Table of Contents
Contingency fee agreements between accident lawyers and their clients make pursuing claims accessible to injured victims. It also helps clients seek accountability from negligent parties for their actions. The basics of a contingency fee agreement depend mostly on what the attorney and client agree to and the type of case involved in the agreement. Arash Law, a team of experienced accident injury lawyers in California, operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning plaintiffs won’t owe us any attorney’s fees unless they reach a settlement or court judgment in their case. However, clients may still be responsible for case-related costs, even if the outcome is not in their favor.
How Does A Contingency Fee Arrangement Work?
The majority of settlement cases begin with a free initial consultation. In this meeting, a client has the opportunity to share their story. An attorney or associate will listen and take notes. During this meeting, the client will learn more about their legal options. For example, is there a case?
An experienced car accident attorney should explain the elements of a personal injury claim and assess whether the claim is valid according to state or federal law. If not, the personal injury claim ends there. If so, the client will have the option to sign a contingency fee agreement and begin the legal process of collecting compensation from the negligent party.
Why Offer Contingency Fee Services?
Contingency fee legal services offer a variety of benefits. First, they help provide victims of negligence with the opportunity to pursue a claim for damages incurred as a result of another person’s negligence. Under these arrangements, a person is only responsible for paying an attorney if they reach a settlement or verdict in the case, and then the payment is made directly out of the compensation.
In California, for example, an attorney’s average hourly rate can be around $350. For larger firms, hourly rates can range from $450. Additionally, in some cases, such as medical malpractice, longer timelines and higher expenses are required. Preparing a medical malpractice case can incur costs of up to $100,000, which may include fees for professional witnesses, testimony, subpoenas, and other expenses. Since the majority of people do not have this kind of cash on hand, contingency fee agreements allow any victims of negligence to pursue a claim, not just those who can afford it.
Some people believe that offering cases on a contingency-fee basis eliminates frivolous lawsuits. An attorney works diligently to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a claim before agreeing to handle it. This allows attorneys to be selective in the types of cases they take, saving time and money for everyone.
Essentially, A Contingency Fee Agreement Marries An Attorney’s Interests To The Client’s Interests.
This setup provides the lawyer with a direct financial incentive to work diligently on behalf of the plaintiff. Plaintiffs also enjoy protection from “running the clock” or other time-wasting strategies to accrue more legal fees, because firms themselves front the money to pay these costs. Under a contingency fee system, all parties involved, like plaintiffs, lawyers, and the court system, benefit.
What Does A Settlement Look Like?
The amount of financial compensation a client can seek from a case will depend on several factors, including:
- The extent of the injuries. Generally, serious injuries lead to higher claim amounts than minor ones.
- The nature of the car accident. If the injuries involve someone’s reckless or purposeful conduct, the client may be able to collect punitive damages. In rare cases involving malicious or reckless conduct, it may be possible to seek punitive damages, which will affect the claim amount.
- The insurance limits of the negligent party’s policy. In some cases, the limits set by the negligent party’s insurance policy may constrain the award amount, but these limits could reach a significant value.
Contingency fee arrangements enable attorneys to represent their clients’ interests with confidence, particularly in situations where many clients may not otherwise be able to afford to seek compensation.
Although the attorney’s fees are contingent upon the success of the case, clients may still need to cover certain case costs, no matter the outcome. We are committed to full transparency regarding all potential costs and will discuss everything in our initial consultation.
Our personal injury and car accident lawyers aim to help you seek fair compensation for your losses. If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, contact our team of injury lawyers in California and schedule a free initial consultation.
