What is a Car Accident Lawyer’s Fees?

When you’ve been in a Colorado Springs car accident, your worries are justified. The mounting costs have no apparent solution in sight. You need help getting paid for your medical bills and lost wages, but you can’t afford to hire an attorney right now.

Auto accident lawyers understand your predicament and are eager to help. For this reason, many lawyers provide payment plans that eliminate the need for up-front cash to secure your case.

While many lawyers price their clients by the hour, personal injury attorneys often bill them differently after an accident. A contingency fee is what they use for payment. This means that your attorney will only get paid if they can get you a favorable outcome in your cases, such as a settlement or a judgment for damages.

If your attorney is unsuccessful in getting you a favorable settlement or review, you won’t have to pay them anything. They are vested in seeing you succeed since they rely on your success for their survival.

Do you think this sounds too good to be true? It just isn’t true. Each victim of an accident should have access to competent legal representation, according to the legal community, yet many people can’t pay the high retainers, or hourly rates required. So that something can be done in case something goes wrong, a backup plan has been established.

In this article, we’ll discuss how much it can cost you to hire an attorney in the event of a car crash.

How Much Does a Lawyer Add Value After a Car Accident?

To begin, seeing how much of your settlement a lawyer would receive in fees could make you question whether or not you need legal representation.

Hiring a lawyer is almost always a good idea after a car accident. This is because vehicle accident victims who use attorneys typically receive far larger settlements and awards than those who do not. Personal injury attorneys have likely dealt with thousands of insurance claims related to motor vehicle accidents, but you haven’t.

You seem to be on the fence about this, right? Here’s a scenario to think about.

If you wish to keep all of your settlement money for yourself, you may want to consult a lawyer before making this decision. Your projected losses amount to around $15,000, considering your medical bills and the two weeks of lost wages.

The insurance company disputes some of your losses or claims you were partially to blame for the accident, so they offer you only $10,000 to settle. After some back-and-forth, you settle on a price of $12,000 with them. The resulting $3,000 in losses must be covered entirely out of pocket.

Let’s say you’ve been in a car accident and, in the days after the incident, you decide to consult with a lawyer who accepts cases on a contingency basis. The attorney thinks you should get paid for more than just the $15,000 in medical bills and missed wages; you should get paid for the agony and suffering you’ve endured and any future medical bills and fees associated with your case. Your lawyer may begin negotiations at a higher amount than his estimate of $28,000 in damages.

Your attorney knows how to respond to the insurance company’s lowball offer, so you get a $28,000 settlement. The $1,000 claim expenses are deducted by the attorney. From the remaining $27,000, or 33.33 percent, your attorney will receive $9,000. That brings your total to $18,000. Instead of needing to come up with $3,000 to cover your losses, you have $3,000 MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED.

In addition, most attorneys are willing and able to help you negotiate decreased medical bills or health insurance subrogation, which can increase your “net” financial gain.

Those benefits are just one of several that make it desirable to get legal counsel following an automobile accident. As your case’s worth increases, it becomes increasingly important and reasonable to retain the services of an experienced attorney. This is of the utmost importance if your case is headed for trial.

Having trouble with your insurance provider? You aren’t alone. In a car crash, you should consult a lawyer without delay to discuss your legal options.

Contingency fees: what are they, and how do they work?

A contingency fee is only due in the event of a successful outcome, such as a settlement or jury award. However, how much are you prepared to invest at that time? If the money would go back to the lawyer, it’s not worth hiring one to assist you in settling. The good news is that this won’t happen, as contingency fees will only amount to a small percentage of your final settlement.

The maximum fee percentage that can be charged as a contingency varies from state to state. Settlement rates are generally between 30% and 45%, with the average being around 33% in cases resolved amicably. Since premises liability actions are more difficult to win and take significantly more work from the attorney and his or her team, their fees tend to be higher.

Some contingency fee agreements include variable percentages based on the outcome of your case and the amount of work involved. The following are examples of what a contract might include:

·         33% in the first round if the disagreement is settled without litigation being initiated.

·         40% if you and your lawyer agree that launching a lawsuit is in your best interests.

·         Retrials and appeals have a 45 percent chance of being successful.

Make sure you fully grasp any agreement your car accident attorney advises before signing anything. It’s important to address any questions or issues you may have about the payment contract as soon as possible, as this payment method has the potential to cause confusion. Your car accident attorney is here to address any of your concerns.

When it comes to expenses, how does the attorney’s fee structure work?

As part of the contingency fee structure, it is important to clarify who pays for certain litigation costs. For illustration, consider the following expenditures:

·         The Investigation Team and Subject Matter Experts

·         Expenses related to submitting paperwork to the court

·         Costs associated with services and legal process servers

·         Expenses for procuring essential records like police or health records

·         Costs associated with hiring a court reporter

You should read the contract very carefully to see whether or not you will be responsible for paying your lawyer back for these costs and expenses, regardless of whether you will win the lawsuit.

Depending on the firm, you may be expected to pay these costs as they arise; if you cannot do so, your case may be put on hold until you can do so. Nonetheless, many organizations will cover these costs in advance on your behalf.

These costs and the proportion you’ve agreed upon will be deducted from any settlement or award you get.

There May Be Other Fee Structures to Think About

While contingency fees are standard in auto accident cases, certain attorneys may propose other payment plans. Depending on the circumstances, you may have to pay both a retainer and a contingency fee upfront. In certain situations, the retainer will be used for the final percentage you owe your lawyer. If the lawyer’s share of the settlement is $100,000 and you paid a $2,000 retainer, you should only have to pay $98,000.

Unlike in criminal cases, a personal injury claim arising from a car accident will not likely warrant a fixed fee from the attorney representing you. A lawyer may agree to a flat fee if all you need is for them to write a demand letter (or do some other one-off job). You should discuss this independently with each lawyer.

How to Find the Best Law Firm After a Car Wreck

When choosing a lawyer to represent you after an auto accident, consider the fee arrangement.

Do not be shy about asking the following questions when you evaluate potential attorneys in light of how they plan to charge for their services:

·         How much are they asking for in terms of a settlement?

·         Can you expect to be reimbursed for expenses as they occur, or will the company front the money and take it out of your paycheck?

·         Do you feel the firm gave you a fair range of potential outcomes?

·         What are their anticipated costs, including any fees? Is this a fair price, considering the circumstances of your case?

·         Does the law firm appear reasonable and fair, or do you get the impression that they’re just trying to “sell” you something?

To hire an attorney, one should think about more than just cost. Budget lawyers who charge less than their competitors may not be equipped to handle high-stakes matters or have confidence enough in their abilities to charge the usual percentages. However, the cost may play a part in your decision, especially if several auto accident legal firms charge differently.

Ethics and the Use of Contingency Fees

Lawyers that specialize in car accidents cannot set whatever fees they wish. Lawyers are subject to several standards governing their professional conduct, as well as restrictions governing their financial compensation. A few examples of problems that some of these regulations attempt to solve are as follows:

·         Any agreements, including a contingent fee, must be documented in writing.

·         All costs and fees must be reasonable in light of the circumstances. The attorney’s request for a 50% contingency fee on a basic auto accident insurance claim and the $10 per copy price for internal usage are both unacceptable.

·         As soon as possible, attorneys should explain the fee structure for their services.

·         Fees must be established following applicable state laws.

·         A lawyer should never be compelled by a client’s fee arrangement to provide less than optimal service.

·         The client should only be billed once, even if two law firms are responsible for a joint payment.

·         Fee issues should be settled through mediation or arbitration, as these are the processes required or encouraged by the state.

Because they won’t get paid unless you do, the interests of both you and your automobile accident attorney are aligned under a contingency fee.