The fear of incurring high costs may be one of the primary reasons that someone who needs an attorney does not hire one. However, if you’ve been in an accident and are pursuing a personal injury claim, workers’ compensation claim, or car accident claim, hiring an attorney may be more affordable than you think.
At the law offices of Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means you never pay us anything upfront. We get paid only if and when you collect compensation.
To learn more about our fee arrangement, what a contingency fee lawyer is, and how we can serve you, call us directly for your free consultation.
Types of Fee Arrangements
The type of fee arrangement that an attorney maintains and enters into with their clients depends, in large part, on the type of law that an attorney practices.
Contingency fees aren’t used in family law or criminal law cases, for example. However, they are used in car accident claims, personal injury cases, workers’ compensation claims, and disability claims.
In other practice areas, hourly fees, retainer fees, flat fees, and consultation fees are more common.
What Is a Contingency Fee?
Contingent fees are fees that are paid by the client to the attorney only in the event that the case is handled successfully, the American Bar Association (ABA) explains. This type of fee arrangement is used in personal injury cases, workers’ compensation cases, and other types of cases where money is being claimed.
Under a contingency fee arrangement, an attorney will agree to work on the client’s case in exchange for a percentage of the client’s winnings or the amount that is ultimately paid to the client in a settlement or jury verdict. This percentage refers to the attorney’s contingent fee.
An attorney who is unsuccessful in recovering an award on a client’s behalf (loses the case) will be unable to collect a fee. In other words, the fee is contingent on the attorney’s success. If your case is lost and your attorney is working on a contingency fee arrangement, you won’t owe the attorney anything for their time.
How Is an Attorney Paid on Contingency?
An attorney is paid by collecting a percentage of the client’s final award. This percentage is agreed to in advance of the attorney beginning work for the client.
Typically, the percentage that is owed to the attorney increases depending on for how long the case extends as well as whether or not the case ends up going to trial.
What Other Fees Are Common in Personal Injury Cases?
A contingency fee is the most common way that an attorney who is working on a personal injury case is paid, which means that if you have a personal injury case, you won’t have to worry about the out-of-pocket costs that are commonly associated with hiring a lawyer.
However, you should know that there are other common costs, such as the costs of hiring experts, filing fees, and investigation costs.
Be sure to have an honest, straightforward conversation with your attorney about who will pay these costs, and whether you’ll be responsible for costs upfront or if the attorney has the resources to front expenditures.
Why Our Firm Works on a Contingency Fee Basis
At the law office of Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, our firm works on a contingency fee basis. We do so because we believe that all people who are injured, regardless of economic means, deserve high-quality legal representation. No one should be turned away from quality legal counsel, and from the opportunity to recover compensation for injuries, due to their inability to pay.
What to Expect in a Free Consultation
In addition to working on a contingency fee basis, we also offer free consultations for all prospective clients. If you have been injured, we strongly encourage you to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers who work on contingency.
Here’s what you can expect during your free consultation:
- A review of your case. We ask that you come to your consultation prepared to talk about the facts of your case, including who was involved, the extent of your injuries, when and where it happened, and what evidence you have.
- An overview of your options. Once we learn more about your case, we can provide you with an overview of your options, including filing a claim with your own insurer, filing a claim against the at-fault party’s insurer, or filing a lawsuit. We’ll also let you know whether we think your case is viable and has a strong chance of success.
- A review of our services. If you’re interested in learning more, we can guide you through the services we provide and our process, including that of investigating your case, consulting with experts, gathering evidence, building your claim, calculating your damages, filing a demand letter, negotiating with an insurer, and more.
- Outlining what happens next. If we think you have a strong case and you are interested in working with our lawyers on a contingency fee, we’ll outline the next steps, including what you should do next and the details of our contingency-fee based lawyers’ services.
Talk to a Lawyer Now for Free
Being injured is scary. Taking the first steps to schedule a consultation with an attorney can feel even more intimidating. We know you have the Kentucky Courage to come forward and stand up for what’s right.
At the law offices of Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, our lawyers want you to know that we are here for you. We empathize with what you’re going through and are passionate about providing you with quality legal services.
Please reach out to us today by phone or online to schedule a consultation and start the process.
