If you or someone you know gets involved in an accident, then you definitely need one person by your side. And that is a personal injury lawyer.
In such times, you will definitely want to sue the person responsible for the accident. But, you will require a lawyer by your side, right? This is where the skills and expertise of a personal injury lawyer come into play.
So, how much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
If you want to know the answer to this question, then you have come to the right place. After reading this article, you will learn the cost breakup of a personal injury lawyer. You will also learn how to find the most affordable one near you.
Who Is A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Do you want to know what is a personal injury lawyer? This question has been asked many times on the internet, and the answer to it is pretty simple.
A personal injury lawyer is an advocate of law who is primarily responsible for presiding over accident cases and trials. These lawyers will typically defend the person accountable for the accident or the accident victims who sued the perpetrator.
Therefore, you can say that these lawyers are responsible for completing two tasks based on who they defend. They are:
- Protect the accused from any charges by proving they are not guilty of the accident.
- Prove that the accused is guilty and ensure that the accident victims get their claims settled.
So what does a personal injury lawyer do? It is to be noted that all of these depend on how the victim received their injuries. This is because the accident is often not caused directly by someone. Therefore, the basis on which a personal injury lawyer stands in a trial are:
- Vehicular accidents are caused by negligent or drunk drivers.
- Injury received due to construction site mishaps.
- The harm is caused due to faulty products and edibles, like medicines.
- Wrongful death caused due to various reasons.
How Much Does A Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost – this is a commonly asked question. To know this answer, you must learn how their charges and expenses are broken up. Typically, it is broken up into two different charges, which are:
1. Contingency Fees
How much does hiring a personal injury lawyer cost?
Many victims of personal injury do not have the monetary means to pay a lawyer hourly or daily. This is because the case can go on for a long time. Also, the court fees can be pretty expensive for an average person to bear.
Therefore, the lawyers take their due payment later on instead of taking the payment before solving the case. They will charge a share of the compensation money that the victim receives. This share borne by the victim is known as contingency fees.
So what percentage does a personal injury lawyer take? Typically, most lawyers will charge around 33% to 40% of the total compensatory amount received. But, of course, this amount also depends on when the lawsuit was filed, and compensation was received.
However, remember that you only pay this fee if you win the case.
If the case is settled before a lawsuit is filed against the perpetrator, then the lawyer will charge around 33% of the compensatory money received.
On the other hand, if you received the compensatory fee after filing a lawsuit and trials were done, then the lawyer will charge around 40% of the compensation received.
2. Court Costs
Court costs refer to the costs of filing a lawsuit and paying for the court trials and proceedings. These costs also get cut from the compensation amount received. However, you pay it to the court and not to the lawyer. These costs include:
- Lawsuit filing charges
- Costs for police reports
- Payment to witnesses
- Costs for producing medical reports
- Copying and posting charges
How To Find A Personal Injury Lawyer Near You?
Now that you know how much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer, you must be wondering – how to find a personal injury lawyer?
To find the best personal injury lawyer near you, you can apply any one of these methods:
- Referrals: Asking your friends and family members if they know a personal injury lawyer or not is the best way to find one. This is because these referrals are genuine and will not be said to dupe you – mainly because these referrals come from trusted sources.
- Online Search: Searching for personal injury lawyers online can be a great way to find one. This is because most lawyers and law firms have their own websites and social media handles. Therefore, these sites can make it easier for you to find the right lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions By Lawyers (FAQ):
Ans: When it comes to cases of any sort with legal trials and proceedings going on, it will cost quite a bit of money. This is because court trials and proceedings are not free, and so are the costs of the lawyers who need to hire.
Ans: When a personal injury case is resolved, more often than not, it is the victim who gets paid. This is because, in most cases, the victim typically suffers from a lot of personal injuries and requires medication and often surgeries for severe injuries.
Ans: After the case gets resolved, you must pay your lawyer a particular share of the settlement. This depends on your state or country and how famous or reputed your p[ersonsl injury lawyer is. Most personal injury lawyers have their own charges, along with other compensation as well.
Ans: If you receive a personal injury and go to court, you will get settlement money if you win the case. However, you will pay a certain percentage of that amount. Depending on which federal state you are in the USA, it typically ranges from 33% to 40% of the total compensation amount received.
Are You Ready To Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Knowing how much does a personal injury lawyer cost will be vital for you in the long run. This is because you do not know when you will be involved in an accident. The same goes for your family members and friends too.
Therefore, you need to know that personal injury lawyers will charge around 33% or 40% of the compensation fees as their own. These are known as contingency fees. In addition, you will also need to bear the various legal court fees, which you can give directly to the court or to the lawyer.
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