Contingency Fees and Other Options

If you are injured by the negligence of another, you may need the services of an attorney. You may hesitate to get legal counsel, assuming you cannot afford to pay a lawyer. But personal injury attorneys, like those at Springer & Lyle, usually work on a contingency basis. But, what does that mean and how does that work?

What are Contingency Fees?

When personal injury attorneys agree to accept a case on a contingency basis, this means the client will not owe or pay any attorney’s fees if the attorney does not win a monetary settlement for the client. A fee is only charged if the attorney is successful at obtaining a monetary award from the defendant whose negligence caused the client’s injuries.

In the contingency fee arrangement, the lawyer agrees to accept a percentage of the amount recovered as his or her fee for work performed on the case. The fee agreement usually spells out a lower percentage if the case is settled  before it has to be litigated and a higher percentage if the case requires a lawsuit to be filed which results in more work and expense preparing for trial. 

One thing that needs to be looked at in different contingency fee contracts is how the expenses are handled. Some law firms require the client to reimburse them for expenses paid by the firm even if they lose the case. Other firms, like Springer & Lyle, do not require reimbursement from the client if they cannot win the case. In essence, our law firm takes on the financial risk of developing the case which benefits the client. 

Potential clients should also know that depending on the facts and circumstances involved with a personal injury case, they may have an option of entering into an hourly fee agreement or a hybrid, hourly and contingent fee agreement. Don’t hesitate to discuss these options with your attorneys as well.   

The personal injury attorneys at Springer & Lyle can help you obtain the reasonable compensation you are entitled for your injuries, lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other physical damage. Contact us at 940.387.0404 for a free consultation. We will be glad to discuss our contingency and other fee arrangement options with you.