Our Fees for Personal Injury Services
In most Personal Injury cases, a lawyer will charge a contingency fee. This system allows the injured party to hire an experienced lawyer without having to front the cost of legal fees.
In a contingency fee arrangement, a lawyer’s fees will be deducted from the final settlement in your case -- or from the final verdict at trial. Most personal injury lawyers will also deduct any expenses that were covered by the lawyer. The lawyer’s contingency fee percentage will typically vary based on the stage of your case. In the sections that follow, we'll cover some things to keep in mind when it comes to your injury settlement and how your lawyer will be paid.
Contingency Fee Percentages
The typical personal injury lawyer will charge a contingency fee to handle your case. Most contingency fees are between 33.33% and 40%. In the majority of cases, a personal injury lawyer will receive 33.33% (or one third) of any settlement. For example, if you receive an offer of $100,000.00 from the wrongdoer or his/her insurance company in your case, your attorney's fee would amount to $33,333.33.
Costs and Expenses
Many personal injury lawyers will cover costs and expenses and then deduct them from your share of the settlement.
Costs and expenses in a personal injury case include:
Advantages of Contingent Legal Fees
When you agree to pay a lawyer on contingency, the fee is set at a prearranged percentage of whatever the awarded amount might be. This can sometimes add up to much more than the normal fee the lawyer would have earned if paid by the hour, however there are many advantages to paying on contingency:
In a contingency fee arrangement, a lawyer’s fees will be deducted from the final settlement in your case -- or from the final verdict at trial. Most personal injury lawyers will also deduct any expenses that were covered by the lawyer. The lawyer’s contingency fee percentage will typically vary based on the stage of your case. In the sections that follow, we'll cover some things to keep in mind when it comes to your injury settlement and how your lawyer will be paid.
Contingency Fee Percentages
The typical personal injury lawyer will charge a contingency fee to handle your case. Most contingency fees are between 33.33% and 40%. In the majority of cases, a personal injury lawyer will receive 33.33% (or one third) of any settlement. For example, if you receive an offer of $100,000.00 from the wrongdoer or his/her insurance company in your case, your attorney's fee would amount to $33,333.33.
Costs and Expenses
Many personal injury lawyers will cover costs and expenses and then deduct them from your share of the settlement.
Costs and expenses in a personal injury case include:
- medical records
- police reports;
- expert witness fees;
- postage;
- filing fees;
- investigators;
- deposiitons; and
- trial exhibits.
Advantages of Contingent Legal Fees
When you agree to pay a lawyer on contingency, the fee is set at a prearranged percentage of whatever the awarded amount might be. This can sometimes add up to much more than the normal fee the lawyer would have earned if paid by the hour, however there are many advantages to paying on contingency:
- If you lose the claim you don't pay the lawyer at all.
- Paying on contingency will not only get you an attorney, but you can get a very expensive, competent and experienced attorney, that many could not otherwise afford.
- Your attorney will arguably work harder for you if paid on contingency because his or her fee is at stake and your attorney will be highly motivated. You have the security of knowing that your attorney has cast his/her fate along side that of his client.
- Since your lawyer will not be getting paid by the hour, you can have more interaction without being worried about "watching the clock."
- If paying by the hour the defense could employ delay tactics to exhaust your funds.
- If paying by the hour some attorneys might take your case whether or not it could be won or settled for an amount that justifies payment of high hourly fees.
- A lawyer who agrees to payment on contingency believes your case is winnable and has a settlement value that will not only compensate the client for damages incurred, but will compensate the attorney for the risks taken and the commitment of his or her time and firm’s resources.
