Things You Need To Know
How much does it cost to retain a personal injury attorney? Are there additional costs?
There is no upfront cost to retain a personal injury attorney.
We operate on a contingency fee basis similar to most personal injury lawyers. However, you will be pleased to learn that we charge our fee only AFTER your medical bills have been paid. This is an important distinction.
We do not get paid unless we win. Almost all personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, but that does not mean they charge the same fee. If we settle prior to trial or arbitration we take 33.33% of the recovery as our attorney fee. This is after your medical bills have been paid. Many personal injury attorneys take their 33.33% fee before the medical bills have been paid. This can result in the client receiving little or no compensation. If we go to arbitration or trial, our contingency fee is 40% of the recovery, again after the medical bills are paid. In our experience, this results in our clients being fairly compensated with higher financial recovery.
The insurance company has already offered me a settlement. Should I take it?
Not before consulting with an attorney.
Insurance companies have an interest in getting you to settle your claim as quickly and as cheaply as is possible. By settling your claim, you are releasing the insurance company from any future liability stemming from the incident. It takes time for medical professionals to identify all of your injuries. If you settle your claim too quickly and then realize later on that you are suffering from a more serious injury, it is difficult, if not impossible, to hold the insurance company accountable and receive the proper amount of compensation. Also, in our experience, insurance companies generally do not offer fair settlements to people who are not representing by an attorney.
