Find The Best Car Accident Lawyer In Irvine (2025)

How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost in Irvine, CA?

Car crash attorneys usually charge contingency fees. These fees depend on the outcome the lawyer produces. If they win or settle your case, your car accident lawyer fees will be a percentage of your compensation.

The average percentage for a contingency fee in California falls between 33.3% and 40%. However, you will see some variation in fees based on several factors, including the lawyer’s experience, the difficulty of the legal issues and the time your case will require.

How to Hire an Irvine, CA, Car Accident Attorney

Start your search for a lawyer by gathering names of reputable attorneys. You should ask friends and relatives whether they can recommend lawyers they have used. You can also contact a lawyer referral service such as ConsumerShield to recommend an attorney.

Make sure the lawyers on your list practice car accident law. Some lawyers limit their practices to particular types of cases. For example, a premises liability lawyer recommended by your cousin might not take car accident cases.

Arrange some free consultations. Try to meet with multiple lawyers so you can compare them. Different lawyers have varying backgrounds and experiences. The best lawyer for your case will have the right mix of legal knowledge and practical skills for your unique situation.

Average Car Accident Settlement in Irvine, CA

The settlement you recover depends on many factors, including your losses and the at-fault driver’s insurance policy limits. Your losses include your medical costs and missed paychecks. More serious injuries will have a greater impact on your finances.

The typical car accident settlement amounts with injury are around $30,416. The minimum bodily injury liability coverage in California currently sits at $15,000 per victim. However, the state has passed a law to increase this minimum to $30,000 starting in 2025. This law will likely increase the average car crash settlement in California.

Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in California

You can expect to start your case by filing an insurance claim with the other driver’s insurer. You’ll include a description of the accident and supporting documents such as medical bills. The insurer will investigate the claim and determine whether to accept liability.

Your lawyer will negotiate a settlement if the insurer accepts the claim. However, insurers deny many claims. These are some possible grounds for denial:

• The policy was not in effect during the accident.
• The covered driver was not negligent.
• Your injuries did not result from the accident.

You and your lawyer can submit additional evidence or present legal arguments to attempt to overcome a claim denial. You can also file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

How Does a Car Accident Lawsuit Work in Irvine?

A lawyer will start a lawsuit by filing a complaint against the at-fault driver. The complaint informs the other party and the court of the basis for the lawsuit. A lawyer for the other driver’s insurance company will file an answer to the complaint. In this answer, they will respond to the allegations in the complaint and raise any applicable defenses.

The next phase of litigation is discovery. The parties will gather evidence for their cases, including documents like medical records and witness testimony. Witnesses, including you and the other driver, may give depositions so the lawyers can preview your testimonies.

Trials are time-consuming and unpredictable, so the lawyers will attempt to settle the case and avoid trial.

If the case does not settle, both lawyers will present their case to a jury. Your lawyer has the burden of proving the other party’s liability. This means the jury must agree that your evidence establishes that the other driver acted negligently. If you fail to prove your case, the other party wins.

Conversely, the jury will award you money if it believes you made your case and overcame the defense’s arguments. This award will cover the economic and non-economic losses you suffered because of the other driver’s actions.

Types of Car Accident Cases in Irvine, CA

You can categorize car accident cases in many ways. For example, Irvine averaged 12 fatalities each year over the past three years. Fatal accidents are different from nonfatal injury accidents. After a fatal crash, the deceased person’s family can pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. After a nonfatal crash, the injured victim files a personal injury claim.

Another way to categorize car accident cases is by the victim. Car accidents can injure motorists, motorcyclists, pedestrians or bicyclists. While the same legal principles apply regardless of the victim’s identity, these cases will involve different factual issues.

Find a Car Accident Lawyer in Irvine With ConsumerShield

The compensation you recover for your car accident claim could depend on the lawyer you hire. ConsumerShield has extensive experience helping accident victims find lawyers for their cases. Contact us for a free case review and lawyer referral.