Most attorneys work on either a flat fee or an hourly rate plus expenses. That’s what you pay. What comes to issue is that many cases will cost thousands of dollars before they’re finally settled or determined by a court. Most people simply can’t afford quality legal services on that type of a fee arrangement. That’s when a contingency fee agreement in Merced County should be considered.
If you are seeking an attorney to take your personal injury case on a contingency fee basis please feel free to contact our Merced Car Accident Lawyer today.
What is a Contingency Fee?
When an attorney and client agree upon a contingency fee, it’s usually in the context of a personal injury or workers’ compensation case. The client agrees to pay the attorney a set percentage of any sums derived by the attorney through any settlement or an award. If you lose your claim or lawsuit, no legal fees whatsoever are due.
Costs
Whether the attorney who you have retained is pursuing compensation for your damages through a claim or a lawsuit, certain costs will be advanced by the attorney on your behalf. Those might involve costs of medical records and reports, filing fees, deposition fees and maybe even expert witness fees. Under California law, clients are ultimately responsible for those costs. Ordinarily, legal fees are deducted from any gross settlement or award, and cots are then deducted.
Sliding Scale Fees
Some lawyers will include a sliding scale of payment in their contingency fee agreements. This is perfectly legal. For example, in a car accident case, the attorney and client might agree on payment of 25% of any sums derived through a direct insurance claim, but one-third of any sums derived through a lawsuit. Workers’ compensation cases also work on a sliding scale wherein the percentage of legal fees is fixed by the judge at 10, 12 or 15% of the gross award. These fees must be approved by a workers’ compensation judge.
Get it in Writing
Never enter into a contingency fee agreement on a handshake. California law requires any contingency fee agreement to be in writing. Upon entering into a contingency fee agreement, make sure that you leave with a copy of it.
Contingency fee agreements in Merced County operate to benefit the community as a whole. They open the doors to the highest quality of legal services to those who ordinarily couldn’t come close to being able to pay for them. When the courthouse doors open for them, they get the same equal protection under the law that even the wealthiest people get.
