How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?

When you are dealing with severe injuries caused by another party’s negligent actions, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your suffering. However, when you are already having trouble covering your costs, the thought of hiring a Memphis personal injury lawyer can be overwhelming. The good news is when you work with a personal injury lawyer, you may have the ability to hire an advocate on contingency. 

This may make it possible for you to afford to hire the legal representation you need when you need it most. It is important to understand what you are getting when you hire a personal injury law firm. With that in mind, here is more about the various factors that could impact the amount of your attorney’s fees and how contingency agreements work in a personal injury case.

Factors Impacting Your Attorney’s Fees

Although some personal injury law firms and attorneys charge you hourly for their services, most will work with you on contingency. Here, instead of being charged a flat fee or hourly rate, your attorney will receive a portion of whatever you win. The percentage they charge can vary widely depending on several factors, including:

• Whether the liable party has insurance
• The availability of supporting evidence
• Multiple parties sharing liability
• Accusations of shared fault
• When the statute of limitations expires

Whether the Liable Party Has Insurance

If the liable party has insurance coverage in place, one of the top ways to recover compensation for your damages is by filing a claim with the insurer. Negotiating with profit-hungry insurance companies can be complex. This is not something you should attempt to do alone. Insurance companies have a reputation for taking advantage of injury victims during their greatest time of need. 

They may engage in a variety of unscrupulous tactics to reduce their financial obligations and escape liability for your losses. For example, the insurance company may tempt you with a fast settlement, promising you access to financial support in a matter of days. However, this settlement may be significantly less than the true value of your claim. Unless you have a firm understanding of how much your case is worth, you could be tricked into settling for an insultingly low figure.

When you have your personal injury attorneys step in and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, you do not need to worry about being taken advantage of. Insurance companies are more likely to take your case seriously when you have a legal advocate. Your attorney will need to consider how much time will be spent negotiating with the insurance company when determining how much to charge for their legal services.

The Availability of Supporting Evidence

It stands to reason the more work that needs to go into your case, the more your personal injury attorney might charge. It is crucial to consider the availability of supporting evidence. If there is a mountain of easily accessible evidence to build a compelling case against the liable party, your attorney may not need to spend as much time conducting an investigation and seeking this evidence. 

However, if evidence needs to be tracked down or involved parties are withholding access to supporting evidence, your attorney may need to take more time and tap into their resources to gather the information necessary to prove liability and negligence in your case.

Multiple Parties Sharing Liability

If multiple parties share blame for the accident you were involved in, your attorney’s fees may be slightly higher, as we often see in truck accident cases. This is because they will need to build cases against each involved party in order to recover maximum compensation for your damages. 

This is not necessarily a bad thing, as multiple parties sharing blame gives you a greater opportunity to get the most out of your case. However, it could prolong your personal injury lawsuit or insurance negotiations, and your attorney may need to devote more time, energy, and money toward building your case against them.

Accusations of Shared Fault

It should not surprise you if you are accused of sharing fault for the accident. This is one of the most common ways liable parties attempt to avoid financial responsibility. If they could blame you, they may be able to reduce your compensation. Your personal injury attorney can protect you from unjust claims of shared liability by ensuring fault is accurately evaluated in your case.

When the Statute of Limitations Expires 

It is important to consider how long you have to file your claim. You should never have to rush into filing a personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim. However, if you wait until the deadline has almost expired, your attorney will need to work tirelessly to ensure your claim is filed before time runs out. Otherwise, you may lose the opportunity to recover the compensation you deserve.

How to Afford a Personal Injury Lawyer

We previously mentioned that many personal injury law firms are willing to work with injury victims on contingency. This means you will not need to put down an expensive retainer to hire a lawyer. Usually, a retainer is necessary so your attorney has access to the funds they need to begin pursuing your case. 

Your lawyer will need to cover court filing costs, pay for expert witnesses, and, in some cases, scientific analysis and other out-of-pocket costs. When you work with a personal injury attorney on contingency, however, your lawyer foots the bill for these expenses. 

You do not need to cover any of these fees or put any of your own money on the line. Your lawyer will charge a percentage of your winnings as their fee. If they win, a portion of your settlement will be used to cover your attorney’s fees. However, if they lose, you will not pay anything for their efforts or the money they spent pursuing your case.

Get in Touch with an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Today

Most respected personal injury lawyers are willing to work with injury victims on contingency. This way, you do not need to put any money down or worry about your personal finances being further impacted by someone else’s negligent actions. You can demand the at-fault party compensate you fairly when you have an experienced personal injury lawyer at Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC on your side. 

Start working on your insurance and civil claims as soon as today when you contact our team for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our firm is proud to offer complimentary case reviews to injury victims throughout Tennessee, neighboring Mississippi, and Arkansas. Claim yours when you call our office or complete our quick contact form.