For most personal injury cases, the attorneys at Maison Law collect their fees based on a contingency arrangement. Also known as a contingency fee, almost all personal injury lawyers work for these types of fees. What are contingency fees?
Contingency fees depend on a client’s matter achieving a favorable outcome. The collection of a fee is dependent or “contingent” on the client prevailing in the case at hand. The lawyer’s fees for representing the client are deducted from the final settlement of the client’s case or the award of damages after a favorable verdict at trial. If the client loses, the lawyer receives no fee.
Contingency fees are based on a percentage of the final settlement or award. Most contingency fee agreements provide a fee that is based on a percentage of between 33 and 40 percent. In most cases, the attorney will receive 33 percent or 1/3 of any settlement or award. For example, if the client accepts a settlement offer of $75,000, the client will receive $50,000 and the lawyer will receive $25,000.
Some attorneys offer sliding-scale fee agreements where the contingency fee percentage varies based on the stage of the proceedings where the case is resolved. If the case is settled before trial, the fee is likely to be less than if the case goes to trial.
Most personal injury lawyers will pay costs and expenses as they come due during the pendency of a personal injury matter. These costs and expenses will then be deducted from a client’s share of the settlement or court award. Keep in mind that a personal injury may recover these costs and expenses if a client loses the case.
Costs and expenses in a personal injury case include:
- medical records
- police reports
- investigator and expert witness fees
- postage and photocopies
- filing fees
- depositions and deposition transcripts
- trial exhibits.
Once the case is settled or an award is made at trial, the lawyer will receive this money on behalf of the client. The lawyer should then provide an itemized list of all amounts deducted from this settlement check as attorney fees, costs, and expenses. If any dispute arises, the attorney should place this money in his or her trust account until resolved.
Legal fees charged on an hourly basis can quickly accumulate, especially if the case is complicated and takes longer than usual to resolve. The availability of a contingency fee allows accident victims the opportunity to obtain legal representation and pursue a claim without financial risk.
Maison law’s years of representing clients in all types of personal injury cases, give the firm extensive knowledge and experience litigating and settling personal injury matters. Maison Law passionately provides skilled representation and effective advocacy on behalf of all our clients. If you have any questions about any type of personal injury matter, call Maison Law and Martin Gasparian today. The experience of Maison Law helps us provide skilled, zealous representation on behalf of every client. Call Maison Law 24/7 at (559) 203-3333.
