If you were injured in a car accident in Los Angeles, you can technically try to handle the insurance claim yourself—but if there’s any real injury, disputed fault, or more than minor damage, you should absolutely talk to an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer like The Law Offices Of Gerald L. Marcus first, because serious cases are complex, insurers are trained to underpay you, and multiple studies show that people with lawyers typically recover far more money than people who go it alone.

Los Angeles is one of the most dangerous places in the country to drive. Recent reports show:

• 336 people were killed in traffic crashes in the City of Los Angeles in 2024—the highest in more than 20 years, and more traffic deaths than homicides.

• Depending on the data set, LA sees tens of thousands of crashes every year, with estimates ranging from around 40,000+ collisions per year to about 110 crashes per day that cause injuries or fatalities.

Freeways like the 405, 101, 10, and 110, and busy surface streets like Sunset Blvd, Ventura Blvd, Wilshire Blvd, and Hollywood Blvd are constant crash zones.

So the real question isn’t just, “Do I need a lawyer?”
It’s: “Given how serious LA crashes have become, what’s the smartest way to protect myself and my family?”

Let’s break it down.

When You Might Handle It Yourself vs. When You Definitely Need a Lawyer

You Might Handle It Yourself If:

• It was a very minor fender-bender

• No one is injured (and you truly feel fine days later)

• Damage is purely cosmetic and inexpensive to fix

• The other driver’s insurance is cooperating and just paying for your bumper

• You’re comfortable negotiating a small property damage claim

Even then, you’re welcome to call The Law Offices Of Gerald L. Marcus at 818-784-8544 and ask questions. We’ll tell you honestly if you’re likely fine on your own.

You Definitely Need a Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer If:

• You went to the ER, urgent care, or your doctor after the crash

• You have ongoing pain (neck, back, shoulder, knee, head, etc.)

• You missed work or lost income

• You need MRIs, injections, surgery, or physical therapy

• There are multiple vehicles involved, a rideshare (Uber/Lyft), a commercial truck, or a government vehicle

• The other driver is denying fault or blaming you

• The insurance company is delaying, lowballing, or denying your claim

• You were hit on high-risk roads like the 405, 101, 10, 110, Sunset, Ventura, Wilshire, or in DTLA/Hollywood

In all of these situations, trying to “save money” by doing it yourself is usually like trying to remove your own stitches: technically possible, but very likely to backfire.

📞 Hurt in an LA crash and not sure what to do? Call 818-784-8544 for a free case review.

Why Handling a Serious LA Car Accident Alone Is So Risky

1. Los Angeles Crashes Are Bigger, Messier, and More Expensive

With dense traffic, aggressive driving, and a spiderweb of freeways, LA collisions often involve:

• High speeds

• Multiple vehicles

• Chain-reaction crashes

• Rideshare vehicles, delivery trucks, or commercial cars

• Serious injuries and large medical bills

Even a “moderate” rear-end on the 405 or 101 can lead to:

• Herniated discs

• Shoulder or knee tears

• Concussions or post-concussion syndrome

• Thousands in treatment costs and weeks or months off work

The more complex the crash, the more excuses the insurance company has to argue, delay, and underpay.

2. Insurance Companies Have One Job: Protect Their Bottom Line

Despite the friendly commercials, adjusters are trained to:

• Get you on a recorded statement quickly

• Make you say things like “I’m fine” or “I’m not sure what happened”

• Blame your injuries on something else (age, prior issues, work, etc.)

• Push quick, lowball settlements before you understand your injuries

They handle claims all day, every day. This is your first serious LA crash. The playing field is not even.

3. Studies Show People With Lawyers Typically Get Much More Money

Insurance industry and legal research has repeatedly found that injured people who hire lawyers often recover several times more than those who represent themselves:

• An Insurance Research Council study found that claimants with attorneys received settlements over 3.5 times higher on average than those without lawyers.

• Other surveys show represented clients not only win more often, but even after paying attorney fees, they usually end up with significantly larger net payouts than people who went solo.

No honest lawyer can promise a result—but the trend is clear:
Trying to “save” the fee often costs you far more than you think.

The Hidden Traps When You Handle a Claim Yourself

Here’s what most unrepresented people don’t see coming:

Trap #1: The “Friendly” Phone Call

The adjuster calls, sounds nice, and says they just want your side of the story.

Their real goals:

• Get you to agree to a recorded statement

• Get you to downplay your injuries

• Get you to say something they can use against you later

One casually phrased answer like,

“I guess I’m okay, just sore,”
can be used to argue you weren’t truly hurt.

Trap #2: Medical Authorizations That Go Way Too Far

You may be asked to sign “medical releases” so they can “evaluate your claim.”

In reality, these authorizations may:

• Let them dig into years of your medical history

• Cherry-pick old records to say your injury was “pre-existing”

• Misuse perfectly normal prior treatment to undercut your current case

An experienced LA personal injury lawyer tightly controls what they get to see.

Trap #3: Delaying Until You’re Desperate

Common tactics:

• “We’re still reviewing your records.”

• “We just need a bit more documentation.”

• “We’re waiting on our internal evaluation.”

Meanwhile, your:

• Medical bills are piling up

• Car is not properly fixed or paid for

• Paychecks are missing

By the time they finally throw out a low offer, you feel cornered—which is exactly what they want.

Trap #4: The “Fast Cash” Lowball Offer

Some insurers go the opposite direction: they move fast.

• They offer you a small check within days or weeks

• They say, “This will help you right now; you don’t want to drag this out”

If you sign a release, your case is over.
You can’t come back later for surgery, injections, or long-term problems.

Trap #5: Blaming You With California’s Comparative Negligence

California uses pure comparative negligence. That means your recovery can be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Adjusters will try to say you were:

• “Going too fast for traffic on the 405”

• “Following too closely on Sunset Blvd”

• “Not paying attention in DTLA”

Every extra 10–20% of “blame” they pin on you is money out of your pocket.

A skilled Los Angeles personal injury lawyer knows how to fight those arguments.

LA-Specific Reasons You Shouldn’t Go It Alone

Los Angeles cases have extra layers of complexity:

1. Multiple Agencies (LAPD, CHP, Sometimes Sheriffs)

Your crash might involve:

• LAPD if it happened in the city

• CHP if it was on the 405, 101, 10, 110, or other freeways

• Occasionally LA County Sheriff or other local agencies

Each has its own:

• Report forms

• Coding

• Ways of documenting fault

We know how to get these reports, interpret them, and fix errors when necessary.

2. High-Risk Roads and Interchanges

Crashes on:

• I-405 (Sepulveda Pass, the Valley, West LA)

• US-101 (Hollywood Freeway, Ventura Freeway)

• I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway, East LA)

• I-110 (Harbor Freeway)

• Busy arterials like Sunset, Ventura, Wilshire, Santa Monica Blvd

often involve:

• Heavy traffic

• Complex lane changes

• Multiple vehicles

• Disputes about who “cut off” whom

Recreating these crashes and proving fault isn’t simple, especially when everyone is pointing fingers.

3. Rideshare, Delivery, and Commercial Vehicles Everywhere

A “simple” rear-end crash might involve:

• An Uber or Lyft on the way to LAX

• A delivery van, Amazon/FedEx/UPS truck

• A work vehicle or company car

That raises questions like:

• Is there a commercial policy?

• Is the driver covered by employer insurance?

• Is there extra liability coverage beyond the minimums?

A good Los Angeles personal injury lawyer doesn’t just look at the other driver’s basic policy—they hunt for every possible layer of coverage.

4. Strict Deadlines — and They Sneak Up on You

In California, you generally have:

• 2 years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, and

• Shorter deadlines (often 6 months) if a government entity is involved.

On top of that, you usually must file an SR-1 form with the DMV within 10 days if there was any injury or more than $1,000 in property damage—regardless of fault.

Miss these deadlines and you can:

• Hurt your driver’s license status

• Lose leverage with insurers

• Completely lose your right to sue

When you hire The Law Offices Of Gerald L. Marcus, we help you stay on top of every deadline so you don’t accidentally destroy your own case.

When Handling It Yourself Might Be OK (and When It Really Isn’t)

Let’s be fair. There are situations where you may not need a lawyer for the injury part of your case.

You Might Not Need a Lawyer If:

• There was no injury at all, just a scratch on the bumper

• You had one quick exam, felt fine, and had no follow-up

• The damage is minimal and clearly documented

• The other driver’s insurer is fully paying for the repair and rental

• You’re comfortable negotiating a small property damage adjustment

Even then, it doesn’t hurt to call 818-784-8544 and simply ask,
“Do you think I need representation, or can I handle this on my own?”

We will not try to push every tiny claim into a big case. That’s not how we operate.

You Absolutely Should Not Handle It Yourself If:

• You needed ER care or urgent care

• You’re still in pain days or weeks later

• You’ve had MRIs, injections, or surgery recommended or performed

• You’ve missed work or can’t do your job normally

• You have head, neck, back, shoulder, or knee injuries

• There’s any mention of fractures, disc injuries, or nerve damage

• The crash involved rideshare, commercial vehicles, or multiple cars

• The insurer is blaming you, denying your claim, or offering insultingly low money

In those cases, the risk of going alone is enormous. That’s where The Law Offices Of Gerald L. Marcus can make a real difference.

“But Won’t a Lawyer Just Take a Big Cut of My Settlement?”

Fair question. Here’s how it actually works.

Most Los Angeles personal injury lawyers (including us) work on a contingency fee:

• No upfront cost

• No hourly billing

• We only get paid if we win money for you

• The fee is a percentage of the recovery, agreed on in advance

Because insurers know we can file lawsuits and fight, they usually take your claim:

• More seriously, and

• Value it higher, because they know they can’t just push you around

And as those studies show, even after paying attorney fees, most injured people with lawyers still end up with far more in their pocket than people who go solo.

So the real question isn’t “What does a lawyer cost?”
It’s “What is the insurance company going to cost me if I don’t have one?”

How The Law Offices Of Gerald L. Marcus Help After an LA Car Accident

When you hire us after a crash on the 405, 101, 10, 110, Sunset, Ventura, Wilshire, DTLA, Hollywood, or anywhere in Los Angeles, we:

1. Protect You From Insurance Companies

   • Take over all communication with adjusters

   • Stop annoying calls and confusing letters

   • Prevent damaging recorded statements

2. Investigate Your Crash

   • Get LAPD/CHP reports, 911 records, and any available video

   • Interview witnesses and gather photos, scene evidence, and diagrams

3. Coordinate Your Medical Care & Document Injuries

   • Help you find appropriate treatment options

   • Make sure your injuries and limitations are properly documented

4. Find Every Available Dollar of Insurance

   • At-fault driver’s policy

   • Employer, rideshare, or commercial policies (if applicable)

   • Your own UM/UIM coverage and other potential sources

5. Build a Strong Damages Case

   • Collect all medical bills, records, and proof of lost wages

   • Work with experts when needed to show future medical needs and financial losses

6. Negotiate Hard — and Go to Court if Needed

   • Prepare a detailed settlement demand

   • Negotiate aggressively

   • File a lawsuit and prepare for trial if the insurer won’t be fair

You focus on healing. We focus on winning.

📞 Injured in a Los Angeles car accident? Call 818-784-8544 now for a free case review.

FAQ: Lawyer vs. DIY After a Los Angeles Car Accident

Can I at least try to handle it myself and hire a lawyer later?

Sometimes yes—but be careful.
If you:

• Give damaging recorded statements

• Sign broad medical releases

• Accept a low settlement and sign a release

…we might not be able to fix the damage later. It’s usually smarter to talk to us early, even if you’re not sure you’ll need full representation.

What if the other driver was clearly at fault? Do I still need a lawyer?

Even in “clear liability” cases, insurers can:

• Dispute your injuries

• Attack your treatment as “unnecessary”

• Blame pre-existing conditions

• Try to reduce your claim using comparative negligence

Fault being obvious doesn’t mean the payout will be fair.

How long do I have to decide if I want a lawyer?

For personal injury in California, most car accident cases must be filed within two years of the crash, and some claims (especially involving government entities) have much shorter deadlines.

Waiting months or a year “to see what happens” can seriously hurt your case.

What does it cost to have you review my case?

Nothing.
Your consultation is free, and we’re happy to tell you:

• If you truly need a lawyer, or

• If your situation is simple enough that you can probably handle it yourself

Bottom Line: Should You Get a Lawyer After a Car Accident in Los Angeles?

If you walked away from a tiny bump in a parking lot with no pain and no medical care, you might handle that on your own.

But if you were actually injured, needed medical treatment, missed work, or were hit on LA’s busy roads and freeways… then trying to fight the insurance company alone is almost always a losing bet.

You don’t get a second chance at this.

• The insurance company has trained adjusters and lawyers.

• You have one shot to do this right.

• A good lawyer can level the playing field—and often increase your net result.

📞 If you’re asking yourself, “Do I really need a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer?” that’s your sign to call.

Call The Law Offices Of Gerald L. Marcus today at 818-784-8544 for a free, no-pressure case review and real answers about your next steps.

Don’t wait. Waiting only helps the insurance company—not you.