A contingency fee is an agreed-upon percentage that the attorney will receive if he or she wins the case. If the case is lost, you owe them nothing. In most cases, this fee will be right about 33 percent.
Of course, but that is often not a wise decision. Now, we know those percentages can seem high, but missing one small piece of evidence, especially in involved cases, can be a complete disaster. The worse your injury, the more likely you are to need an attorney.
There are many factors that are considered when determining the fees for a personal injury attorney. For the attorney specifically, factors may include:
Personal injury is an injury to an individual’s body or mind. Personal injury causes of action are based in tort law, a broad area of law which covers behaviors causing injury, suffering, or harm to another individual.
There are many advantages to hiring a personal injury lawyer. As previously discussed, personal injury cases can be extremely complex and some may be difficult to prove.
Yes, it is essential to have the assistance of an experienced personal injury lawyer. As discussed above, personal injury cases are complex and require proof of many elements.
You may have mounting medical bills, property damage to cover, and even lost wages. This can make it hard to even think about hiring a lawyer.
For more than 40 years, Kuvara Law Firm has advocated for accident victims throughout Northern California. We understand that after an accident, most people don’t have money in their budget to pay for a lawyer. That is why we offer contingency fee agreements for all personal injury cases.
If you hire a personal injury lawyer on a contingency fee and they succeed in getting a settlement in your case, the lawyer will take 2 things out of that settlement money before giving the rest to you: (1) the contingency fee; and (2) all necessary costs and expenses they incurred in bringing your case.
In Maryland, the average attorney contingency fee percentage in a personal injury case is 33% or 1/3 when the case settles before trial and 40% when the case goes to trial and results in a verdict or settlement after the trial begins.
In addition to taking a percentage of the settlement as a contingency fee, personal injury lawyers also take money out of your settlement to reimburse themselves for the expenses they incurred on your case. It costs lawyers money to bring a personal injury lawsuit. Common expense items in a personal injury case include:
The average amount of costs and expenses in bringing a personal injury case varies significantly depending on several factors. The most significant factor is what type of personal injury case you are bringing. A simple slip and fall or auto accident case will be much less expensive than a complex medical malpractice or cerebral palsy case.
If you get a personal injury settlement your lawyer will take out their contingency fee (usually around 33%) plus reimbursement for any expenses they incurred in brining the case. They may also have to pay medical liens.
The standard contingency fee for a personal injury lawyer in Maryland is 33% (one third) if the case settles and 40% if the case goes to trial.
Your lawyer’s contingency fee percentage will be taken from the total settlement amount BEFORE any expenses or medical liens are deducted.
Contingency fees are not like hourly fees and are only payable when you win the case. You’ll only be charged a percentage of the settlement. If you lose the case, then you don’t owe the attorney anything. Contingency fees make accessing legal help affordable. The fees also give the lawyers an incentive to only take the cases they can handle.
Even though you don’t have to pay your lawyer unless you win the case, there are other expenses you need to pay for the whole process. Apart from the contingency fee, there are additional expenses deducted from your settlement amount. In this case, personal injury attorneys incur a cost that you don’t pay from your pocket.
Attorney fees can be intimidating, especially when you don’t understand what is expected. You can rest easy hiring our firm because you will only pay when a recovery is made, and you will never pay for anything out of your own pocket.
Flora Templeton Stuart is the lead attorney and founder of the law firm Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers, established in 1976. Flora goes to work every day to make a difference in her community and the lives of her clients. When you call you will get a personal representation and an attorney who truly cares.