How Are Personal Injury Lawyers Paid?

How a personal injury attorney is paid is usually determined by which side of the case they are on. Learn about how personal injury attorneys are paid below, then contact our Rockford personal injury lawyers today if you have questions about a potential case.

Contingency Fee Arrangements For Personal Injury Attorneys

Assuming the personal injury attorney represents the plaintiff, they usually receive payment under a contingency fee agreement. Your lawyer will only receive a fee for their services if they obtain a settlement or favorable verdict. In many cases, the fee is about 33% of the money recovered in a settlement or trial. However, you should talk to your attorney about how they are paid when you first sit down with them.

Most cases are billed by the hour if you are the defendant and the personal injury attorney represents you. They also may charge you a retainer upfront that is kept in a separate bank account. As work is completed on your case, the lawyer withdraws money from your retainer.

Who Pays The Personal Injury Attorney?

If the attorney represents the plaintiff, the attorney’s fee comes from the money paid by the defendant to settle, or the amount the defendant must pay if the case goes to the jury. On the other hand, if you are the defendant and have liability insurance, that policy will typically pay the attorney, up to policy limits. If you do not have an insurance policy, you must pay the plaintiff out of your pocket.

Additional Legal Fees In Personal Injury Cases

When the personal injury attorney represents the plaintiff, they will generally advance expenses instead of asking you to pay upfront. When the case is over, the personal injury attorney usually adds legal expenses on top of their legal fees. Your client-attorney agreement should state how legal expenses will be included in what you pay. Legal expenses can include the costs to file the case in court, expert witness costs, courtroom presentation expenses, private investigator fees, and more.

Personal Injury Attorneys Are Picky

When the attorney works by a contingency fee for the plaintiff, they are usually picky about their cases. After all, they are only paid if they win. They need to be sure they have a reasonable chance of being compensated for their work. If the personal injury attorney takes your case, it is usually because they think there is a good chance you can prevail at the settlement table or in court. If you consult a personal injury attorney after an accident and they accept your case, take this as a good sign that your case has merit.

Contact Our Rockford Personal Injury Lawyers Now

If you have been injured in an accident caused by someone’s negligence, you may be able to file a lawsuit for damages. In most cases, you will pay legal fees out of your settlement or award at the end of the case, so there is no harm in talking to a lawyer about your case. Please contact our Rockford personal injury lawyers at Fisk & Monteleone Ltd. at (815) 962-0044 for legal assistance.