charge you unless you win. When you win, they get paid by taking a percentage of the settlement or judgment.
When you retain an auto accident lawyer, you will sign a retainer contract. The retainer contract dictates the terms of payment. Some auto accident lawyers ask for the filing fee and office expenses up front (this is minimal), others do not require up front payment of costs and will take those out of the winnings.
Auto accident lawyers may ask you more about your personal life, so that they get to know your standard of living prior to the accident. Part of the compensation, whether or not there was negligence involved on the part of the person who caused the accident, is to get fair compensation for your loss of lifestyle. Some accident injuries may never completely resolve, and you should be paid for the ongoing medical care and ongoing loss of standard of living.
Emery Brett Ledger brings more than 27 years of experience to personal injury law. He founded & led The Ledger Law Firm in securing over $100 million in compensation for clients with life-altering injuries & complex claims. Licensed in California, Texas, & Washington, Emery earned his law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. His practice areas include car & truck accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, maritime claims, & mass tort litigation. He has been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100, Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Top 25, and America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys. Emery also received the 2025 Elite Lawyer Award & holds a perfect 10.0 Avvo rating with Platinum Client Champion status. His legal work has been featured on CNN, Forbes, NBC, & ABC.
