Here are some advantages of using California small claims court on your own without a lawyer for your minor injury case:

The costs of filing are relatively low and are sometimes waived in full if you qualify. Check with your local small claims court for details;

Service of process fees -- where you serve the at-fault party notice of your small claims lawsuit — can be relatively low as well, and you can serve the defendant by certified mail or personal messenger. I usually recommend doing both if you are suing a private party. If you are suing a corporate entity, certified mail usually suffices because those entities have to file for the public an “agent for service of process” with a good address;

Each county in California has to have a small claims LEGAL ADVISOR division connecting each California Superior Court with a small claims legal advisor office. This is a fantastic resource available to the public in California, since attorneys are generally not allowed to represent clients in California small claims court. You can get phone numbers for these important offices with a simple Internet search or by contacting your local attorney bar association. A legal advisor can help you with your small claims suit, from filing, service, and how to prepare for your hearing to other motions that can be useful to your particular case, and it is all done FREE OF CHARGE.