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A contingency fee arrangement for legal representation means that your personal injury attorney only gets paid if you win your case.
Have you seen billboards or late-night advertising for personal injury lawyers saying “no fees unless we win?” That’s a contingent basis for attorney fees, and it’s a pretty common arrangement for plaintiffs’ attorneys in personal injury claims. The law firm covers the upfront costs of litigating personal injury cases, then deducts its legal fees from any settlement or court judgment received. If the attorney doesn’t win the case and fails to recover compensation for their client, then they don’t charge legal fees.
Sounds good for a plaintiff, right? Our West Palm Beach truck accident attorney thinks so. Let’s look at how contingency fees in truck accident cases break down.
Why do personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis?
Most truck accident injury plaintiffs are in a precarious financial position after the crash. Not only have they suddenly incurred thousands of dollars in medical bills and property damage, but they’re probably also severely injured and unable to work to pay those bills. Many people are temporarily or permanently disabled after being hit by an 80,000-pound vehicle. They may be unable to work for months, or even disabled to the point where they can no longer sustain gainful employment.
A contingency-fee arrangement for legal costs allows injured victims with a good case for damages against a negligent trucker and trucking company to access high-quality legal representation without upfront costs.
Contingency fees benefit personal injury lawyers, too. While they assume financial risk, most lawyers who work on a contingency fee basis are very selective about which cases they take, and usually only accept clients they know have a solid claim and a good chance of winning. From a client’s perspective, this can be a good thing; while no lawyer can or should promise you a victory, the fact that a personal injury lawyer will take your case likely means they believe they have a very good chance of securing a settlement.
How much are contingency fees?
Each law firm sets its own fees, so we can only speak for ourselves, but in general, the average contingency fee percentage is 30-40% of the total recovery. The fee is pre-determined before the lawyer starts working on the case, and should be included in the contract you sign.
The fee percentage is usually tied to the amount of work that the law firm needs to win; more complicated cases or those with multiple defendants will likely cost the firm more to litigate, and so cost the plaintiff more, also.
What is included in personal injury legal fees?
The contingency fee percentage covers the law firm’s time for investigating the case (like paying a private investigator), building it, and representing you in court. There are other costs associated with personal injury cases, though, like:
- Court filing fees
- Expert witness fees (usually several hundred dollars per hour)
- Deposition fees (cost of travel and a stenographer)
- Document fees (such as analysis of each vehicle’s Event Data Recorder)
These costs may be included in the percentage that your lawyer charges, or may be assessed separately. Ask your lawyer what’s included in the fee percentage. Even if your lawyer doesn’t recover compensation for you, you may still be responsible for certain out-of-pocket costs, so it’s important to clarify upfront what’s included.
Get help after a truck accident injury
Understanding contingency fees can help you make an informed decision when choosing a lawyer after a serious crash. At Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, we believe that cost should never be a barrier to justice. That’s why we offer contingency fee arrangements, so you can focus on healing while we focus on fighting for the compensation you deserve.
If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck collision and need help recovering compensation, we want to hear your story. Call Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath today at (561) 655-1990 for a free consultation.