All the great things about San Diego—the beautiful beaches, lovely climate and great tacos—won’t seem so great if you’ve been in a car accident. Being injured or having your car totaled will ruin your day no matter where the accident happens.
If you’ve been in a wreck, an experienced lawyer can help get you back to enjoying yourself as soon as possible. We’ve put together a list of the best car accident attorneys in San Diego to help you find reliable legal help. We’ve also included some advice on how to choose the right attorney for your unique needs.
Best Car Accident Attorneys in San Diego
Gayle M. Blatt
David S. Casey, Jr.
Cynthia Chihak
Robert J. Francavilla
James P.Frantz
John H. Gomez
James R. Lance
Thomas D. Luneau
Thomas D. Penfield
Kevin F. Quinn
Car Insurance and Accident Laws in California
There are “fault” and “no fault” states for car insurance in the U.S. This means that in some states, one driver will be “at fault” for the accident and liable for damages. California is a “fault” state for car insurance.
When a driver is found to be responsible for an accident, anyone harmed—through injury or damage to their property—can sue that driver. Most often, rather than suing, the injured person will simply place a claim with the insurance company of the at fault driver
An agreement of who is actually at fault is reached by the insurance companies of the drivers involved. They will look at evidence like the scene of the accident or the police report, but the insurance adjusters from each company will ultimately decide who’s to blame and, therefore, whose insurance has to pay.
How to Find a San Diego Car Accident Lawyer
There are good and bad ways to find car accident lawyers. You could just try calling numbers you see on billboards. You could see if you can find an actual phone book and just pick your attorney based on who has the biggest ad.
Or you could find an attorney by using referrals. If this fails, you can start with an internet search. Remember, though, that you’ll need to know what to look for in a good car accident lawyer so that you can find the best fit for your case.
Seek Referrals
An excellent place to start when looking for a car accident lawyer is to ask for referrals from friends, family and colleagues. There’s a good chance that you know more than one person who has needed a lawyer in an accident case. When you find someone who has a referral, ask them specifically what they liked about working with the lawyer. This will give you a good idea of what to expect in the interaction. Also, ask about things they didn’t like so that you get a broad picture of the relationship.
If you come up short with referrals, then try searching for a car accident lawyer in San Diego online. For example, search Google and look at lawyers and law firms using reviews.
Consider both the overall rating, as well as the number of reviews to get a good read on how satisfied clients are with the lawyers.
Ask About Expertise
Ask lawyers that you are interviewing what their expertise is. While some lawyers specialize in car accident cases exclusively, others are generalists who practice personal injury law dealing with other cases such as workers’ compensation. You can work with either, but you do want to make sure that a generalist has worked on a lot of car accident cases and be sure that they know the ins and outs of the insurance game.
What Do They Charge?
San Diego car accident lawyers should work on contingency. This means that there are no up-front costs and the attorney only gets paid if they get you paid. Most contingency arrangements are for between 25-40%.
This means that if they get you a settlement or verdict at trial for $10,000 they keep between $2,500 and $4,000 depending on the terms of their representation.
Many times, the attorney’s fee is taken into account in a settlement offer.
Be sure that you understand how the contingent fee arrangement works before you agree to representation. It’s also important to remember that your lawyer cannot accept a settlement offer without your approval, so you don’t need to worry about your lawyer agreeing to a small settlement to get a quick payday.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the average settlement for a car accident in California?
How long does an insurance company have to settle a claim in California?
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