How Will My Accident Injury Lawyer Bill Me?
If you have to hire a lawyer for a personal accident injury, you might be concerned about how you’re going to pay for his or her services. How do lawyers bill their clients? It depends on the lawyer, the lawyer’s expertise, the type of case and a variety of other factors. The following are a handful of billing options lawyers often use.
Contingency Fees
Personal injury lawyers are especially known to bill on a contingency fee basis. Once your case has concluded, the lawyer would take a certain percentage of your settlement, so you wouldn’t have to pay any lawyer fee upfront. Many lawyers charge anywhere from 30% to 40%, and sometimes lower or higher. If the case is lost and you don’t receive a settlement, you wouldn’t have to pay the lawyer for services. If you can’t afford attorney fees, this is often a great option.
Hourly Rates
Some lawyers bill their clients at an hourly rate. This is a straightforward way for lawyers to ensure they receive compensation for their services regardless of whether the case is won. Billable hours could include time spent in court appearances, filing documents, analyzing evidence, communication, traveling and various other tasks. You should speak with your attorney to find out what his or her hourly rate is as they significantly differ from lawyer to lawyer.
Flat Fees
If a lawyer understands your type of personal injury case, he or she might charge a flat fee. Some lawyers only handle a very specific type of case, and will know how many hours to expect to spend on the case. While it’s not common that a personal injury lawyer would charge this way, it is a possibility.
Retainer Fees
Not every lawyer asks for a retainer fee, but many do. Whether the lawyer charges a contingency fee, hourly rate or flat fee, he or she might ask for a retainer as a downpayment for services rendered. Retainer fees are also used as security deposits in the case a client can’t pay a remaining invoice.
Additional Expenses
Keep in mind that while your attorney might bill a particular way for services, that billing doesn’t always take care of every expense. An attorney who charges on a contingency fee basis might ask you to pay for filing fees and investigative costs as they arise, for example. These are things you should speak with your lawyer about so you know what to expect beforehand.
Understanding Legal Fees
If you are worried about how you’re going to pay your accident injury lawyer for a personal injury case, realize there are several different ways that lawyers charge. Contact a personal accident injury lawyer from a reputable law firm such as Yearin Law Office today to understand more about legal fees and the way they are billed.
