When you’ve been hurt due to someone else’s negligence in Los Angeles, you’ll need a personal injury lawyer. Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, or you’ve slipped and fallen in an office building, you need an experienced attorney to help with medical treatment.
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Looking for the best personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles can be daunting, with hundreds fighting for your attention on billboards, radio stations, and now on social media. We’ll give you tips on what to look for when finding a personal injury attorney, and how to know whether they’re the right fit for you.
What does a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles do?
Los Angeles personal injury lawyers make sure that people who are injured due to negligence receive the compensation they deserve. Many who are injured in slip and fall accidents, car accidents, fires, and more don’t often realize that their injuries can often be the cause of negligence. Whether a company failed to securely fasten products that fell onto someone, or a building had wet floors without proper signage, a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can assess your case and tell you whether you’re entitled to monetary compensation.
A good Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can provide legal representation to people who have also been hurt psychologically as a result of the negligent or wrongful actions of another person, company, government agency, or other entity.
Personal injury lawyers typically handle a wide range of cases, including medical malpractice, slip and fall accidents, and wrongful death. The main goal of a personal injury lawyer is to help their clients obtain compensation for the injuries and damages they have suffered as a result of the accident or incident in question. This may include pursuing damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
What qualifies as a personal injury in Los Angeles or California?
In California, a personal injury is any physical or emotional injury that is caused by the negligence or wrongdoing of another person or entity. This can include a wide range of accidents, such as car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and medical malpractice. To qualify as a personal injury in California, the injury must have been caused by someone else’s negligence or intentional harm, and it must have resulted in physical, emotional, or financial harm to the person who was injured.
If you have been injured in California and believe that someone else was at fault, it is important to speak with a qualified personal injury attorney who can help you understand your legal rights and options.
How to find a good personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles
Finding a good personal injury lawyer has several criteria: you get a free consultation, you’re made to feel welcome and comfortable, and the lawyers stay in regular communication with you when necessary.
Most lawyers will give a free consultation because many work on a contingency basis in the personal injury space. This means you don’t pay anything up front and the lawyer will decide whether to take your case. If they decide to sign you, that’s a good sign–they’re confident they can settle or win your claim so you get treated and compensated.
Any personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles can probably do a decent job on your personal injury case, which is why we added customer service as part of criteria. Making you feel comfortable and understood is important to your well-being, especially after you’ve already experienced a traumatic event and sustained injuries.
Look for a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles that cares
Make sure you find a law firm and injury attorney that makes you feel welcomed from the start–as soon as a receptionist answers your call, you should know within seconds if it’s the right place for you.
A good lawyer will educate and inform you of your case and other cases they’ve handled similar to yours. They’ll also update you regularly with the status of your case so you don’t go weeks at a time without hearing a word.
Progress on personal injury cases can be slow, especially with insurance companies doing everything they can to avoid paying out, but at the very least a great attorney will check in on you to see how you’re doing.
How much is the typical fee for Los Angeles personal injury lawyers?
As we mentioned earlier, personal injury attorneys don’t typically charge a fee right away. Instead, they work using a contingency fee, meaning you don’t pay the lawyer until they win or settle your case.
Personal injury lawyers get their fee as a percentage of the settlement or lawsuit in your case. This is why some attorneys are selective in whom they choose to represent. So you can rest assured that if an injury attorney has decided to take on your case, the likelihood that you’ll win a settlement or lawsuit from it is that much higher.
What percentage do most Los Angeles personal injury lawyers take?
Personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles can take anywhere between 33% to 45% of settlement and lawsuit fees depending on the case.
The more work, time, and complexity a case takes, the higher the fee. While it sounds like injury attorney fees are high, lawyers take a big risk in taking on cases that may sometimes not pay out as much as first expected.
Is a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles worth it?
If you decide to take on the insurance companies yourself, there is an even greater risk of not getting enough to cover your basic medical expenses. Or worse, the other party’s insurance company might blame you for your own injury and try not to pay anything at all.
You definitely want a good attorney to cover your medical expenses, loss of wages, and other things that cause you pain and suffering.
It can be worth it to hire a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer if you have been injured and are seeking compensation for your injuries. A personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the legal process and fight for the compensation you deserve. They can also provide valuable guidance and support throughout the claims process. Additionally, a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options and can represent you in negotiations with insurance companies and in court, if necessary.
Hiring a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can give you peace of mind and can help ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
What if you want to fire your personal injury lawyer?
Occasionally, although not often, you might find yourself very dissatisfied with your lawyer’s performance or attitude. Are you obliged to stay with your current lawyer? Absolutely not!
You can–and should–fire your attorney if you find that you are not getting along during the course of your case.
Most personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles know that there is a risk of a client firing them if they don’t provide the best service they can, so this is a rare occurrence.
If you end up firing your current attorney to find a better one, it’s important to know that a new attorney might be less inclined to take on your case if they have to give a huge share of the fees to the first attorney. This is why it’s important to find the best personal injury lawyer you can connect with the first time around.
You can fire your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer by sending them a letter terminating their services and explaining the reasons for your decision. Keep in mind that you may be responsible for paying any fees or costs that the lawyer has incurred up until the point of termination. It is always a good idea to discuss your concerns with your personal injury lawyer before making a decision to terminate their services. If you are unable to resolve your concerns through communication with your lawyer, you may want to consider seeking legal advice from another lawyer or a legal aid organization.
Where to find the best personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles
Your first instinct might be to search Google for the best injury attorney you can get in Los Angeles. And this isn’t a bad start. You may also want to check with your network to see if any friends or family members know of a good attorney. The beauty of word-of-mouth is that most people won’t recommend products or services they’ve had bad experiences with.
Depending on the situation, you may also want to find a lawyer who understands your community and the nature of your accident. For example, there are plenty of motorcycle accident lawyers who actually ride motorcycles themselves. Who better to ask than someone who understands your passion?
Otherwise, call around and get a feel for how you’re treated from the minute someone answers the phone. Again, a good injury attorney doesn’t just handle all the legal and technical aspects of your case, but also your general well-being. Injuries sustained from car accidents, burns, or falls are traumatic and potentially life-altering. The last thing you want is to have a lawyer who makes you feel worse.
How long will my Los Angeles personal injury case take to settle?
Your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will give you an idea of how long your particular case might take based on previous cases similar to yours. Of course, there are a lot of factors that can come up throughout the course of investigation and negotiations.
The amount of time it takes to get settlement money in a personal injury lawsuit can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the complexity of the case, the severity of the injuries, and the willingness of the parties to come to an agreement. In general, it can take several months to a few years for a personal injury lawsuit to be resolved and for the settlement money to be paid out. It’s important to keep in mind that every case is different and the amount of time it takes for a lawsuit to be resolved can vary. It’s best to discuss the specifics of your case with a personal injury lawyer who can provide more information.
What if I sustained a Los Angeles personal injury and can’t work or pay bills?
If you are waiting for your injury lawsuit to settle, there are a few options you can consider for money in the meantime. One option is to see if you are eligible for any government assistance programs, such as unemployment benefits or disability payments. You can also try to borrow money from friends or family, or to see if you can get a loan from a bank or credit union. You may also be able to negotiate with your creditors to get some relief on your bills, or to set up a payment plan. It’s important to carefully consider your options and choose the one that is best for your situation.
Although they can be costly, lawsuit settlement loans may also be an option. Funding can take place very quickly and the loan institution understands that lawsuits and settlements can take months or years to settle. Your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will typically advise you on how these types of loans work and whether it’s worth securing one. The loans can occasionally be described as predatory: interest rates can range between 20% to as high as 60% in some cases because the loan institution knows they will likely get paid back, and in some cases settlement amounts can be high.
Unless it is absolutely necessary, consider a settlement loan as a last resort and try borrowing from family, opening low interest rate credit cards, or try securing a personal loan.
Is there a statute of limitations on my Los Angeles personal injury case?
Yes. There is a statute of limitations on personal injury claims in California. You have two years from the date of injury to file a claim in court for a personal injury in Los Angeles. If the injury didn’t develop immediately and was discovered later, you have one year from the date of discovering the injury to file a claim.
Because it is time sensitive, you should hire a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer immediately once you are injured or discover your injury. Many of these injuries can be debilitating or affect your quality of life. You’ll want to get medical treatment right away so that you recover faster and avoid possible long-term effects or added injuries from your initial accident.
Even if you feel like your injury isn’t serious, you should still consult with a lawyer. It can often take days, weeks, or sometimes even months before the true nature of your injury manifests itself. By then, there may be irreversible damage.
The worst situation you could be in is to find that your injury had become more severe or even unbearable well after the statute of limitations. Contact a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer sooner than later to see if you have a claim or case before your injuries get worse.