If you Need a Lawyer, Here are the Facts About Finding a Car Accident Lawyer in Victorville

Following a crash in Victorville, CA, most people wonder whether they need to hire a car accident lawyer to help them with their claim. You should know that not every case needs the assistance of an attorney to get the matter resolved.

3 Examples When You Don't Need to Hire a Car Crash Lawyer

Here are some examples of situatitons where an injury attorney is not necessary (with the exception of unusual circumstances):

The Car Accident Caused Only Property Damage and Did Not Result in Any Injuries to the Occupants of the Car

In these situations, if there is insurance coverage to help pay for the repairs of the vehicle, then the process is relatively easy to get the vehicle repaired and have an insurance company pay for the repairs of the vehicle.  Unless you are having difficulty with getting the car repaired or the insurance company is not dealing with you fairly, then an attorney is not necessary.

The Car Accident Was Caused by You

So long as you have insurance coverage (which is required by law), if you are involved in an accident, and you were entirely at fault, your best move is to report the collision to the insurance company and have them handle it for you.  They will hire and pay for an attorney if one is necessary to help resolve the claim.  If you did not have insurance, then you may have to hire an experienced car accident attorney at your own expense to help protect your interests.  Many times, if a driver is uninsured and the opposing party secures compensation from their own insurance, there may be a lawsuit filed to collect from you for the amount they paid to repair the vehicle and for any personal injury claims.  

Your Injuries Were Very Minor and Were Resolved Within a Few Weeks

Injury claims that are not significant can often be resolved with a few phone calls and the submission of your medical expenses to the insurance company.  If you just need your medical expenses paid for and maybe a small amount for the inconvenience, you should be able to resolve the matter without the need for an attorney.  Insurance companies are generally willing to pay a small amount to resolve a small case.  But be cautious and don't necessarily accept the first offer.  Negotiate for a fair resolution.

WITH RARE EXCEPTIONS, ALL OTHER TYPES OF CAR ACCIDENT CLAIMS SHOULD BE REVIEWED WITH AN EXPERIENCED PERSONAL INJURY CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY!

Once you have decided you need to consult with a car accident lawyer, also known as a personal injury attorney, what steps should you take to find the right attorney for you?

5 Steps to Help You Find a Car Accident Lawyer in Victorville You Can Trust

Finding and hiring the right car accident attorney in Victorville, CA, can be a challenging process since there are many personal injury attorneys to choose from.  You will find them on billboards, television, radio, and the Internet.  There are more personal injury attorneys that just about any other type of lawyer.  The sheer volume of available attorneys can make the selection process even more complicated.  Here are some suggestions on how you can go about the process of finding the right car accident lawyer for you.

Start by Looking for an Attorney Local to You

If your attorney is near your home or place of work, your interaction is more convenient for you.  Knowing your attorney is available to you is comforting when you are dealing with the experience of recovering from a car accident.

Make Sure The Attorney You Hire Has Experience in Your Type of Case

Research the attorney and his or her experience.  Ask questions of the law firm to make sure they handle your type of case and make sure to look at results from previous clients.  Experience matters.  Not only experience in handling the settlement of a car accident claim, but also experience in the courtroom.  Knowing that your attorney has the ability to take your case to trial is critical to securing the best value for your case.  Insurance companies know which attorneys will try cases and which will not.  They also know which attorneys are good at trial and which will rollover when they get pushed around by the defense attorneys.  Pick an attorney that will put you first in making decisions on your case.

Carefully Review The Legal Services Agreement - They Are Not All The Same

Most personal injury lawyers offer an initial free consultation to review your case.  Thereafter, if you and the attorney agree to work together, you will enter into a legal services agreement.  Most of these will be on a contingency fee basis.  This means that the attorney gets a percentage of the recovery they can recover for your injuries.  The reason this is a good arrangement for a car accident victim is that you did not have to pay the attorney for legal services at any time, unless payment is received from the opposing party or the insurance company.  Some lawyers might asked for the advancement of out-of-pocket costs.  If that happens, move on to another attorney because most will advance costs for your case. 

The percentage amount you pay to a personal injury lawyer can vary between attorneys.  Understand the details about the costs associated with hiring an attorney.  The cheapest attorney may not be the best choice for you.  The most expensive attorney may be equally bad for your case.  Some attorneys will try to lure you in with low introductory rates if a case settles within a few weeks or months, then the rates rise based upon various events, such as time periods or filing suit, etc.  Others have one or two rates that apply to a case.  Know that amount you will be charged, but most importantly, make sure you feel good about the lawyer and his team you hire, because you will need to work with them for the foreseeable future while your case is pending.

Ask Lots Of Questions Upfront So There Are No Surprises

There are no dumb questions, except the one that was never asked.  By asking questions, you learn about the law firm more than you could by looking online or asking others.  If you are concerned with the answers you are receiving, or you are getting unrealistic promises, go talk to another law firm.  Beware of the law firm that will tell you upfront the value of your case.  They cannot know the true value of the case early in your recovery or early in your claims process.  To answer that question accurately, there is a lot of information that is needed.  There are a lot of variables that have to be explored to understand the true value of your claim.

Bigger Is Not Always Better When Hiring a Car Accident Attorney

Some law firms will tell you that they are the biggest, or they are the best law firm, or they are the number one law firm or that they have the most cases.  If you want to be just a number and have no personal touch to your case, hire that billboard attorney or the law firm that has a hundred "case workers" that are mindlessly processing hundreds of claims per year, and they are under the expectation of getting a certain number of cases settled every month or every quarter.  If you would rather develop a relationship with your attorney and know that your attorney and his staff know you as a person and your specific needs, bigger is not always better.  If your law firm requires the benefits a larger firm can provide your case through funding or trial experience, without any additional costs to you, a larger firm can be brought in to assist.

Now That You Know What You Need to Do to Find an Auto Accident Attorney, Here Is Why The Inland Empire Law Group Should Be Your Top Choice

Location

We are in the Inland Empire in Southern California and are capable of handling cases throughout Southern California, especially in San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties.

Experience

As of 2023, David Ricks, the principal of Inland Empire Law Group has over thirty-five years of personal injury litigation experience, including many successful auto collision trials, and having handled hundreds and hundreds of car accident cases to successful resolutions, you can be assured that your car accident, motorcycle, or truck accident will be handled competently and successfully. We are not afraid of trial, and we are prepared to do battle with an unreasonable insurance carrier.

Clear Legal Services Agreement

Our office believes in using a very simple legal services agreement that benefits our clients.  We utilize a one-third contingency agreement with one modification once the case nears trial where the fees are raised slightly to forty percent.  All costs are advanced by our firm, and we don't play games with our clients by manipulating a fee agreement with multiple trigger dates for raising fees against the client's interest.

We Answer Your Questions

We are prepared to answer all your questions.  We are not afraid of questions because we want our clients to be highly educated and know what they are to expect as we proceed forward with your case.

We Are Small in Size, But Big in Results

We are going to provide you personalized service and will handle your case personally.  If we determine that additional counsel is necessary to assist in securing you the best result, with your permission, we will coordinate with another law firm without additional cost or fees to you.  You are our highest priority.

Contact Our Victorville Car Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation

If you have been involved in a car accident in Victorville or in any other city of the Inland Empire, contact the Inland Empire Law Group for a free consultation. We can answer any questions about recovering damages after a car accident and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. To schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation, contact us online or call our office at 909-481-0100 or toll-free at 888-694-3529.