What Are Contingency Fees for Lawyers?
Few people put money aside for legal fees in case of a car accident compensation claim. For this reason, reputable car accident lawyers provide a free initial case consultation to evaluate the merits of a car accident claim for damages, and then use a contingency-based payment system. With contingency fees, the client’s fees are contingent upon the attorney’s success in recovering compensation in their client’s case.
How Do Contingency Fees Work?
Contingency fees allow an attorney to represent a car accident injury victim at no upfront cost. Instead, the law firm assumes all costs during the investigation of the accident, the documentation of evidence of the at-fault party’s liability, and the calculation of the injury victim’s damages. This often includes consultations with experts like accident reconstruction specialists and medical experts. The investigation builds a strong case showing the at-fault party’s liability and the injury victim’s past and future medical expenses and lost earnings, as well as an appropriate amount of compensation for pain and suffering.
With contingency-based payment, an attorney charges a percentage of the injury victim’s compensation and deducts their fee from the amount they obtain for their client. Fees typically range between 30% to 40% of the total amount obtained as compensation in the case.
How Does a Car Accident Lawyer Help an Injury Victim?
Most car accident compensation claims are filed against the at-fault party’s insurance. The insurance company may protect company profits at the injury victim’s expense by disputing, denying, or undervaluing their claim. In some cases, an insurance adjuster assigns an undue portion of fault to the injury victim to reduce the amount they have to pay on the claim by the injury victim’s assigned percentage of fault. In other words, by assigning 30% fault for an accident to the injury victim, the insurance company only has to pay out $70,000 on a $100,000 claim. Because the bar for recovering compensation is 51%, the insurance company may even shift liability to the injury victim by assigning them more than 51% of fault.
An Atlanta car accident attorney at Piasta Walker Hagenbush represents their client’s rights by documenting compelling evidence of the other driver’s liability and protecting the injury victim’s best interests, arguing for the highest possible settlement. If the insurance company does not offer an acceptable settlement, the attorney takes the matter to court, seeking a large jury award for their client’s damages.
How Does Contingency-Based Payment Help an Injury Victim?
When an attorney uses contingency fees, they only get paid if they succeed in obtaining compensation for their client. Additionally, the greater the compensation amount they recover, the more they get paid for their work. Contingency fees incentivize a car accident lawyer to obtain the largest possible settlement. In most cases, a car accident victim with an experienced personal injury attorney in Atlanta representing them recovers a greater amount of compensation than they would have without a lawyer, even after the attorney deducts their percentage.
How Can an Attorney From Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC Help?
A car accident claim is a challenging legal endeavor. Taking on this complex process while also trying to recover from your injuries can be overwhelming. Instead of leaving your case in the hands of the insurance company, call the car accident lawyers at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC to represent your best interests at no upfront cost to you.