Most California car accident lawyers don’t get an upfront fee. They would only receive a fee if they won the case for a client. Upon victory, lawyers generally get around a third of the settlement check victims are awarded.
To determine what’s a fair fee for the service and protection a car accident attorney provides, victims will have to consider how much additional money an attorney can help them earn. Victims also have to consider the risk lawyers take when they agree to only require payment if a case is successful.
What Does It Mean When Lawyers Only Get Paid If a Case Is Won?
Most California car accident lawyers work on a “contingency basis.” It means that clients don’t have to pay anything unless their lawyer wins the case. There are no upfront costs for the victim and any victim can afford quality legal care no matter their financial situation.
The lawyer fronts the money to mount an investigation to secure evidence that will force an insurance company to accept responsibility for a reckless driver. Lawyers take a risk by investing their time and money into a case. Cases can fail for reasons out of the lawyer’s control and the attorney can be left with nothing to show for their work.
If a claim isn’t successful, victims don’t have to pay anything. The lawyer would have to cover all costs of the investigation. If the case is successful, the contingency agreement would usually grant the attorney around 33% of the settlement award. In the case of a lawsuit decided in court, the lawyer would get around 33% of the judgment a judge awarded the victim. The lawyer may also be reimbursed for court costs and investigative expenses.
Why Should I Give a Car Accident Lawyer Part of My Settlement?
If your case involves only car damage and/or very minor injuries, you may not need the help of a car accident lawyer for your claim. Settlements for car damage and minimal medical costs have become pretty standard.
But when injuries are more serious, like a broken arm or a Traumatic Brain Injury, insurance companies try to avoid having to pay those large medical bills. They’ll resort to tactics to try to reject your claim completely or try to convince you to accept far less than you need to recover physically and financially.
It’s why you could need the help of a skilled lawyer to protect your rights and secure every benefit available for your family. These are some of the safeguards your lawyer provides:
- Opportunity to earn much more for your claim
- Investigative work and evidence collection to strengthen your case
- Defense if an insurance adjuster tries to blame you for an accident
- Defense if an insurance adjuster claims your injuries aren’t that bad
- Defense if an insurance company tries to get you to sign off on a “lowball” settlement offer
- Preparation for a lawsuit and trial in case an insurance company refuses to accept blame and provide a settlement check
- Negotiation skills to earn you the maximum in compensation
Reputable lawyers will tell you when they can’t help increase the value of your case. They’ll suggest that you file the claim yourself so you can keep all of the settlement money.
But if they can likely earn you much more than you could earn if you filed a claim yourself, they will also tell you that. When a serious injury is involved, a lawyer can often maximize your claim and secure more for your family. The idea is that the additional money awarded is enough to provide the victim with much more and is also enough to pay the lawyer a fair fee.
Contact a California Car Accident Lawyer
Speak with a skilled California Car Accident Attorney after a collision caused by someone else’s carelessness leaves you or a loved one with a serious injury. It’s important to know about every benefit available to you and your family because an insurance representative won’t be informing you about all of your options.
Contact Maison Law for a free, no-obligation consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your injury is worth and what you should demand from insurers.
