Not all car accident claims result in a lawsuit, but many do. Lawsuits often become necessary if policy limits are not enough to cover your losses, or if the insurance company refuses to settle. When you file a car accident lawsuit, you usually either hope to settle outside of court before the case goes to trial, or go to trial and win.  Unfortunately, winning is not guaranteed. It is possible to never settle with the insurance company, go to trial, and lose the case. If you sue the other driver or their insurance company and you lose, this means you won’t get the compensation you sought, and you’ll not be able to further pursue financial recovery in the future. When you’re represented by a car accident attorney on a contingency fee basis, you won’t be responsible for paying your lawyer out-of-pocket if you lose the lawsuit. Because the case was not successful, the attorney will not be able to recover legal fees they would’ve otherwise received from a settlement or judgment.