Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyers

It is important to make a list of questions to ask your attorney prior to hiring them to ensure they will be a good fit for you and your case.

Each individual case and client has a different set of priorities and concerns. So, decide what is important to you. Do you want someone who is easy to talk to and will keep you updated on a daily basis? Are you more concerned about the fees and processes?

Here are some general topics to structure your questions around:

• Verifying background and expertise.
• What is their method for working with clients?
• Understand their investigative process.
• How do they organize and manage cases?
• How often will they be in touch with you?
• What does the attorney need from you?

In general, hiring an attorney is highly recommended when:

• The question of fault is an issue.
• You have been severely injured or someone died.
• You have extensive damages to your car.
• You are in a complicated situation (multi-car accident, uber accident, etc).

Many lawyers offer free consultations and “contingency service” meaning you don’t have to pay to contact them and seek their expert recommendations such as the team at MKP Law Group, LLP.

Of course, if there are no damages or it was a very small accident, you may prefer not to. However, seeking advice is always a best practice. Talking to an attorney can help clear up any confusion you have and help you with understanding your rights.

We know that there is nothing that can take away the pain and suffering that injured victims have experienced and may still be experiencing.

When it comes to negotiating a settlement, calculating a monetary amount to account for pain and suffering that comes with injuries is part of the formula.

Multiplier Method: This method takes the full cost of past, present, and predicted future medical bills and multiplies that by a “multiplier.” Then any other economic damages (lost wages, property damages, etc) are added onto that amount.

(Past, present, and future medical bills) x (multiplier 1.5 to 5) + (Total Economic Damages: property damages, lost wages, etc.) = Reasonable Value of Case

The multiplier method usually uses a multiplier between 1.5 and 5. That means that the minimum value of pain and suffering is worth at least 1.5 times the actual cost of repairing the injury.

Per Diem Method: ‘Per diem’ is Latin for “by the day.” This means that the formula uses a daily pain and suffering calculation in the formula for valuation. In this case there is often a value set for each day, such as $100 for each day.

In this case it is important to have a “start” date (the accident date) and a proposed recovery period that sets a final date of full recovery.

For example: There was an accident on January 1st. The injured victim broke a limb, was in a cast and then had to complete a certain amount of physical therapy. The entire length of injury and recovery time lasted until June 30. This means that the victim should get $100 for 181 days (Jan 1 to June 30) for a total of $18,100 for pain and suffering.

In sum: there are many different methods of calculation for pain and suffering.

Pain and suffering is something that must be determined on a case by case basis because the measure will be different for each individual.

If an injury has completely devastated the future potential for an individual's opportunity to get a job or function normally their pain and suffering will be dramatically different than someone who has had a serious break that subsequently healed.

It depends. Each car accident is very different and we can’t simply put a dollar amount on a case or claim without knowing the details.

Car accident attorneys work hard to investigate cases, get to know their clients, and transform the damages into dollar amounts that adequately compensate for losses. Many factors come into play in these calculations including injury severity, emotional trauma, insurance coverages, fault, and much, much more.

Considerations for valuing cases include:

• Medical Treatment Costs
• Rehab Expenses
• Home Modification Costs (Ex: Wheelchair ramp)
• Recovery Costs
• Lost Wages
• Domestic Services
• Emotional Distress
• Reduced Quality of Life
• Scarring or Disfigurement
• Severity of Injury

Often your own auto insurance may provide a solution for situations in which the at-fault driver is unidentified.

The first thing to do is make sure to properly document your hit-and-run accident. Following the accident, you must call the police so they can investigate the crash site. Call your insurance agent as soon as possible to report the crash.

If you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance, you may be eligible for recovering damages.