How Much Does A Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?

Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. This means that they do not receive any payment for their services unless they win your case.

When an attorney works on contingency, they also cover all of the legal expenses to build your case until the case is settled.

Working with an attorney who offers contingency fee services is the best way to get quality legal services without having to pay for these services upfront.

For many people who are experiencing financial hardships due to their injury, this gives them legal representation in their time of need.

When your case is finalized, the attorney will charge 33 percent of the value of the claim as their fee.

This is standard for most law firms. If the case has to go to trial, the percentage amount may rise to 40 percent.

Speak with your attorney about their fees before signing your contract so that you know exactly what fees you will be charged.

Read about our no-fee promise.

Sliding Scale Fees

Some attorneys will handle a personal injury case on a sliding scale fee. This is not very common.

When an attorney handles your claim like this, the cost of their services will be based on the amount of time they put into the case. 

If a case can settle quickly, the cost of their services may be below the 33 percent that is charged for contingency fees.

However, if the case requires extensive time and work, the cost of their services may well exceed this base fee.

In the end, most people will do better working with an attorney who works on a contingency basis.

Expenses Associated With Your Case

If you are paying on a contingency or sliding scale, you will also be required to cover the expenses that are related to your case.

Some of these fees may include:

– Costs of obtaining your medical records

– Fees for police reports

– Court filing fees, cost of process servers if necessary

– Cost of subpoenas, witness interviews, and depositions

– Cost of expert witnesses

– Cost of investigators or similar professional services

– Cost of copies

– Postage

– If your case goes to trial, the cost for trial exhibits

Other fees may apply. For instance, if your attorney sends you for a second medical opinion or to a specialist for treatment that the insurance company did not authorize, you may be responsible for the costs of these services when your case is completed.

Speak with your attorney to determine what costs you will be responsible for regarding your case.

When The Case Settles

When your case settles on a compensation amount, the insurance company will issue a check to your attorney that is in the name of the law firm and your name.

This ensures that the law firm is paid and any other obligations relating to your case are covered.

It can take between four and six weeks for the insurance company to issue the final check.

Your attorney will then pay off all of your obligations, such as medical bills, court fees, and legal representation fees.

The law firm will then cut you a check for the remaining balance.

When you go to your attorney’s office, they will ask you to sign over the original check so that they can deposit it into their account.

They will provide you with a final accounting so that you can see what has been paid from your settlement.

Once you have reviewed this document and agreed to it, they will provide you with your final check, and your case is finalized and closed.

Read more: What percentage of personal injury cases go to trial?