Accidents are a daily occurrence and often do not have serious repercussions. Unfortunately, no matter how much caution you take, there are situations where an accident is caused by the negligent behavior of another. It’s a sad fact that those who were not to blame for an incident are often the ones left with the resultant emotional and economic burden. Individuals who are left with financial uncertainty following an accident because of lost wages and medical bills often choose to open a personal injury lawsuit to try to claim some of these damages from the at-fault party’s insurance company.
If you have been involved in an accident and are considering hiring a personal injury lawyer, you may be asking yourself how much it will cost you and what percentage accident lawyers take in personal injury cases. The best thing you can do is to call us directly. Here at The Law Place, we are very straightforward with our contingency fee arrangement and would be happy to explain it to you in detail as well as give you free legal advice regarding your accident case. Our contingency fee structure means that if your case is unsuccessful, you won’t have to pay for our services.
Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us now for a free consultation at (941) 444-4444.
How Do Contingency Fees Work?
If you had been in an accident and wanted to open a personal injury lawsuit with the help of an accident attorney, you might be worried about the legal fees this would entail. Luckily, many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee arrangement.
When an accident lawyer works within a contingency fee agreement, this means that they will only be paid for their services if the client’s case outcome is favorable. This is also known as a no-win-no-fee structure.
If, for example, you have been in a car accident and wish to file a car accident claim, you will find that most car accident lawyers will not ask for a flat fee or indeed any fee upfront. If your personal injury case is successful, your car accident attorney will receive a contingency fee as a percentage of the final settlement.
Most personal injury lawyers in Florida work within contingency fee agreements, where the client can be assured that their lawyer will only take a contingency fee percentage if they win the case.
The percentage that a personal injury lawyer will take from a settlement depends on a few factors. To ensure fairness for claimants and lawyers, contingency fees in Florida are monitored by The State Bar Association.
For a free legal consultation, call 941-444-4444
What Percentage Could a Car Accident Lawyer Take From a Settlement?
The amount that an accident lawyer will take from a successful claimant’s compensation will depend mostly on the total sum of the final settlement (where the contingency fee is taken as a percentage) and whether the lawsuit is settled outside or inside the court.
Personal Injury Cases Settled Before a Lawsuit Complaint
If a personal injury case can be settled before a lawsuit can be answered by the defendant, then an accident attorney could claim up to around 33% of a final settlement with a cap of $1 million.
If the final settlement is between $1 million and $2 million, then a personal injury attorney may be entitled to take an extra percentage on top of the total already awarded amount. The percentage taken will vary from case to case and the specific details of your claim, so call today to find out more.
Personal Injury Cases That Go to Trial
The accident lawyer contingency fees will be slightly different if the case goes to trial. This happens if the lawsuit complaint is answered by the defendant within 20 days of the case being filed. In this case, an accident lawyer is entitled to take a slightly higher percentage of the awarded settlement.
Personal Injury Cases Where the Claim Is Appealed
If a personal injury case claim is appealed by the defendant, most personal injury lawyers will charge an extra percentage, of around 5%, onto their contingency fee.
Other Fees That Could Be Deducted From a Final Settlement
On top of standard legal fees, there are other costs that could influence how much is taken from your final settlement. Remember that these fees and expenses will never come out of your own pocket if you choose a lawyer with a contingency fee arrangement. These fees will simply be deducted from your final settlement if your case is successful. Extra fees can include:
- Expert witness fees.
- Filing fees.
- Research fees.
- Court fees.
- Court reporter fees.
- Deposition charges.
- Travel expenses.
- Filing fees.
- Police reports.
- Medical reports.
- Mediation costs.
The extra costs and expenses will depend on the length of your case, where they will generally be higher if the settlement does not occur until close to trial.
If your case is successful, your lawyer will usually be sent the settlement check. They should make a detailed itemized list of these expenses that will be deducted from the settlement to cover their legal fees and expenses.
Be aware that if you decide to switch lawyers or to represent yourself before the case is over, your original lawyer will have a lien for fees and expenses incurred before the switch and may sue you for failing to honor the attorney’s lien.
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What Can an Accident Lawyer Do for Me?
If you have been in a car accident or another type of accident in Florida that wasn’t your fault, then we can imagine what you must be going through. Physical pain and emotional distress on top of financial anxiety produced by the time off work and mounting medical bills can be tough to face alone.
Car accidents often lead to severe injuries that require long-term medical care, which is rarely covered by a person’s regular insurance policy. This leaves many accident victims to consider whether they should seek compensation from the person to blame for their damages.
For a personal injury case to be successful, you must be able to prove that your injuries and other damages were directly caused by the negligent behavior of the other party. According to Florida Statute 768.81, Florida operates under comparative negligence, meaning that more than one party can be found liable for the damages following an accident. This is one reason why having an accident attorney is essential to the success of your case.
Insurance companies will always try to reduce the amount they payout in order to maximize profits, which could include shifting the blame onto you or minimizing the importance of your injuries. In a car accident case, for example, the opposition might try to claim that your actions at the time of the accident contributed to the crash.
Our car accident lawyers have many years of experience with personal injury claims and know Florida’s accident claim laws, as well as insurance company methods, inside out. Enlisting the help of an experienced and passionate lawyer will ensure that you are not tricked into settling for less than you are owed and will increase the amount you are likely to receive in compensation.
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What Damages Can an Accident Lawyer Help Me to Claim?
Personal injury attorneys can help you calculate the damages from your accident and fight for your right to compensation for these damages. This can include:
- Medical bills – Particularly in car accident cases, severe injuries can require expensive long-term medical treatment such as surgery, doctor’s appointments, medication, and long-term rehabilitation.
- Pain and suffering – A personal injury lawyer will be able to help you calculate less quantifiable damages caused by your accident, such as emotional distress, insomnia, and loss of quality of life.
- Lost wages – If your accident has forced you to take time off work, your accident attorney can help you claim for this loss of income, as well as loss of future income if the injuries will impact your ability to work in the future.
- Wrongful death – If a loved one passed away following injuries from an accident, you might be entitled to compensation for funeral and burial costs, as well as loss of family income.
A personal injury lawyer will build and strengthen your case using evidence they collect, including police reports, witness statements, medical records, and more. They will also be the point of contact between you and all involved parties, including insurance companies. Your attorney will negotiate and lead negotiations with the involved insurance companies and handle all communications so that you can focus on your recovery.
All of the documentation and paperwork relevant to your case will be filed and dealt with by your lawyer. There is no need to be intimidated by the maze of laws and court proceedings involved in a personal injury case. We will handle it all for you and always try to settle your claim outside of the courtroom to save you money and stress. If your case does go to court, you can be sure that your accident attorney will be by your side, representing you and fighting to get you the compensation you deserve.
Call The Law Place Today
At The Law Place, we offer a free case evaluation to new clients so that you can talk to an accident attorney about the details of your case, receive no-obligation legal advice, and an estimation of how much you could be owed in compensation.
If you choose to hire our services following this free consultation, you will not have to pay any legal fees upfront.
As our lawyers work within contingency agreements, your attorney will only take a contingency fee from your final settlement if they win your case.
If you have been in an accident in Florida and are considering opening a personal injury case, call The Law Place today for no-obligation free legal advice from an experienced accident lawyer.
Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us for a free consultation now at (941) 444-4444.
Call or text 941-444-4444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form