"No Win, No Fee" Personal Injury
While filing a personal injury lawsuit may help many people seek legal relief for injuries they have suffered, litigation inevitably costs money.
In order to extend justice to people who cannot afford the upfront costs of an injury lawsuit, some attorneys engage in what many call “no win, no fee” personal injury. In brief, this means that clients only pay an attorney if they win their case. In these cases, those fees would usually be based on the compensation won during the suit.
To connect with a lawyer in your area for more information on your options for funding an injury claim, fill out the brief questionnaire below. You can get a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer near you.
No Win no Fee Contingency Agreement
In personal injury, “no win no fee” arrangements are often called contingent fees. In a contingent fee agreement, the attorney usually agrees to collect a percentage of the client’s personal injury settlement, in exchange for waiving certain initial fees.
While the injured person will very likely still have to cover some costs, including court filing fees and other expenses, the attorney’s fees are typically not paid unless the lawsuit is successful.
Other benefits of a contingent fee agreement may include:
- Low risk. The injured person assumes very little risk of losing money.
- Higher commitment. While most attorneys pursue lawsuit with great vigor, an attorney working on a contingent basis has an even greater incentive.
Of course, while there can be benefits to a contingent fee agreement, one potential downside is that the client might obtain a lower percentage of the total recovery.
Contingent fee agreements vary widely by attorney and area. Contacting an attorney in your area may provide more information about your legal options.
Professional Rules Governing "No Win, No Fee" Agreements
Contingent fee agreements are very common, so the rules that govern the conduct of attorneys take these fees very seriously.
Most state’s rules of professional conduct require that “no win, no fee” agreements:
- Be in writing.
- Explicitly state the method by which the attorney’s fee is determined.
- Are signed only after the attorney provides a reasonable explanation of the agreement.
Again, the exact percentage of an injury settlement a lawyer might obtain varies by state, case type, and the attorney, but these fee agreements often result in the lawyer taking roughly a third of the overall settlement.
To learn more about personal injury cases and “no win, no fee” lawsuits, contact a local injury attorney today.