How Much does It Cost to Hire a Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer?
The cost of hiring a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer is not always straightforward. Most individuals believe that attorneys are expensive. In truth, it relies primarily on the fee agreements the lawyer has in place.
In personal injury cases, victims frequently face lots of unexpected bills. Therefore, attorneys will typically use a contingency-fee basis, which doesn’t call for any upfront fees.
With Dolman Law Group, You Don’t Need to Pay Upfront Fees
Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyer would come at no cost to you. As we work on contingency, you only need to pay us after you have received compensation from the responsible party or parties.
Contingency Fee Definition
A contingency fee is an agreement in which an attorney foregoes any upfront payment for a percentage of the possible financial award. In this agreement, your lawyer only receives payment if you succeed in getting compensated. The only agreement you and your attorney need to make at the start is what portion of the total compensation will cover your attorney’s services. This amount typically runs 30% to 40% of what your lawyer gets for you.
Many accident victims suffer significant financial losses as a result of their injuries. Being out of work might make hiring a personal injury attorney following an accident or malpractice tricky. However, because of contingency fees, individuals can get legal help regardless of their financial situation.
Other Kinds of Fee Arrangements
All attorneys have regulations about the sorts of fee agreements they can negotiate with you, and they all have advantages and disadvantages. Apart from contingency fees, attorneys around the U.S. can form other fee agreements with their clients: an hourly fee and a flat fee. Let’s have a look at these two options in detail.
Hourly Fee Definition
An hourly fee is a set amount at which an attorney will bill you for their services per hour. The amount of hours a lawyer spends on a case varies greatly depending on the nature of the case.
An hourly rate of $200 or more is not uncommon. It’s simple to understand how this arrangement may soon become costly. However, it may not be such a substantial amount if your legal case doesn’t take too long. On the other hand, personal injury lawsuits can take a long time to resolve, not to mention that clients have additional expenses.
If the client fails to gain a single penny as compensation, they’ll still need to pay an attorney who adds to their burden rather than relieves it.
Flat Fee Definition
A flat fee, sometimes known as a fixed fee, is a complete payment for services agreed upon at the beginning. The cost would cover the attorney’s time regardless of how long the case lasts. A flat fee can be divided into installments to cover the original amount and extra costs. Your lawyer may ask for a separate flat fee if your case gets to trial.
For straightforward legal problems, lawyers usually charge a fixed fee. For example, lawyers may employ flat fees in legal proceedings that involve completing forms and papers. The primary benefit of a flat charge is that you will know how much legal services will cost in total, regardless of the amount of time spent.
However, depending on the value of the client’s case, it might be a hit or miss how you come out financially.
Why You Should Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer Serving Los Angeles
Most people injured in a personal injury incident can benefit from retaining a personal injury lawyer. Here are the advantages:
- While you focus on recovery, your attorney can handle complicated legal issues, like gathering evidence, proving liability, communicating with other parties, and assessing which forms of compensation you can recover.
- Your attorney can protect you from the insurance companies’ tendencies of delaying and denying claims.
- Your lawyer has the knowledge and experience to fight in court. It’s especially beneficial when up against large corporations and their top-notch lawyers.
Dolman Law Group Can Take Your Los Angeles Case for a Contingency Fee
Our firm can take your case on contingency, so you won’t pay any fees unless and until we secure a financial award for you. If you’re still unsure about hiring a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer to handle your case, call Dolman Law Group. We can start your free case review right away.