Are you planning to hire a car accident lawyer?
If yes, it’s certainly because you or a person close to you was involved in a road accident. Hiring an auto accident attorney is the right thing to do because they’ll defend your rights and help your secure adequate compensation for your injuries and losses.
However, lawyers don’t offer their services for free. Unless you’re lucky enough to find a pro bono lawyer, you’ll have to pay for the lawyer’s time and services.
This brings us to the question: what are the typical car accident lawyer fees?
In this article, we’re telling you how much you can expect to pay your lawyer.
Initial Consultation Fees
Not every lawyer will agree to take up your case. The reasons for this are varied, but any lawyer will typically make this decision after doing an initial consultation with a client.
As such, the first expense you’ll likely incur when hiring a car accident lawyer is the initial consultation fee. This fee varies from lawyer to lawyer, but most will charge you by the hour. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 per hour.
That being said, there are several car accident lawyers who don’t charge any consultation fees. If you’re on a tight budget, always be sure to ask whether a lawyer charges for the initial consultation before proceeding.
Contingency Fee
This is the best news about hiring a car accident lawyer. The one who takes up your case will charge you a contingency fee, meaning they won’t receive any payment from you unless the case is won. In other words, their pay is contingent on them winning the case for you.
As a client, this is good news. You don’t want to pay a lawyer a lot of money only for the case to reach a conclusion that’s not favorable to you.
However, when a lawyer decides to take up your case after the initial consultation, they’re confident that the case will result in a financial settlement. The person who caused the accident and their liability insurance provider will compensate you.
The contingency fee is a percentage of the settlement. Usually, this is 33 percent.
So, if you receive a $100,000 settlement, your lawyer will take about $33,000.
If that sounds steep, don’t worry. The contingency fee percentage isn’t cast in stone. You’re free to negotiate with your lawyer, and it’s not uncommon for the rate to drop to about 25 percent, especially if your case doesn’t go to trial.
Other Case Costs
In addition to the initial consultation fee and the contingency fee, there are other costs you might have to take care of.
For example, if your lawyer needs to collect evidence, you’ll have to pay for the process. The amount will vary depending on the nature of the case.
If the case goes to trial, there’s court filing fees and other associated costs.
Car Accident Lawyer Fees: Know How Much You’ll Pay
A car accident lawyer is invaluable when you’ve got a case against an at-fault party. However, they don’t come cheap. With this guide on car accident lawyer fees, you now have a good idea of how much you’ll pay up.
Keep reading our blog for more handy tips and insights.
