Decoding Legal Fees: The Normal Charges for Your Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injury cases can be daunting, especially when you’re grappling with recovery and legal complexities simultaneously. One of the key concerns for many is understanding legal fees and the maximum cut an Indiana personal injury attorney can take from your settlement. Navigating through the labyrinth of legalese can indeed be quite challenging.

In this blog post, let us help you decode the intricacies of legal fees, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of what you can expect when hiring a personal injury lawyer in Indiana. Our goal is to empower you with knowledge, ensuring you make informed decisions during this challenging time.

Call 317-881-2700 to Speak With Our Indianapolis Personal Injury Legal Team
Call 317-881-2700 to Speak With Our Indianapolis Personal Injury Legal Team

How Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge for Their Services?

Before we delve into the specifics, it’s crucial to understand how accident lawyers typically charge for their services. In Indiana, personal injury attorneys primarily work on a contingency fee basis. This means that they receive compensation only if they win your case. If they lose, you won’t owe them any legal fees. In other words, their payment is contingent on the outcome of your case.

What Percentage Do Accident Lawyers Charge in Indiana?

According to the American Bar Association, contingency fees for personal injury cases typically range from 33% to 40% of the total settlement amount. However, these percentages may vary based on individual state laws and the specifics of your case.

Other Factors That May Affect Legal Fees

Although a 33.3% attorney fee is normal , there may be other factors that could influence legal fees in personal injury cases. These include the complexity of your case, the evidence available, and the amount of time and resources required to document a strong case. Your attorney may also take into account other expenses incurred during the legal process, such as court fees, expert witness fees, or medical record retrieval costs.  Sometimes attorneys will charge up to 40% once trial preparation has begun because of the vast increase in time and expense preparing for trial.

Are There Any Additional Fees You Should Be Aware Of?

Besides contingency fees, there may be other fees associated with such cases. AS just mentioned, these can include filing fees, initial consultation charges, and costs for obtaining medical records, expert reports, deposition testimony, or police reports. However, reputable attorneys will typically cover these costs upfront and deduct them from your settlement amount once your case is resolved, again depending on the case.

Why the Cost of a Personal Injury Attorney is Worth It

It’s natural to have concerns about legal fees, but hiring a personal injury lawyer can significantly benefit your case and will increase the final amount you receive in pocket. Experienced attorneys have the knowledge and resources to navigate complicated legal procedures, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for your rights while you focus on your recovery. Additionally, most accident lawyers offer free consultations where they can evaluate your case’s merits and advise you on the best course of action, as we do.

Conclusion

As an accident victim in Indiana, it’s crucial to understand the normal attorney fees that you should be charged. Knowing your rights and knowing what a fair contingency fee is is critical to ensuring that you receive just compensation for your injuries. With this blog post, we hope to have provided you with a better understanding of legal fees in personal injury cases and empowered you to make informed decisions when hiring a civil litigator. Remember, knowledge is power, and we’re here to support you throughout this challenging process. 

If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, don’t hesitate to seek legal help to protect your rights. Contact Craven, Hoover & Blazek, P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free initial case evaluation with a seasoned personal injury lawyer in Indianapolis, today. Meet with us over the phone, video conference, or in person at our Indy office. We can also meet you at your inpatient medical treatment center if necessary.

Related Posts:

How an Attorney Can Help Injured Victims Recover Maximum Damages
4 Reasons Why You Should Not Represent Yourself in a Personal Injury Case
Maximizing Your Settlement: Key Strategies in Personal Injury Claims

Facts About Personal Injury Contingency Fee Agreements

A contingency fee agreement is an arrangement between a lawyer and a client in which the lawyer agrees to represent the client in a legal matter, but only charges a fee if they are successful in getting compensation for the client. If the lawyer is not successful, then they do not get paid. Continue below to learn some common advantages of entering a contingency fee agreement.

Contingency Personal Injury Law Firm Indiana 317-881-2700
Contingency Personal Injury Law Firm Indiana 317-881-2700

Top 6 Advantages of a Contingency Fee Agreement

There are many benefits to using a contingency fee agreement when hiring a personal injury lawyer. First, it allows you to hire a lawyer without having to pay any upfront fees.  Given injury clients are incurring medical bills and other unexpected expenses and may not be able to work because of their injuries, thus diminishing the money a client has coming into their household, this is the main advantage.

Second, it gives the lawyer an incentive to work hard on your case, since their fee is contingent on them getting you compensation.  The more money the attorney obtains for you, the more money the attorney will also receive for an attorney fee.

Third, contingency fee agreements can help to level the playing field between individuals and the negligent party’s insurance company. All insurance companies are large and they have a team of lawyers working on their insured’s behalf because the insurance company has to pay any verdict against their insured. With a contingency fee agreement, you can level the playing field by hiring your own lawyer to work on your behalf.

Fourth, contingency fee agreements can help to ensure that you receive full and fair compensation for your injuries. With a contingency fee agreement, the lawyer is only paid if they are successful in getting you compensation, which gives them an incentive to fight for the highest possible amount.

Fifth, contingency fee agreements can help to protect you from having to pay your lawyer’s fees if the case is unsuccessful.

Sixth, in a contingency fee arrangement, the attorney usually pays for most, if not all, of the expenses incurred in pursuing the case.  These expenses include charges from the medical providers to obtain medical records, charges from law enforcement to obtain dash camera and body camera footage and police report, copying and filing fee charges, expert witness fees, etc… When the case settles or a verdict is obtained, the attorney is reimbursed those expense fees.  If no settlement or verdict is obtained, the attorney is usually not reimbursed for those expenses, depending upon the exact agreement with the client.  As such, the attorney is also fronting the expense money necessary to pursue the case which a client usually cannot do given their unexpected lost wages and medical bills.

If you have been injured in an accident and are considering hiring an Indianapolis IN personal injury lawyer, you should consider using a contingency fee agreement. There are many benefits to using this type of arrangement. You should discuss the contingency fee agreement with a personal injury lawyer before making a decision so any questions you have can be answered.

Are you looking for a trusted civil litigator in Indiana who can give you the best advice regarding your recent wrongful death, wrongful injury and/or car accident or fall accident? Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to arrange a free case evaluation with a seasoned personal injury attorney in Indianapolis, Indiana. We represent clients all throughout the state and Indiana residents injured in other states.

Related Posts:

An Explanation of Personal Injury Lawyer Fees
How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawsuit Cost?
Is it Affordable to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?