Personal injury clients need the best lawyers possible on their side if they are supposed to be successful in their attempts to get the fair compensation they deserve for the unfortunate ordeals they have been involved in.
After, a personal injury case may feature severe injuries, which may have led to a loss of function, which turns the client's life upside down. If the person is unable to earn because of the accident, for example, the final settlement amount needs to account for that so a somewhat normal life becomes possible.
Before reaching out to a personal injury law firm, however, clients may wish to know what they will have to pay. After all, these cases can have a lot of associated expenses.
Here's a look at the way personal injury attorneys charge their clients.
What Influences the Amount Lawyers Take from Personal Injury Cases?
The eventual cost will come from a series of considerations, which will be covered below.
Upfront Fees Vs Contingency Fees
Typically, a personal injury lawyer in Houston will work under what is known as a contingency fee basis. This means that unless the case is settled, the client has nothing to pay. Of course, the charges, based on the contingency fee agreement, will be taken as a percentage of what the client is awarded.
On the other hand, some attorneys will ask you to sign a retainer. This guarantees them that they will be able to be paid since this is more of a work-for-hire contract that requires upfront payment. An hourly fee arrangement may be the case here.
Note that lawyers that charge based on contingency fee percentages will usually be on the more affordable side of the fence when compared to their counterparts that charge upfront. Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys can answer questions like, "What is a contingency fee for personal injury claim?"
The Outcome of the Personal Injury Claim
Of course, this makes all the difference for contingency fee-based agreements. It all boils down to the settlement or court award. Contact Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys for questions like, "How long do most personal injury cases take?" If the client doesn't win the case, there will not be any charges incurred. It is only upon a win that these personal injury claims will guarantee payment for the attorney.
Services Provided During the Course of Events
The actual percentage that will be taken from the settlement depends on the nature of the claim, the services provided, and the associated expenses incurred. There will also be the matter of the amount of time that was spent on the case.
As a general rule of thumb, quicker settlements will usually cost less as do those that require a smaller subset of services.
Remember that a personal injury case is very resource intensive. If a law firm is to continue providing services to other clients, it will need to collect from those it works with.
Administrative Fees
Legal services may come with additional costs, such as administrative fees. Filing fees, courier fees, records, etc. fall under this category. Each of these fees will usually not be very high. However, over time and when repeated, they can begin to stack up.
What Amounts Do Personal Injury Attorneys Typically Take?
The actual amount that a client will be required to pay depends on the specific attorney that will be processing the case. However, the typical charges will range from 10% to 45% of the awarded amount, with the average standing at 33%.
Remember that claims are most often settled before court and these will cost less than those that require a trial since the latter will need to account for expenses such as legal document copying, witness fees, etc.
Why Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
No law mandates the hiring of a personal injury attorney. However, when an injury is at play with extenuating circumstances, having an attorney can be a saving grace because:
You will be encouraged to seek medical attention, which will allow you to get the treatment you need. Additionally, there will be documentation of the treatment you received and the costs that may have been incurred. This kind of data would be useful in ensuring that you get a fair settlement.
The legal processes involved in handling a personal injury case are daunting and this is arguably where your lawyer will provide the most value. A lot of what will be taking place is the filling out of legal documents and other paperwork. It is essential to have a professional in the field to address all of these matters.
Filing a case means that the party on the other side will need to know that you will be filing a claim. One of the conveniences of having an attorney is that the intent to file can be submitted on your behalf.
Your attorney acts as an extension of you and will act in your best interest. This will include a negotiation process to ensure that the payout you receive is fair. The aim, to this end, will be to get a settlement without needing to go to court. However, if a trial is required, your lawyer will represent you legally to attempt to get a court order that is in your best interest.
Is a Percentage-based Fee a Good Idea?
The upfront cost approach requires clients to be able to cover certain costs immediately. Unfortunately, not all victims will be able to do that. Does that mean that these people should not be able to get assistance?
Going the contingency fee route is more financially beneficial as there will be no need for the client to be able to pay out of pocket. Of course, the best part is that payment is contingent on claim success.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Personal Injury Lawyer Today!
It can be scary to think about legal services since there's a school of thought that they are always expensive. Thankfully, in a personal injury case, there is the contingency fee option that will allow clients to get the legal representation they need while not needing to worry about payment unless and until they win their cases.
Let Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys assist you in getting the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (833) 692-5038!
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