Often times, people who have been involved in an accident worry about the mounting medical bills they will have to incur, on top of lost wages and other out of pocket expenses. The last thing he or she wants is to worry about having to also pay a lawyer. Some people think lawyers are an expensive luxury only few can afford, and hiring one will only add to the hassles he or she is already dealing with.
Fortunately for those injured, personal injury or accident lawyers’ most commonly used payment method is by contingency fee. A contingency fee is only charged if and when there is a successful resolution of the case, whether by settlement or judgment. That means that if you lose your case, you do not pay the lawyer. More good news: the lawyers’ payment will come out of the person at fault’s pocket. It may be that the person at fault has insurance, and in that case, the insurance will be responsible for the payment. Contingency agreements range in percentages of the recovery that the lawyer will earn, but generally, it is customary to expect a 1/3 of the recovery if that recovery is made before a lawsuit is filed. If the lawyer has to file a lawsuit, the percentage may be higher, typically between 40-45%.
Injury lawyers will generally advance all of the expenses needed to prosecute a case. Once there is a recovery, they will be reimbursed out of it. Again, if there is no recovery, the standard practice is that expenses are written off. This arrangement allows for people to be able to afford a lawyer who will work to obtain his or her compensation for the injuries sustained, recover incurred expenses, and hold the person at fault responsible, all at the expense of the person at fault and not the victim. Additionally, it shifts most of the financial risk of prosecuting a case to the injury lawyer, rather than the victim.
If you or someone you know has been injured through someone else’s fault, call an experienced personal injury lawyer. Pastrana & García Law Firm will give you a free consultation with no commitment. Call 512-474-4487.
