There are many costs associated with a personal injury case. When hiring a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim, they will need to hire expert witnesses to testify on your behalf as well as pay for all the medical records they need to present the case as thoroughly as possible. Not only that, but there are costs for faxes and mailings as well as the salary they pay to an assistant or paralegal that will help them compile everything needed.
However, you will most likely not have to foot the bill for all these expenses when you hire a personal injury lawyer on a contingency basis. Let’s look deeper.
What Is A Contingency Fee Arrangement?
According to Merriam-Webster, a contingency is an event that is possible but there’s no guarantee it will actually happen. A personal injury case certainly has a high possibility of being successful, but there never is a guarantee. When hiring a personal injury lawyer with a contingency fee, you will only have to pay the lawyer for their fees should your case be successful and they will most likely take a fixed percentage from the award. This percentage will be agreed upon before officially hiring your personal injury attorney.
Fees & Costs Associated with a Personal Injury Case
There is a big difference between the fees and the costs that are involved when hiring a personal injury attorney. The fees are usually what’s charged by the lawyer or firm. For example, a contingency fee is the lawyer’s pay taken from the settlement award when the case is successful. However, the costs include what is paid for various things your lawyer will need to present your case.
These costs, as we mentioned above, can include the hiring of expert witnesses and paying to receive all your medical records from any doctors, therapists, and other medical professionals that were involved in helping you recover from your injuries. There are several other costs that may be involved in your personal injury case as well, including the depositions that may be required of those expert witnesses, any witnesses to the accident, and others who can contribute effective testimony in the case.
The administrative expenses involved include any faxes sent or received, items that need to be mailed out with the costs to have them sent certified, and perhaps even the supplied used to put everything together.
California Regulations Regarding Contingency Fees
California has a few rules when it comes to how your lawyer can determine the percentage they can charge when your case is won. The contingency fee rules in California include a cap that can be charged and are designed to keep your lawyer from charging unethical fees as well as charging for costs that are beyond what would normally be expected. This helps to ensure that if you are awarded a personal injury settlement in California that you receive the compensation you deserve from the awarded amount.
California Personal Injury Lawyers and Medical Bill Reduction
When awarded a settlement, you will also most likely have to pay for the medical expenses that were incurred due to your injuries even if your insurance company had originally paid for them. This is because when you are awarded a settlement, the courts have determined that the person at fault is now responsible for your medical bills. When they pay the settlement, your insurance company and any medical professionals not paid for by the insurance company are entitled to be reimbursed for your care.
However, a personal injury lawyer can help negotiate your medical bills with your insurance company and any doctors they haven’t already paid to reduce the amount you will need to pay back from your settlement. Often times, the amount saved through medical bill negotiation can make paying the lawyer’s contingency fees well worth it.
When it comes to hiring a lawyer to handle your personal injury case you want to make sure they agree to a contingency fee arrangement so that no costs come out of your own pocket. The Maison Law Firm guarantees that they don’t get paid until you do and Martin Gasparian has the experience to present your case as strongly as possible. For a free consultation to discuss the fees and costs associated with your personal injury case, call the office at (559) 203-3333 to schedule a time that works best for you.
