Can My Lawyer Cover the Deductible to Fix My Car?

No one wants to get in a car accident, yet it’s an experience many of us will have at some point in our lives. Car accidents happen for all kinds of reasons, and insurance companies offer various forms of coverage to protect you in case of an accident. Coverage, however, comes at a cost that you may not be able to afford at the time of your accident. Specifically, we’re talking about deductibles, which is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before your insurance company pays for damages. For example, let’s say it will take $4,000 to repair your car after an accident. If your deductible is $500, that’s the amount you would have to pay before your insurance covers the remaining $3,500.

Unfortunately, drivers run into problems when they’re faced with high deductibles, usually $1,000 and above. It’s even higher for Uber and Lyft drivers – $2,500 to be exact – who have specialized insurance for rideshare drivers. This is a big sum for anyone to come up with at once, even more so if ridesharing is your primary source of income.

If you are in this situation, you’re probably thinking about your options for how to cover the deductible. You may have even asked yourself, “Is this something my lawyer can help me with?” In that case, you’ve come to the right place, whether you just had an accident or you’ve already filed a claim. Keep reading to learn more about getting help from an attorney if you can’t pay your insurance deductible.

There’s a good chance you have other questions regarding your rights and legal options as a car accident victim. Our lawyers can assist you with any type of auto insurance claim, including accidents while driving for Uber of Lyft. Contact Normandie Law Firm and schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
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Can I Ask my Lawyer to Help me with the Deductible to Fix my Car?

Yes, you can ask your lawyer to help you with your insurance deductible.

According to California laws governing attorney – client privilege, “a lawyer may after the lawyer is retained by the client, agree to lend money to the client based on the client’s written promise to repay the loan.” In other words, a lawyer can put up the money for your deductible, which will allow you to get your car repaired while waiting to recover the full value of your losses. There must be a written agreement detailing the arrangement, including how the loan will be paid back to the law firm. As long as that’s in place, there is nothing to stop your attorney from paying your deductible.

So if that’s the case, why won’t your lawyer help you with the deductible?

Why is my Lawyer not Helping me to Fix my Car?

State laws allow attorneys to lend money to clients for “reasonable” expenses, like basic living costs and deductibles to repair a car you need for work. But the old saying “Ask and you shall receive” does not apply to insurance deductibles between lawyers and clients. Whether or not to loan money to a client is at a lawyer’s discretion, and frankly, many of them refuse to do it.

As for why they refuse, here are two possible reasons:

• Conflict of interest

If your lawyer helps you with the deductible, they have a greater interest in the outcome of your case than they did before. Basically, they want to recoup the money as soon as possible, and that can lead them to pressure you into a settlement.

• Professional Code of Conduct

The State Bar of California imposes “Rules of Professional Conduct,” which govern the relationship between lawyers and their clients. Some rules are clear cut, but others are rather vague, and it’s up to your lawyer to decide what’s ethical versus unethical. Perhaps your lawyer feels that monetary transactions, like paying your deductible, would violate the Professional Code of Conduct.

These are valid concerns, but here’s how we view the situation. Regarding conflict of interest, this is usually a problem with newer or inexperienced attorneys, who lack confidence in their own abilities. This kind of insecurity is not a problem with our lawyers, who have extensive experience with personal auto and rideshare insurance claims. Our firm is confident in our ability to win your case, and thus, we are comfortable paying the deductible for your insurance claim.

Insecurity may also be a factor in ethical dilemmas involving loans between clients and lawyers. Engaging in unethical conduct can end an attorney’s career, so we understand why law firms refuse to budge on this issue. But here at Normandie Law Firm, it’s a matter of doing everything we can to help our clients. If the client is unable to get their car fixed, how will they continue working, especially if they’re Uber of Lyft drivers? How will they do the countless errands needed to take care of their family? That’s why we help clients with insurance deductibles, rather than letting them struggle without reliable transportation.

If you’re interested in learning more and finding out what we can do for you as a car accident victim, please give us a call and speak to one of our attorneys.

Lawyers that will Cover Your Deductible

Luckily, there are lawyers who are willing to pay your deductible and wait to recover the costs from your settlement. We will help you with your deductible if you’re a Lyft or Uber driver, or have personal car insurance with a high deductible. That way, you can have your car repaired as soon as possible and get back to living a normal life. But what if you’ve filed a damage claim already? Is it too late to switch to a law firm that will help you cover your deductible?

The state of California allows you to switch your lawyer at any time during your case. If you’d like to find out how you can do this, please scroll down to the “Free Second Opinion” section. Otherwise, please stick around for some other information pertaining to your rights and legal options.

Why is my Lawyer taking a Long Time to Help me Fix my Car?

Some of you may not be here because your lawyer won’t help you with your insurance deductible. Instead, you’re frustrated because it’s been weeks, maybe even months, and the payment still hasn’t been made to your insurance company. Or maybe they’ve paid the deductible, but have done little to nothing on your claim since then. As a result, you’re still waiting on the payment from your insurance company and unable to repair your car in the meantime.

Sadly, some lawyers see insurance cases as a numbers game. It could be that your law firm is overloaded with cases, and it’s difficult for them to act on something as simple as issuing a payment. The problem may also be with your attorney, who is not organized or experienced enough to get things done in a timely manner. Either of these issues does not bode well for your case, and it may be time to look for another attorney. But changing law firms in the middle of a case is a big decision, and there are many things to consider before you make the switch. To assist you with this important decision, we’d like to invite you to a free second opinion consultation. In the next section, we will talk about what you can expect when you come in for one of these consultations.

Free Second Opinion

Second opinions are usually associated with doctors, but the same type of service is also offered by lawyers. If you’re not happy with your current lawyer, one of our attorneys can review your case and evaluate the work that’s been done so far. We can discuss any concerns you have, such as:

• I feel like my case is worth more than what my attorney is telling me.
• My lawyer takes a week or more to call me back. Is that normal?
• I don’t think my lawyer has enough experience with my type of accident? What can I do?

We can also go over the terms of your contract with your current law firm and advise you on the process for terminating that relationship. If switching to us is in your best interest, we’ll contact your current firm and take care of the transfer process. If you’re ready to discuss your case with one of our attorneys, contact our office and schedule a free second opinion.

Should I Look into a Private Lending Company?

Exploring private lenders to fund your accident claim is up to you, but as with changing lawyers, this is not something you should do lightly. There’s a variety or lenders to choose from, including lawsuit funding companies that can issue loans ranging from $1,000 to $1 million. If you look into any of these places, make sure to read about the interest rates so you have idea of what you’ll need to pay back. Frankly, we’ve seen rates that can be described as “predatory,” meaning your settlement won’t go very far because you’re struggling to pay back the loan.

As lawyers, our job is to look out for our clients’ welfare and do everything we can to protect them from financial hardship. That’s why we fight so hard to recover the compensation they’re entitled to. But many accident victims need help in the meantime, or to even get their claim started. That’s why we’ve made it a practice to cover insurance deductibles for those that can’t afford it.

Ultimately, working with a private lender is up to you, but you should make an informed choice by considering all your available options. One of our lawyers will be happy to speak with you during a free consultation and help you make the best decision for your needs.

Why You Should Choose Normandie

Hiring a lawyer is a monumental decision, especially if you’re in the middle of a case. Here at Normandie, our strength is in our attorneys, who have many combined years of experience with auto insurance claims. We know the insurance game inside and out, and will take aggressive action on your behalf from day one. But legal knowledge and experience aren’t the only things that matter. Injury victims need to be treated with respect and compassion. They need to know that their lawyer empathizes with their pain and will do whatever it takes to recover a just and fair settlement award.

Here at Normandie, we believe in treating our clients like family. That’s the principle behind our Zero fee guarantee, which ensures that you will never be charged upfront for any of our services. Because we work on a contingency basis, we only receive payment when you are compensated for your damages. There is no risk to your finances at any point, because that’s exactly the way we would treat our own family.

Regardless of where you are in your case, please take a chance and come in for a free consultation. Our attorneys look forward to assisting you.