Have you been injured as a result of an accident that was not your fault? If so, you may feel as if your life changed in an instant. It can only take a second for a car accident, bus accident, bicycle accident, or motorcycle accident to occur – but the impact of those accidents can be significant – and in some cases, lifelong. You may find yourself needing ongoing medical treatment, either temporarily, or for years to come. You may be unable to return to work. You may find it impossible to enjoy many of the things in life that you once loved. All of this can be shocking and overwhelming, to say the least.
Many people who have suffered such an injury decide to hire a personal injury lawyer to pursue a compensation claim – and you may be considering exactly that. After all, being injured is stressful enough. You don’t need the added stress of wondering how you will pay your medical bills and continue to provide for your family while also trying to heal and recover from your injuries.
If you are considering hiring a personal injury lawyer, you may wonder about the legal process and what hiring an attorney will involve. You may wonder how much a personal injury lawyer might cost. You may wonder if you can afford it, and whether the investment will be worth it. are reasonable and important questions to ask.
Contingency Fees are Common
Understandably, if you are injured and already spending a significant amount of money on medical treatment, you may worry about the costs of hiring an attorney and how much money you will have to pay upfront. The good news is that many attorneys work on what is known as a contingency fee basis.
This sort of arrangement recognizes the fact that it is often difficult for many people to come up with enough money in advance to pay for an attorney. As a result, lawyers who take on personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis have a payment structure where they require no money from the client initially. Instead, the fee comes almost entirely from the final award or settlement in your case.
It is important to understand that a typical contingency fee arrangement may differ from state to state and also between different attorneys. It is fairly standard for a lawyer to take anywhere from 30 to 40% of the settlement after costs, although those amounts might vary depending upon the complexity of the case and the attorney’s typical fee structure and billing practices. For this reason, is important to speak to an attorney that you may be considering hiring to find out for certain what his or her billing practices might be.
A Look at Other Options
While many personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, others charge by the hour or by the complexity of your case and the type of legal action that might be necessary. Any time you are considering hiring an attorney, it is important to sit down and discuss that attorney’s fee structure, hourly billing rate, and general philosophy on charging clients before you decide to move forward with your case.
Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that you may need to reimburse your attorney for any costs involved in your case. Many costs in a personal injury case can be fairly standard – these are costs like:
- Copying expenses;
- Deposition fees;
- Filing fees;
- Expert witness fees;
- Fees to obtain and authenticate evidence;
- And more.
Typically, attorneys will identify expected costs in their initial written agreement and should certainly discuss those with you before moving forward with your case.
Ultimately, for the vast majority of clients, hiring an attorney who knows and understands the law ends up being a decision that is well worth it. It can make the difference between a smooth and successful experience where you recover the maximum amount of compensation you deserve and an experience where you feel dissatisfied and as if you received far less than you were entitled to. Don’t hesitate to interview multiple attorneys before deciding on the one whose philosophy of practice and billing schedule is the best fit for you.
The Law Firm – Personal Injury Lawyers Here for You
At The Law Firm, we understand personal injury law. We understand how overwhelming and stressful it can be to unexpectedly become the victim of an accident that wasn’t your fault. We also understand the very best legal strategies to pursue on your behalf so that you can go from feeling overwhelmed to feeling confident that a better chapter lies ahead. We’re here to help you get there. If you’re ready to discuss your case, we’re ready to listen and to help.
Francis Babet loves pursuing excellence through writing and has a passion for Legal. He currently writes for The Clauson law Firm, a USA Based Law Firm that provides SSD, SSI, SSDI, Personal Injury, and Drugs and Devices. His work has been published on various sites related to Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income and more.
