Personal injury attorneys can help you file an array of car accident claims. If you were wrongfully injured because of the negligences of another driver, a personal injury attorney will help you gain access to the damages and compensation that you deserve.
So how expensive is this for you, the client? What does it cost to hire a personal injury attorney and what fees should you expect? Do some personal injury attorneys offer free consultations? How exactly are these lawyers making money, anyway? That’s what we will discuss right here in this guide about personal injury attorney payment arrangements!
When it comes to personal injury cases, clients and lawyers often have plenty of wiggle room regarding payments and fee arrangements. The way that your personal attorney will get paid will depend on which side of the case they represent. The plaintiff’s lawyer (that of the injured person) and the defendant’s lawyer (the company or person a claim is against) may have entirely different client arrangements in terms of payment.
For a free legal consultation, call 303-777-1000
Tell us about your case
How Personal Injury Attorneys Who Represent Plaintiffs Get Paid
First and foremost, you should know that the vast majority of plaintiff attorneys in the field of personal injury law receive payments under contingency fee agreements. Contingency fee agreements usually specify that attorneys will not receive legal fees for services rendered until they obtain recovery and damages for a client. This means that your attorney usually will not get paid until your personal claims are settled and paid. Have you ever seen a personal injury commercial with a headline like “we don’t get paid until you do”? If so, you can expect a contingency fee arrangement to be used at that firm.
In most cases, the contingency fee will be a specified percentage of the final amount recovered after a personal injury settlement is decreed and paid out. Fee arrangement percentages can range anywhere from 33% to 50%. Specific contingency fees tend to vary from firm to firm. Keep in mind that contingency fees can also vary from case to case and class action lawsuits will have entirely different contingencies than personal injury cases. Although contingency fee arrangements are usually relatively straightforward, some variations exist in the field of personal injury law.
Personal Injury Attorney Payment Options
Some attorneys subtract fees as a percentage of the final settlement amount. Others work on a sliding scale contingency arrangement basis that changes depending on a case’s requirements. Still, other lawyers have flat fees combined with contingency arrangements. So what does this mean for you, and how does it all apply to your unique personal injury case? Here are some of the payment variations often seen in the realm of personal injury law.
Payment on a Straight Contingency Basis
Many personal injury attorneys work out contingency fee agreements with their clients. With these agreements, the attorney will get an agreed-upon percentage of the final settlement amount. This means that your lawyer provides services at no cost until a case is won. Then, when a case is won and the final settlement is paid out, the attorney will get a designated percentage of that payment.
Mixed Hourly and Contingent Payments
With mixed hourly and contingent payment agreements, your personal injury attorney will receive an hourly rate for the work they complete whether they win or lose your claims case. However, if you win your personal injury case, your attorney will receive an additional percentage of the settlement amount.
With mixed hourly and contingent payment arrangements, the percentage that a personal injury attorney is owed out of your settlement will usually be lower than the percentage that attorneys working purely on a contingency basis would expect. However, this can vary from firm to firm.
Sliding Scale Contingency Agreements
Some personal injury attorneys work on a sliding scale contingency fee arrangement basis. These agreements work like straight contingency fee deals, except that the fee percentages will be on a scale that goes higher as the litigation process progresses.
For instance, if your claims case is settled before a lawsuit is necessary, the fee percentage your attorney requires may only be 25%. However, if your case went all the way through a trial and then you won, your attorney may claim 40% of your settlement after a final judgment is decreed.
Contingency Hourly Fees
Similar to straight contingency fee Arrangements, with contingency hourly agreements, a personal injury attorney will not get paid until recovery is obtained on behalf of the client. However, unlike straight contingency fee arrangements, the amount the attorney will receive varies depending on how much time they spent working on an individual case. This type of arrangement is more common if a plaintiff can recover attorney fees directly from the losing defendant.
How Are a Defendant’s Injury Attorneys Paid?
So what if a personal injury attorney is representing the defendant in a case? Personal injury attorneys of defendants often are paid on retainer, through blended hourly fees, or by using an hourly fee with a cap.
- Retainer Fees – If an attorney is on retainer, the client will pay them a lump sum payment before a case begins. As the lawyer works on the case, they withdraw from the retainer funds.
- Blended Hourly Fees – With blended hourly work, more than one attorney may be assigned to a case. Also, less-experienced lawyers will usually have a lower hourly rate than more experienced ones.
- Hourly Caps – Hourly caps work similarly to straight hourly fee arrangements. However, there is a cap on the maximum amount of money a lawyer will ultimately bill the defendant.
Do You Need a Skilled and Experienced Personal Injury Attorney in Colorado? Call Us Now!
If you need a skilled and experienced personal injury attorney in Parker, Colorado, or in any of the surrounding areas, we encourage you to contact the skilled professionals at Matlin Injury Law. Over the years, Matlin Injury Law has perfected the art of personal injury case planning and execution. We give every client the individualized attention and time that they deserve!
To find how to find out how much your case is worth via a free case consultation, call 720-464-3600 or get started online. We are happy to answer any questions that you have about our rates.
Learn About Matlin Injury Law and our rates by calling 720-464-3600 for a FREE case consultation today!
Call or text 303-777-1000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
Tell us about your case
