What Will It Cost To Hire A Car Accident Lawyer?
If you were in a car accident where the other party was at fault, you will need a lawyer to help you receive the compensation and justice that you deserve. Let’s face it, being involved in a car accident is very stressful — to say the least. This is why you need some peace of mind by having someone on your side that will ensure that your case is properly handled from beginning to end.
When it comes to car accidents, most lawyers use a “contingency fee” process when it comes to payment. Let’s take a closer look at how a contingency fee works and what you can expect when you are trying to figure out how much your car accident lawyer will cost you.
Understanding A Contingency Fee
A contingency fee is a percentage of the money received from the insurance settlement that will be paid to your lawyer. It also means that if there is no money recovered from your case, your lawyer comes away with nothing. Most lawyers will charge one third of the recovery as their contingency fee. For example, if you recover $120,000, your lawyer will receive $40,000. In most cases, the percentage will increase if the case goes to trial.
Here at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Attorneys, we settle close to 95% of our car accident cases in negotiations. That means we don’t go to trial often in these car accident cases. This level of success provides you with a one third contingency fee that will not increase in almost all of our car accident cases.
Other Fees And Expenses
Outside of the contingency fee that you agree on with your lawyer, there are often other expenses that can arise with car accident cases. For example, there are court filing fees, costs of obtaining medical records and sometimes expert witness fees. In most cases, you will be required to pay these as they are due throughout the process of the case.
It is possible to work out an agreement that will allow your lawyer to pay for these additional fees throughout the process with the understanding that the law firm will make these costs back by subtracting these expenses from your final settlement figure. It is important to discuss the structure of these fees before you sign on with you lawyer so that you know exactly what to expect.
When Is It Worth Hiring A Lawyer?
In most cases, it all comes down to the severity of your injuries. If you were badly injured, you will definitely need a lawyer to ensure that you receive the correct level of compensation to cover your medical expenses, including all ongoing future medical expenses that will occur due to your injury. If your injuries were minimal, you will likely not need a lawyer (and most lawyers will not dedicate time to insignificant injuries).
Keep this in mind: the insurance companies will do anything they can to avoid paying out large settlements. For this reason alone, you need an experienced car accident lawyer who knows how to handle these insurance companies. You need a lawyer who will knows exactly what laws and procedures need to be followed here in the state of Oregon to appropriately come away with the kind of settlement that you deserve to support you after a car accident.
If you need help with a car accident case here in the state or Oregon, contact us today at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Accident Injury Attorneys for a free case evaluation. You can also reach us directly at: 1-800-285-8678. Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys will work hard to ensure that you receive the justice that you deserve!