At our law firm, we generally take personal injury and wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis. This means we take the risk on your case. What this really means is that you get legal representation without having to pay for a retainer up front. Thus, contingency fees allow attorneys to help people that couldn’t otherwise afford to pay a retainer up front.
Who Pays Costs of Litigation and Court Costs in a Florida Personal Injury Case?
The firm pays costs and litigation fees, as well as expenses like expert witness fees and the cost of recording depositions. Once the case settles or once your lawyer gets a favorable verdict from the jury, then the attorneys will get paid their percentage, which is usually one third of recovery pre-suit and 40% once a case is filed.
Does the Client Pay Anything if There is No Recovery?
If you sign a standard contingency fee agreement, you will not likely have to pay anything to your attorney unless you get a settlement or a favorable verdict at trial. Thus, if there is no recovery, you won’t have to pay your attorney. By and large, this is the typical agreement with have with our clients, and this is normal under your standard contingency fee agreement. Unfortunately, you can’t get back all the time you spent in litigation, but at least you won’t be stuck with a bill at the end of the whole process.
Contingency Fees Can Make Lawyers Very Selective About Which Cases to Take
Now, I don’t hear about cases ending in no recovery very often. It’s rare. This is probably the case because, generally speaking, lawyers will not take a case on contingency unless they are fairly comfortable with liability in the case. In other words, you’re going to need to find a lawyer that likes your case and feels comfortable with the facts. As we talked about, it’s a risk for an attorney to take your case. Accordingly, contingency fees can force attorneys to be very selective about the cases they take.
Contact an Orlando, Florida Personal Injury Attorney for Your FREE Legal Consultation
If you have any questions about contingency fees or how to take the next steps in pursuing your injury claim, please don't hesitate to reach out. You can call our firm at 321-352-7588 or you can contact us directly on our website. We offer free legal consultations with a Florida personal injury attorney.
We are happy to talk with you and discuss your case. Sometimes you don’t need an attorney because not every accident should have a personal injury lawyer involved. However, people can almost always benefit from guidance, and we’re here to help you however we can. We’re here when you need us.
