How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in California?
In California, most personal injury lawyers charge a contingency fee, usually between 33% and 40% of your settlement or court award. Under this structure, you don’t pay any legal fees upfront unless your Roseville injury attorney recovers money for you – their payment is contingent upon them winning your case. If you win at trial or settle the case, your lawyer’s payment comes as a percentage of that amount.
For example, if you settle for $100,000 and your attorney takes a 33% fee, their payment would be $33,000. If you lose and recover nothing, you don’t owe legal fees.
The exact percentage can depend on a few factors:
- The difficulty or complexity of your case
- Whether the case settles quickly or has to go to trial
- The experience of the lawyer
For complex cases that require a lawsuit or trial, the contingency fee can be on the higher end (up to 40%). If it’s settled out of court, the fee may stay at the lower end.
What Happens If Your Lawyer Doesn’t Get You Any Money?
If you do not recover any money, you don’t need to pay attorney’s fees. However, some firms may still require payment of costs, such as court filing fees, costs for obtaining medical records, or payments to experts. Make sure to ask your lawyer about how these costs will be handled. Some firms cover expenses up front and recover them only if the case is successful, while others may require repayment of costs even if the case is not successful.
What Do Contingency Fees Cover?
Contingency fees cover several important parts of handling your case, such as:
- Investigating the Accident: The law firm gathers records, interviews witnesses, and may work with experts to understand what happened.
- Negotiations: Your lawyer talks with insurance companies and others involved, trying to reach a fair settlement.
- Court Filings and Appearances: If settling is not possible, the lawyer can file a lawsuit and take your case to court. This involves drafting legal documents, filing them with the court, and representing you in hearings or trial.
- Paying Necessary Upfront Costs: Some attorneys may also cover things like court filing fees or fees for expert witnesses, then get reimbursed from your recovery.
Make sure you speak with your lawyer and understand if any of these costs are going to be recovered even if your case is unsuccessful.
How a Contingency Fee Arrangement Can Help Injury Victims
Working with a Roseville accident lawyer who offers a contingency fee arrangement can benefit you in many ways. Here are two of the primary ones:
- Access to Legal Representation: Injury victims may be out of work and unable to afford attorney bills. Contingency fees allow anyone who is injured to get quality legal representation without worrying about the cost.
- Incentivizes The Lawyer: Because your lawyer is paid only if you recover money, your attorney is motivated to get you as much as possible under the law.
Standing up to insurance companies can feel overwhelming if you try it alone. Our contingency fee policy means you can get the help you need, no matter what your financial situation is. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation with our attorneys.