How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost in California?

People asking what a car accident lawyer costs in California, or what percentage an injury lawyer takes, want the fee in plain numbers. Here is the structure, what this site has already said about a common range, and what Starpoint Law will and will not put on a webpage.

Direct answer. Starpoint Law takes California car accident cases on contingency: a percentage of the recovery, and no attorney fee unless we recover money. We do not bill those cases by the hour, and we do not charge a retainer or a flat fee. An older article on this site described a common contingency span of about 33 percent to 40 percent, often higher if the case is tried than if it settles early. That span is not a statute, not a cap, and not Starpoint Law's fee. Business and Professions Code section 6147 requires the percentage, and any tiers, to be written down, and it requires the contract to say the fee is negotiable. We explain the percentage for your case in a free consultation. If we don't win, you owe Starpoint Law nothing — no attorney fee and no case costs.

Talk with Starpoint Law. Call 310-424-9971 or request a free consultation. Consultations are free. There is no attorney fee unless we recover money for you. Learn more about our California car accident practice.

What percentage injury lawyers take

California does not publish one percentage for car accidents, rideshare crashes, or other ordinary injury cases. The percentage is a term you and the lawyer agree to.

The personal-injury fees article this page replaces said two things that are still the right way to read the market, and we are keeping them rather than inventing a new rate:

• Contingency fees are often described in a span of about 33 percent to 40 percent of the recovery.
• The percentage often depends on how far the case goes. A case that is tried is often a higher percentage than a case that settles before a lawsuit.

Use 33 percent to 40 percent as the question to ask: where in that span is this agreement, and does the contract move above it if the case is tried? Then read the signed agreement. Starpoint Law's percentage is the one in that agreement. We do not treat 33 percent or 40 percent as our rate card.

Medical-malpractice contingency fees are different. Business and Professions Code section 6146 sets maximum rates for those claims. A car accident is not a section 6146 case. Your contract should say the fee is not set by law and is negotiable, which is the section 6147 statement for cases outside the malpractice cap.

Tiers

Injury agreements commonly use the same tier idea as employment agreements:

• One percentage if the claim settles before a lawsuit.
• A higher percentage after a complaint is filed.
• Sometimes a further step if the case is tried.

The older fees article said lawyers who try a case typically charge a larger percentage than lawyers who settle before court. That is a description of how agreements are often written, not a promise that every trial fee lands at 40 percent. Ask which tier you would be in on day one, and what event moves you to the next tier.

Illustration only: 33 percent and 40 percent in dollars

This arithmetic uses the span already stated on this site. The $100,000 gross is a round placeholder so the multiplication is visible. It is not a settlement, not a verdict, and not Starpoint Law's fee.

• At 33 percent of a $100,000 gross recovery, the attorney fee is $33,000. The client share of that placeholder is $100,000 - $33,000 = $67,000.
• At 40 percent of the same gross, the attorney fee is $40,000. The client share is $100,000 - $40,000 = $60,000.
• The 7-point gap on this placeholder is $7,000. That is why the tier in the contract matters.

What the contract has to disclose

At the time you hire a lawyer on contingency, section 6147 requires a written contract and a duplicate signed by the lawyer and by you. It has to state:

• The contingency rate you agreed to, including a higher rate if the case is filed or tried.
• Whether related matters outside the contingency could create a separate charge.
• That the fee is not set by law and is negotiable, for cases that are not under the malpractice limits in section 6146.

If those writings are missing, you may void the fee agreement, and the lawyer is limited to a reasonable fee. Read the percentage before you sign. Negotiable means you can ask for a different tier. The lawyer can say yes or no. The term you keep is the one in the signed copy.

No attorney fee unless there is a recovery

If we don't win, you owe Starpoint Law nothing — no attorney fee and no case costs. That is the contingency. It is not a promise that the case will recover money.

What else comes out of a recovery

The lawyer's percentage is not the only subtraction. Health insurers, Medi-Cal, and medical providers may have reimbursement claims or liens. Those are separate from the fee. They can change what you take home. Ask how they are checked and paid. We will not estimate a lien on this page.

A release you sign with an insurer can end the injury claim, not only the car repair. Do not treat an early check as the measure of the fee. The fee is a percentage of whatever is recovered, so the size of the recovery matters as much as the percentage. How to decide whether to talk to a lawyer before you accept a check is covered in how to choose a California car accident lawyer.

What a free consultation means

The consultation is free. We listen to how the crash happened, whether anyone was hurt, what insurance may apply, and which deadline is shortest. You do not pay an attorney fee for that meeting. Hiring happens when you sign the fee agreement, which is when the percentage is stated.

An ordinary lawsuit deadline for an injury is two years from the crash, Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. A claim against a public entity is usually six months, Government Code section 911.2. Rideshare crashes can involve more than one policy depending on whether a trip was underway. We sort that out in the consult rather than guessing coverage limits here. If you were a passenger, see what to do after an Uber crash in California.

Questions to ask about the percentage

• What percentage applies if the case settles before a lawsuit, and what percentage applies after filing or at trial?
• Is that inside, below, or above the 33 percent to 40 percent span this site has described as common?
• If we don't win, you owe Starpoint Law nothing — no attorney fee and no case costs.
• How are medical liens handled?
• Does the contract say the fee is negotiable?

Starpoint Law handles California claims only. We represent people in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, and Orange County, and elsewhere in the state. Phone and video meetings cover the state. In-person meetings are at our Century City office, 1801 Century Park East, 24th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067, or our Sherman Oaks office, 15233 Ventura Blvd., PH16, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.

Managing Attorney Aidin Ghavimi represents plaintiffs in injury cases, including catastrophic injuries, and previously represented insurers and companies. Ilana Fine represents people in personal injury and employment cases. Read about the firm, the team, and case results. This page does not restate dollar results. Prior results are not a prediction.

Related California guides

• How to choose a car accident lawyer in California
• Car accident practice
• Brain injuries
• Contingency fees in California
• Employment lawyer cost in California, if the harm was at work rather than in a crash
• Free consultation

Questions people ask

How much does a car accident lawyer cost in California?

Starpoint Law takes California car accident cases on contingency. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover money. We do not bill those cases by the hour, and we do not charge a retainer or a flat fee. An older article on this site described a common contingency span of about 33 percent to 40 percent of the recovery, often higher if the case is tried than if it settles early. That span is not a legal cap and it is not Starpoint Law's fee. Your written agreement states the percentage, and we explain it in a free consultation.

What percentage do injury lawyers take in California?

For ordinary car-accident cases, California does not set the percentage. Medical-malpractice cases have statutory maximums under Business and Professions Code section 6146. Car accidents are not in that statute. The contract has to state the rate and has to say the fee is negotiable. This site has described a common span of about 33 percent to 40 percent. Use that only as a range to ask about, then read the percentage in the agreement you are offered.

Is the percentage higher if the case goes to trial?

Often, yes. Many agreements charge a lower percentage if the case settles before a lawsuit and a higher percentage if a complaint is filed or the case is tried. The step-up has to be written out. Ask which percentage applies to your case before you sign.

What if there is no recovery?

If we don't win, you owe Starpoint Law nothing — no attorney fee and no case costs.

Do health insurance or medical liens come out of the same percentage?

No. Liens and reimbursement claims are separate from the lawyer's percentage. They can reduce what you take home. Ask how they are paid from a recovery.

Do you take car accident cases outside Los Angeles?

Yes. We handle California car, rideshare, and other injury claims for people in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, and Orange County. The offices are in Century City and Sherman Oaks. Other California clients meet by phone or video.