If you’re injured and are contemplating whether or not to pursue a lawsuit, you might wonder about whether or not you will be able to afford a lawyer. Fortunately, in the United States, most lawyers that help injury victims take cases on a contingent fee basis.
In a contingent fee agreement, the client pays fees to their attorney only if the lawyer handles a case successfully. In other words, there is only a fee in the event that the lawyer is able to obtain a recovery for their client.
Contingent fee arrangements are regularly used in cases where money damages are claimed. They are especially common in lawsuits for money damages from injuries.
In a contingent fee agreement, the attorney receives a fixed percentage (often one third) of the amount recovered on behalf of the client. In other words, if you win your lawsuit (by either settlement or trial), the lawyer’s fee comes out of the monetary award. On the other hand, if you lose, there is not lawyer fee.
The contingent fee arrangement allows people that believe they might have an injury lawsuit to have access to a lawyer without having to secure payment for the lawyer’s services.
Most lawyers who handle personal injury cases will provide potential clients with a free initial consultation and, assuming the client has a viable claim that the lawyer handles, take the case on a contingent basis. So, prospective clients can feel confident that they can speak to a lawyer without having the means to pay for the attorney’s advice in advance.