How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer ?
There are no fees unless we win. We’re in this together.
If you think that you have a personal injury claim and are wondering, “How much is it to hire a personal injury lawyer?”, we have good news: working with a personal injury lawyer isn’t nearly as expensive as you may think. First, Phillips Personal Injury operates on a contingency fee basis on bodily injury claims. If we do not obtain a settlement on your behalf, we do not charge any legal fees or costs. If we do secure a settlement, we will take an agreed-upon percentage of the settlement as our fee for attorney services and advanced costs are repaid. We also use a written fee agreement in all matters.
What If I Don’t Win? A contingent fee sounds great - but what happens if your case isn’t successful and you don’t recover a settlement at all? Will I still be responsible for the debt owed to your attorney? The answer is no. In personal injury cases, lawyers almost always work on these types of cases on what is called a "contingency fee." This means that unless the lawyer is successful and obtains a recovery, the client does not have to pay for the lawyer's services.
The Typical Fee Percentage.
Because of the risk involved, the percentage that injury lawyers charge on contingency cases can vary - generally between 25% to 40%, depending upon when the case settles or if it goes to trial which calls for considerable more attorney time. Another benefit of the contingency fee approach, is that lawyers have an incentive to maximize your financial recovery, because doing so will increase the amount of money they receive as well.
However, the benefit of hiring a lawyer on a "contingency", is that there is no upfront charge to the client. Many clients who otherwise could not afford to hire an attorney (unlike an insurance corporation!) can obtain legal representation. Sometimes because of the uncertainty involved, lawyers are careful in accepting cases on a contingency and may decline to accept a case. But a skillful lawyer should discuss with you in advance pros and cons and risks involved any particular case so you can make a good decision on how to proceed.
What is the Difference Between Costs and Fees?
As Abraham Lincoln said, "A lawyer's time and advice are his stock in trade," so a fee is compensation for the attorney's time and efforts. However, in preparing and presenting the client's case in the most favorable position, the attorney will incur "costs", or expenses. Lawsuits are costly. Although you do not have to pay your lawyer a fee unless you win, you may need to pay for court costs and other expenses, such as:
Filing fees
Police reports
Expert witness fees
Medical records
Court reporters
Trial exhibits
Postage and copying charges
In personal injury cases, some lawyers will advance the money for costs, making repayment "contingent" upon a successful recovery, while some lawyers will not advance costs. It is important when hiring an injury lawyer that you fully understand what is covered and what is not and what expected costs will be covered by you, the client (if any). Unlike some personal injury firms, Phillips Personal Injury will not charge you for any costs unless we are successful.
We Add Value to Your Claim
Some injury victims are tempted to attempt to personally negotiate their legal claim for financial compensation with the at-fault party’s insurance company only to realize they have made a grave mistake after receiving a low-ball settlement or no recovery at all. Remember, an insurance adjusters job is to maximize profits by paying you as little as possible, or denying recovery completely. Unlike injury victims, they are trained negotiators who do this every day.
Determining the Value of Your Claim: A fundamental aspect of negotiating a settlement or pursuing a verdict at trial for an injury claim involves properly estimating the value of a case. This is a complex process because many factors impact the value of a claim, such as: severity of injury, nature of permanent disability, medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, strength of evidence of fault, comparative fault of the injury victim, availability of insurance, policy limits, egregious nature of the conduct, amount of property damage, and a multitude of other factors. At Phillips Personal Injury we have the expierience to fairly evaluate your injury claim to see that you receive full and fair compensation.
Navigating Complex Legal Standards, Evidentiary Rules & Legal Procedures: It goes without saying, the civil litigation process is a minefield that is extremely difficult to navigate. Lawyers have been studying the law and its processes. They know and understand the legal procedures which you might be unfamiliar with. They have an idea of which legal documents to file, how to complete forms properly, the statute of limitations. But even more than that, our job is not just a legal adviser, but also a helping hand during difficult times. Philips Personal Injury has the experience with similar claims and we understand the stress and anxiety it causes you. We have been through this before and can help you to keep you calm and ease your mind.
Shifting Risk of Loss: When Phillips Personal Injury decides to represent an injury victim, we assume financial risk. Because we handle personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, we do not collect attorney fees unless we are successful in obtaining a settlement or judgment at trial. Additionally, we absorb the litigation expenses, so the entire financial risk of pursuing a legal claim is not on the client.
Access to Network of Experts: Law firms that routinely represent victims of a motorcycle crash, slip and fall, rollover accident, or other type of incident causing injury will routinely work with individuals with specialized knowledge. A personal innjury claim frequently requires several experts in diverse areas like accident reconstruction, engineering, medical disciplines, vocational training, mental health, and more. A layperson faces an enormous challenge in locating, evaluating, and affording experts when unrepresented.
Do I Have to Pay for the Initial Consultation?
At the Phillips Personal Injury, we do not charge for the initial consultation and there is never any obligation to retain our firm. We can answer initial questions by telephone or through video conference such as “zoom” so no office visit is needed to learn your options and protect your rights!