Not for every fender bender. But if you were hurt, if the other side is blaming you, or if an insurance adjuster is already calling, talking to a lawyer before you sign or say anything is usually the smart move.
Here is the honest version. A minor scrape with no medical treatment and a cooperative insurer? You may be able to handle that yourself. The moment your injuries need real care, your bills climb, or fault is in dispute, the picture changes fast. Insurance companies in San Diego have adjusters whose job is to close your claim cheaply. They may offer a quick check that looks fine until you learn you need more treatment later.
California is a pure comparative-fault state, so even if you were partly at fault you can still recover, though your award gets reduced by your share. Getting that percentage right matters, and it is exactly what the other side will fight over. A lawyer also tracks the deadlines. Most injury claims in California have a two-year filing window under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and claims against a public entity can have much shorter deadlines.
At Crudo Law, Joe Crudo handles cases directly, and most personal injury matters are on contingency, so there is no fee unless we recover. Whether it started with a car accident or a slip and fall, a free consultation costs you nothing.
This is general information, not legal advice, and every case turns on its own facts.
Call (858) 622-7280 or reach us through /contact to talk it through.