If you were injured in a car accident, you might wonder whether you can afford a lawyer or whether you should hire a lawyer at all. When you’re already facing unexpected medical expenses and lost wages, you might be worried about taking on the extra cost of paying for an attorney’s legal services. Fortunately, most car accident lawyers in Texas work on a contingency fee basis, which allows you to hire a lawyer without having to pay for their services until they recover compensation for you.
Under a contingency-fee arrangement, a lawyer only gets paid if they win your case. Payment for their legal services is contingent upon or conditioned on securing compensation on your behalf. The lawyer receives a percentage of the compensation they recover.
This arrangement allows you to secure legal services now while you need them without the risk of having to pay for them if you lose your case. While most attorneys work on an hourly basis and charge anywhere from $100 to $1,000 per hour, personal injury lawyers are not guaranteed payment for their services. They assume the risk of working on the case and not getting paid if they’re unsuccessful.
So, how does a contingency fee work? Suppose you were injured in an accident and your lawyer was able to recover $100,000 on your behalf. They charge a fee of 33% (a common contingency fee rate). This means they will receive $33,000 for their services, while you receive $67,000.
The actual percentage San Antonio car accident lawyers charge varies depending on the complexity of the case, the lawyer’s experience, the costs associated with the case, the likelihood of success, and other factors.
It’s important that personal injury victims understand that they may be responsible for paying for various costs associated with their case, such as:
How these costs are handled should be outlined in your contingency fee agreement. Ask your lawyer any questions you have about how they are handled and when they are deducted from your proceeds (as in before or after the attorney charges their percentage fee).
If you lose your case, you will not be responsible for paying attorney fees. Regardless of the percentage you agreed to pay your lawyer, that percentage times $0 is $0. This is better than having to pay a lawyer an hourly fee for their work – even if that work doesn’t command a result.
The Aguirre Law Firm, PLLC takes personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. Our San Antonio personal injury lawyers will fight for you to secure maximum compensation, benefiting both of us. You will not pay any attorney fees unless we win your case. Call us today or contact us online to schedule a free consultation to discuss your legal options.
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