When you hire a personal injury attorney, you agree to pay fees and costs associated with your claim. But how much you will pay your personal injury lawyers to represent you will depend on several different factors.
How Contingency Fees Work
Injured victims are the most financially vulnerable of all legal clients. Because of this, most personal injury lawyers charge based on a contingency fee arrangement. This means that you owe no money upfront and you will pay fees to your personal injury lawyers based on a percentage of the compensation you are awarded at the end. If there is no compensation awarded in your case, there will be no fees for your personal injury lawyers.
Can Fees Change During the Course of a Case?
Most personal injury contingency fees at our firm run about 33% of the award received at the close of a case. But sometimes attorneys will use a sliding scale structure for contingency fees. This is because a claim that goes to court will require far more time and effort than one that involves negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. There are some firms in the Philadelphia area that frequently charge 50%. But our firm believes that the injured individual should end up with a bigger share of the fee than the attorney.
Are There Other Costs That May Be Involved in a Personal Injury Case?
Even with a contingency fee arrangement, there are still a number of additional expenses and costs that your attorney will be responsible for paying. These will depend on the complexity of the case, the seriousness of the injuries, how many experts will be used, and whether or not the case goes to trial. While the costs and expenses of an insurance settlement can be minimal, they can be more substantial if the matter goes to court.
These additional costs and expenses can include
- Filing fees, court costs, and transcript costs
- Fees for expert witnesses
- Fees for accident recreation engineers
- Costs associated with the investigation and gathering of documents, such as police reports and medical records
- Administrative costs such as postage, telephone calls, copies, legal research, travel, and trial exhibits
- Other costs and expenses associated with litigation
In most cases, your attorney will pay for these out-of-pocket as they arise. They will then need to be repaid from the final compensation you receive.
Get Written Clarification Upfront
When you seek the legal assistance of personal injury lawyers, you should understand how their fees are calculated and when you will be responsible for any additional costs and expenses.
According to the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct, all fees for personal injury lawyers must be in writing. The fee agreement must state the method by which the fees will be calculated and the percentages of those fees depending on settlement, trial, or appeal. This ensures that everyone understands their responsibilities and keeps everyone accountable.
Getting Skilled Legal Expertise to Explain the Fees for a Personal Injury Lawyer
At Silver & Silver, we only charge our personal injury clients on a contingency fee arrangement. This allows them to get skilled legal representation without any upfront costs. We will fully explain the fee arrangement and provide a concise agreement explaining all the terms. If there is not a positive outcome in your case, there are no fees for our personal injury lawyers.
If you have been injured due to someone’s negligence, you deserve expert legal representation to ensure that you’re compensated fairly for your damages. At Silver & Silver, we have dedicated our careers to representing the victim. Let us help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us at (610) 638-7255 or schedule a complimentary consultation through our online contact form.
Disclosure:
This website is designed to provide only general information. The information presented on this website is not formal legal advice. You should not rely on any general information from any source for making legal decisions. Each legal matter is unique and requires specific attention from a qualified and experienced attorney. Unless a representation agreement has been signed with the Law Offices of Silver and Silver, we are not your legal representatives.
