Is it Cheaper to Represent Myself in a Lawsuit?

Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer

The short answer is: only if you fully understand all the ins and outs of personal injury law.

Otherwise, you’d be much better off in the long run with an attorney by your side.

Certainly, in criminal cases, if you are unable to afford an attorney, you will be appointed one by the court, typically called a public defender. In civil cases, however, such as an injury claim, you do not have the right to a public defender and therefore if you desire, you may represent yourself. Just because you have the right to represent yourself, though, does not mean it is in your best interests to exercise this right.

Representing yourself in an injury case can be fraught with risks:

• The biggest risk is that you fail to follow the appropriate legal procedures in brining your case to trial and so your claim is dismissed
• You fail to meet all technical requirements to established liability with the at-fault party and so lose your case
• If you lose your case, you could be ordered by the judge to cover the costs of the other side’s attorney which can be more than what you were suing for
• If such a judgment is entered against you, it can result in having your wages garnished, a levy on your bank accounts, property liens, and other methods until you fully repay the other side’s costs

When compensation for your related expenses are on the line, you want a Los Angeles personal injury attorney on your side who fully understands how injury law functions in California. The last thing you want to be burdened with after being seriously injured is having to quickly learn all you can about injury law and court protocol. You should instead be using this time to focus on recovering both physically and mentally.

Your Compensation is at Stake

Further obstacles are presented in particular types of injury claims. Cases involving medical malpractice can be even more technical since you would be required to establish that your doctor violated the standard of care owed to you during your treatment and that you suffered as a direct result if you choose to represent yourself. These can be very difficult to prove on your own and can require expert witnesses to do so.

When you hire an attorney, you compensate them on the basis of their considerable legal training and for dedicating substantial time to putting together your claim. Representing yourself may be “cheaper,” but the chances of you recovering all that you deserve is slim without the help of a trained legal professional.

Let Jacob Emrani Handle it All

Attorney Jacob Emrani is highly-experienced personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles who has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for his injured clients over the years. You can trust that he will do everything he can to ensure you are treated fairly by the legal system.

To learn more, call The Law Offices of Jacob Emrani at (888) 804-6766 today to set up an evaluation of your case at no charge.