Worry about cost stops many injured people from ever talking to an attorney. The reassuring reality is that most personal injury lawyers work in a way designed so you can afford them even when you are out of work. Here is how the money actually works.
The contingency fee Most personal injury attorneys take cases on a contingency fee, which means their payment is a percentage of whatever they recover for you. The standard range is roughly a third of the settlement, sometimes more if the case goes to trial.
The key feature: if they do not win, you do not pay their fee. This aligns your attorney's interest with yours, since they only get paid when you do.
What about case costs Fees are not the only expense. A case may involve costs like filing fees, expert witnesses, medical record requests, and investigators. Ask up front how these are handled:
- Most firms advance these costs and deduct them from your settlement at the end.
- Clarify whether costs come out before or after the fee is calculated, because that affects your final take-home amount.
- Ask what happens to costs if you lose. Many firms absorb them, but get it in writing.