Law

How Much Does a Personal Injury Attorney Cost?

Most personal injury attorneys do not collect a fee unless and until they win your case. If they do not win, you do not pay. No retainer or deposit can make reaching out to a personal injury attorney for help easier. The contingency fee basis for attorney legal fees, combined with free case consultation, leaves you nothing to lose by reaching out to a personal injury attorney today. 

Contingency-Fee Basis: What It Means

The fear of attorney fees can prevent you from contacting a personal injury attorney. However, accident victims must understand that personal injury attorneys want to help victims of negligence pursue compensation. 

Personal injury attorneys realize that accident victims generally face a difficult financial situation. A car accident, for example, can cause injuries that make it impossible to work, either temporarily or permanently. 

The contingency fee basis provides accident victims with a way to secure legal representation without needing funds upfront. For example, if your attorney does not win your case, you do not pay your attorney’s legal fees. 

The High Cost of Not Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

Not hiring a personal injury attorney can cost you your chance of fair compensation. An insurance company most likely protects the party liable for your harm and responsible for your damages. 

Insurance adjusters generally attempt to settle a personal injury claim before a victim has the opportunity to hire an attorney. A common goal of insurance adjusters is to settle a case quickly and for the least amount possible. 

Negotiating with an insurance company alone — and without the knowledge and experience of civil laws — can leave you with nothing. Accepting a settlement to pursue more funds later, should your condition worsen, can financially harm you. 

Accepting a settlement is a one-and-done deal. Accident victims cannot pursue additional compensation later, as the insurance company considers the claim closed. 

Insurance adjusters are often aggressive and use pressure to get victims to accept initial settlement offers. A personal injury attorney can protect you from this necessary pressure by negotiating a fair settlement on your behalf. 

Personal Injury Claims vs. Lawsuits

Most personal injury cases never proceed to court. A majority of cases settle outside of court, a process that saves both sides time and money. However, pursuing compensation is vital for your current and future financial needs. Your attorney prepares for trial in the event securing fair compensation demands your case go before a judge and jury. 

A personal injury attorney files a civil lawsuit as they negotiate with insurance companies. Filing your case within the required statute of limitations protects your case, should it need to go to trial. 

Not filing your case before the statute of limitations expires can leave you with no further legal options. In addition, failed negotiations for a fair settlement can bring an end to your case if you do not file your case with the court promptly. 

Civil lawsuits typically take place before a judge and jury. Hiring a personal injury lawyer with courtroom experience is crucial for your case. A jury considers damages such as your:

  • Medical costs
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of future earnings if unable to ever return to work
  • Pain and suffering, relating to your mental and physical harm

A personal injury lawsuit is your right when you suffer harm due to another person’s negligence. You must act quickly as the statute of limitations clock begins to tick when you suffer injuries. 

You Can Afford a Personal Injury Attorney

Never let the fear of attorney fees stop you from contacting a personal injury attorney. A free, no-obligation case consultation gives you the chance to learn more about whether you have a case and, if so, how to proceed. 

A car accident or another type of accident caused by negligence is a frightening experience. Your world turns upside down in an instant and places you in a financial bind. 

Compensation is never predicted, promised, or guaranteed. A personal injury attorney holds insurance companies accountable by fighting for the compensation you deserve and not what the insurance company wants to pay you. 

You can afford a personal injury attorney during this stressful time. In addition, the contingency fee basis gives you the peace of mind that legal fees only apply if your attorney is successful. 

The time to act is now. The sooner you contact a personal injury attorney, the faster they can get to work on your case. A personal injury claim and a lawsuit may not return your life to how it was before the accident; however, they can help ease your financial burden.