From a car or truck accident to a slip and fall incident at work, there are many reasons to seek the guidance of a personal injury attorney. But before beginning the legal process, it’s natural to wonder how a personal injury attorney is paid. Victims of negligence are often reluctant to contact a lawyer, fearing ever-increasing legal fees and no guarantee of a settlement. In practice, an arrangement with your McKinney lawyer is much more straightforward than you might imagine.
How Do Personal Injury Lawyers Get Paid?
In the course of building a substantial legal case, personal injury attorneys incur various costs. From court filing fees and legal document creation to hiring expert witnesses and interviewing eyewitnesses, the process requires time and money.
While the type of case and its complexity will impact the overall expenses, even simple claims demand careful consideration and detailed work. Still, in most cases, you are not required to compensate your attorney upfront for legal fees.
An Initial Consultation
An initial consultation is an opportunity to discuss the details of the legal matter and ask questions about your potential claim. This meeting also lets you see if you feel comfortable with the attorney and want them to represent you. During the course of the discussion, you are likely to learn of the common personal injury pitfalls that could derail a claim. Because Lucé Law, PC provides free legal consultations, there are no costs associated with this initial discussion.
Personal Injury Contingency Fees
As mentioned, a client won’t usually be required to pay their attorney legal fees upfront. This is because most personal injury law firms operate using contingency fee arrangements. A contingency fee is the percentage of the overall settlement the attorney receives if they are successful in a claim or win the case for the client. In summary, if a client wins, they receive the settlement award minus all expenses. Conversely, if there is not a recovery for the client, then the client does not owe any legal fees.
A contingency fee arrangement is important for victims who might be reluctant to pay hourly fees and upfront costs without the certainty of a damages payout. Moreover, given how difficult some insurance companies are and how some defense attorneys are, they create more challenges increasing the time and expenses necessary to advance the claim/case properly for the client. They try to make it more difficult by causing delays, more time, more issues, and more costs. The personal injury attorney takes the burden of the legal fees, working diligently to secure a successful resolution. And while the fee percentage may vary depending on the complexity of the claim, clients receive the majority of the settlement.
Does a Contingency Agreement Delay a Settlement?
A contingency agreement won’t lead to any substantial delays in the settlement process. Your attorney prepares the case, itemizing all accrued expenses for complete transparency. After a settlement or trial concludes, legal fees are deducted from the total, and the client receives the remaining amount less any amount to satisfy any liens that exist (eg, hospital, health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.). The percentage received by your personal injury or slip and fall accident lawyer is contractually agreed upon in advance and in writing, ensuring you won’t have to wait too long for the damages you rightfully deserve.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in Collin County
Lucé Law, PC is a long-established law firm with over three and a half decades covering personal injury, auto accident, workplace injury and wrongful death cases. To discuss a legal issue, contact our McKinney practice today. Call (972) 632-1300 or request a free legal consultation now.
