Viable Cases for the Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles

by | May 20, 2013 | Lawyer

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Many auto accident victims with serious injuries wonder whether or not it is worth it to hire a Car Accident Lawyer Los Angeles. A lot of victims have heard that auto accident cases involving injuries can be difficult to win. That is certainly true, especially if the victim was partially responsible for the accident. The insurance company for the other motorists involved in the accident will probably fight hard. However, injured auto accident victims should not assess the viability of a case on their own. Instead, victims should get a free initial consultation from a car accident lawyer. The lawyer can determine whether or not the case is viable or not.

During the initial consultation with a Car Accident Lawyer Los Angeles, the attorney will look for a number of things. First of all, the attorney will determine whether or not the victim was partially or completely negligent in the accident. If the victim was partially negligent for the accident, then the settlement or jury award may be significantly reduced. If the amount of negligence is over 50%, the victim will get nothing. Secondly, the accident attorney needs to determine whether or not the injuries claimed are consistent with the accident. Insurance companies often claim that injuries existed prior to the accident. That is why it is important to make sure that the injuries did come from the accident.

If the auto accident attorney chooses to accept the case, it will likely be on a contingency basis. That means the attorney will not be paid anything unless the victim wins the case in a jury trial or reaches a settlement with the insurance company. Most auto accident cases are eventually settled out of court. In either case, the attorney will get a substantial portion of the settlement or jury award. Victims should keep in mind that health insurers are also entitled to a share of the settlement, but the size of the settlement can be increased to compensate for medical expenses incurred by the health insurance plan. If the victim loses the case, the victim owes nothing to the attorney. Because of this, lawyers generally take cases on a contingency basis only when there is a good chance of winning. This is a good way for injured auto accident victims to determine if their case is viable or not.