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.

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An Explanation of Personal Injury Lawyer Fees

In most cases, personal injury law firms operate on a contingency payment arrangement business model, which means their fees are dependent on the outcome of a client’s case. Continue reading to learn more about personal injury lawyer fees, and what you can expect to pay for regarding your case.

Contingency Fee Personal Injury Lawyers
Contingency Fee Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Contingency Fee Payment Arrangements

The majority of personal injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis. So, if your personal injury lawyer offers their professional services using this business model, it means they do not collect any payment from their clients unless they recover a settlement or verdict. Clients who are billed on contingency only pay the lawyer after they are awarded compensation. Now, the amount a client pays their personal injury lawyer out of their settlement depends on various factors, namely the complexity of the case, the longevity of the legal process, and the number of legal resources needed to acquire a full and fair settlement in the end.

Under a contingency-fee arrangement, a client pays nothing at all if their lawyer does not obtain a settlement or verdict for them.

No Upfront Fees

Because a contingency-fee payment arrangement requires a client to pay for their lawyer’s service only after a settlement or verdict is won, there are no upfront or initial legal fees to satisfy. Hiring a personal injury lawyer requires no payment of any kind unless they recover compensation for you; then you must pay for their services, as well as any additional legal fees incurred during the process.

Average Lawyer Fees

Personal injury lawyers will write up a payment arrangement contract in the beginning, so you will know exactly what to expect in terms of paying your lawyer bill after the case is settled. In some cases, a lawyer might need to send the defendant party a demand letter or obtain further information, which would require a revision of the payment agreement if the case were more complex than initially thought. Although it varies greatly from firm to firm, most personal injury attorneys’ fees range between 33 and 40 percent of the total settlement recovered. In addition to paying this fee, clients will also have to cover any expenses incurred by the lawyer during the case.

Post- Settlement Legal Fees

When working on contingency, a personal injury lawyer usually pays for any needed legal resources to build their case. Then once a settlement is awarded, the client must pay these fees back, as well as the overall fee for legal representation. Such fees outside of the lawyer’s service fee include expenses like court costs, filing fees, medical records, police reports, investigator fees, expert witness fees, depositions, transcripts, trial exhibits, and even mailing postage.

In the end, personal injury lawyer clients can expect to pay between 40% and 65% of their total settlement. So long as you find an experienced Indianapolis Indiana law firm to represent your case, you will have more than enough compensation to cover all of your losses, plus pay your lawyer their due.

Are you looking for a personal injury lawyer to represent your accident claim? Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free case evaluation with a skilled and experienced accident attorney in Indianapolis, Indiana. We represent injured persons throughout the State of Indiana.

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Can I Find a Pro Bono Personal Injury Law Firm?

When facing criminal charges, the Indiana judicial system gives most defendants the choice of accepting a public defender, free of charge. In contrast, civil litigation does not offer free counsel under law, which includes personal injury cases. However, this does not mean you, as a victim of a negligent accident, would have to pay a lump sum of cash upfront for personal injury lawyer services.

Continue reading to learn what you need to know about paying for accident representation in Indiana, including which Indianapolis personal injury law firm to trust with your claim.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Common Law Firm Payment Arrangements

Common payment arrangements used by lawyers include flat rates, hourly rates, retainers, and contingent fees. Flat rate fees are generally arranged for basic and simple legal services, like divorces and wills. Hourly fees are the most common payment arrangement for lawyers, and vary in price depending on the lawyer’s experience; they can be anywhere from $50 to $1,000 per hour or more, however, it varies among law firms. Retainers are used for certain cases and charged upfront before services are rendered. As clients are billed, the amount is deducted from the retainer as the case proceeds.

Contingency Fee Basis

When you begin your search for a personal injury law firm, you will likely come across the phrase, “contingency-fee basis”, which is very important to understand when setting aside a budget for a potential lawsuit. Working on contingent basically means that the lawyers do not get paid unless they recover a settlement for you. Most law firms that practice personal injury law use this pricing model. Lawyers who work on contingency will not require any upfront lawyer fees, however, you will be responsible for paying other fees, such as court costs, filing fees, and similar pecuniary obligations. However, the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. will not require up front payment of fees, court costs, etc… See our blog, “How Much Does it Cost to Hire an Accident Lawyer?” to learn more.

Paying Your Personal Injury Lawyer

When a personal injury lawyer successfully recovers a settlement, the client will then owe them for their services. The way a law firm collects their fees will vary, but most often, a pre-determined percentage is deducted from the final settlement as their payment. On contingency, if a law firm does not recover a settlement or judgment for a client, there are no attorney fees, with the exception being if the attorney obtained an offer and then the client tried to settle the case without their attorney.  Normally, accident lawyers collect one third of the settlement recovered, but again, this can vary depending on the law firm and the type the case.

Where Can I Find a Contingency Fee Personal Injury Lawyer in Indiana?

Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for personal injury claims in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana. We offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we are successful with your claim. Call our office today to determine your eligibility for personal injury compensation in Indiana.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700