How Much Do Car Accident Lawyers Charge?
You should have a good lawyer on your side if you were hurt in a car accident caused by someone else.
During the legal process, your lawyer will be by your side to make sure you get enough money to pay for your medical bills and other things.
But, how much will it cost you to hire a personal injury lawyer?
Most car accident lawyers charge for their services in a different way than most lawyers.
If you have been in a car crash and you hire an accident lawyer, they don't charge you an hourly rate. Instead, they charge a "contingency fee."
What is a contingency fee? Do you have to pay for anything else?
To find out how to answer those questions and more, read the blog post below.
What’s a Contingency Fee?
If you ever hire a personal injury lawyer, they will most likely work for free.
A contingency fee means that your lawyer has agreed to help you with the understanding that they will only get paid if the case is settled in your favor.
For the lawyer to get paid, you have to get a settlement from the at-fault driver or their insurance company, or get a court order in your favor.
To put it simply, your lawyer's fee is only paid if the case goes well.
It is good for an accident victim to have contingency fees because they make sure that lawyers keep their clients' needs in mind.
The more money your lawyer makes, the better your case goes.
It's a good thing for everyone.
What’s A Normal Contingency Fee Percentage?
Contingency fees can typically range from 25% to 40%.
In most cases, a 33 percent contingency fee is the norm.
In this case, if your lawyer's fee is 33% and you get $100,000 in a settlement, your lawyer will get $33,000.
Depending on whether or not the other driver has to pay for your injuries, the fees for contingency work can be very high or very low.
If it does, you need a lawyer, and you shouldn't try to do this on your own.
As long as your case settles before you have to file a personal injury lawsuit, the contingency fee will be on the low end.
There are some exceptions to this rule. If your case goes to court or the defendant sends you a formal response to your complaint, your lawyer's share could be 40% or more.
Your lawyer might send a demand letter to the negligent driver's insurance company, and quickly, a $100,000 settlement is agreed to by the insurance company.
When that happens, your lawyer will get $33,000 with a 33% contingency fee.
But if your case takes a long time and isn't settled until a jury makes a decision, your lawyer may get paid more at 40% and get $40,000.
Always talk to your lawyer about the contingency fee and make sure you read your contract for legal services and any other fees very carefully.
In most cases, the contingency fee can be changed as well.
A lower fee might be possible if your case is very simple, and it's clear the other driver was in the wrong and they have enough car insurance.
Your settlement shouldn't be bigger than it has to be.
Are There Any Additional Fees?
Most of the time, with contingency fees, you don't have to pay until you win.
However, that's not always the case.
Check the fine print in your contingency fee agreement to find out what else you might have to pay for.
Make sure to look for things like filing fees and the costs of photocopying as well as expert witness fees and the like.
Most of the time, your lawyer will take care of the costs as they come up.
When you get your settlement, your lawyer will get paid for any costs they paid, as well as their contingency fee.
One thing you should talk about with your lawyer is that you don't want to pay for any costs if your case doesn't work out.
Is a Car Accident Lawyer Worth It?
Car accident lawyers can help you get money after an accident caused by someone else.
Having a personal injury lawyer on your side could help you get more money.
It's important that your lawyer does a lot of things to make sure that your medical costs and other damages are taken care of.
Everyone doesn't want to have to pay for their own medical bills after an accident that wasn't their fault.
They will also try to limit your damages and make you accept a low settlement offer quickly.
It's true that insurance companies are in the business of making money after all.
An experienced accident lawyer will make sure that the insurance companies don't take advantage of you when you're going through a hard time.
It doesn't matter what the contingency percentage is or how much other attorney fees are. It's almost always worth it to have an accident lawyer on your side, no matter what.
Visit The Mabra Law Firm Today
A contingency arrangement is good for both the lawyer and the person who was hurt in an accident.
If you were afraid that you couldn't afford an accident lawyer after your car accident, don't be.
Following a car accident, the Mabra Law Firm is ready and willing to fight for your rights. It will not cost you anything until we win.
It might be possible for you to get money for a car accident that wasn't your fault.
Don't wait any longer to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer.
The car accident lawyers at The Mabra Law Firm will give you the best chance of getting the money you deserve.