When faced with an auto injury lawsuit it is in the best interest of the defendant to hire an auto injury lawyer. A person injured in a car crash can file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident. The driver, or the defendant, can work with a lawyer to build a defense that reduces the amount of damages owed to the injured party. In some cases, a lawyer can absolve a defendant from paying any damages. One defense mounted in this type of case is contributory negligence. This occurs when the person injured created a risk to him or others which contributed to the injuries caused by the defendant. If this defense stands in court the defendant will not be found innocent and not required to pay charges. Another defense is the emergency doctrine where a situation arises that requires immediate action but the driver does not make a decision affecting the outcome. For example, a car may crash into another car when the brakes fail. This would not be the fault of the driver.