If you were injured in an accident, you may have the right to financial compensation for the medical expenses, property damage, and lost income you suffered as a result. However, you might be worried about whether you can afford to hire an auto accident lawyer. Personal injury lawyers perform valuable services to help car accident victims, including investigating the accident, determining liability, and handling the claims process.
Because accident attorneys generally work on a contingency fee basis, you can secure the legal services you need now without having to pay for them until later. Rather than being charged for every hour of your car accident lawyer’s time, you pay them a percentage of the award or settlement you receive. Here is what you need to know about auto accident attorney fees and the contingency fee structure.
Overview of Contingency Fees in Florida Car Accident Cases
FL car accident injury lawyers generally work under contingency fee agreements in which they accept personal injury cases conditioned upon their outcome. If the auto accident lawyer secures a financial award or settlement, they receive a percentage of the recovery. The auto accident lawyer and client agree on the amount of the percentage in the written retainer agreement. If the lawyer does not secure any compensation, you do not owe for their legal services.
The accident attorneys at Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm work on a contingency basis. This fee structure provides the following benefits to car accident victims:
- You can secure legal representation now without having to pay for it until later.
- There is no risk to you to hire an experienced lawyer because they will either secure financial compensation for you, or you will not owe for their time and work on your case.
- Your accident lawyer’s interests are aligned with yours because the more compensation they can recover for you, the more they stand to earn.
Contingency Fee Percentages in Florida Car Accident Cases
Auto accident attorney fees may vary. For example, a recently licensed personal injury attorney may charge a lower percentage than an experienced car accident attorney. A common percentage that accident lawyers charge is one-third. For example, if you secure an award of $30,000 and you agree to pay your car accident lawyer one-third, you would owe them $10,000 under the contingency fee arrangement, and you would receive the remaining $20,000.
The personal injury attorney fee may be higher in certain circumstances. For example, many accident lawyers may charge one fee if the case settles but a different fee if the case involves litigation. For example, an auto accident attorney may charge one-third for a case that settles and up to 40% if the case proceeds to trial.
The Florida Bar explains that under the Rules of Professional Conduct, attorneys cannot charge an excessive fee for their services. Unless the court authorizes otherwise, personal injury attorneys generally cannot charge over certain amounts based on the payout they receive for their client, which ranges from 15 to 40% based on certain monetary thresholds. There are also strict limits for attorney fees in medical malpractice cases.
Factors that Affect Contingency Fee Percentages
Various factors may affect accident lawyer fees. The following factors may increase the amount of a contingency fee an auto accident lawyer charges:
- Greater complexity of the legal issues involved
- Legal matters that require more specialized knowledge and time
- A greater degree of uncertainty in the outcome of the case or the potential obstacles you will face
- Time-consuming legal battles that will prohibit the lawyer from taking other cases
- The involvement of litigation
Situations may arise that create a rationale to charge a lower fee. For example, if you go to a lawyer with a high settlement amount on the table, they may agree to reduce their fee. Legal Costs in Personal Injury Cases
In addition to attorney fees, you may also be responsible for paying for legal costs associated with your personal injury case. Common examples of these costs may include:
- Investigation-related costs
- Accident report request fees
- Medical record request fees
- Court costs
- Fees for expert witnesses
- Costs associated with obtaining depositions
- Discovery-related costs
- Copying costs
- Phone or mailing costs
You should understand all financial responsibilities related to your case and how these costs are handled, including whether your attorney will pay for them upfront and whether you will be responsible for paying them even if you don’t win your case.
Our dedicated attorneys can explain our fee structure and the typical costs involved in these cases when you call for a free case review.
Is It Worth It to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Even knowing that you may not have to pay your attorney until you secure financial compensation, you might wonder whether hiring a car accident lawyer is worth it. Before you try to handle your car accident claim on your own, consider all the ways an experienced lawyer may be able to help you.
Case Evaluation
Your interactions with a personal injury lawyer at the Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm begin with a free, no-obligation consultation. An attorney can sit down with you to discuss the accident and your legal options. They can explain the legal process ahead and whether you may have a right to compensation for your accident-related injuries and losses. This allows you to discuss your case with an experienced car accident lawyer without any obligation to move forward.
Case Investigation
If you decide to pursue a personal injury claim, your lawyer investigates the accident, which might include the following:
- Reviewing accident reports
- Interviewing witnesses
- Photographing the accident scene
- Requesting medical records
- Requesting footage from nearby video cameras
This investigation can help reveal who is responsible for your injuries and provide crucial evidence to support your claim.
Communication with the Insurance Company
When you hire a lawyer, they can serve as your legal representative so you do not have direct contact with potential adversaries, such as insurance companies. Insurance adjusters are trained at extracting statements from personal injury victims that harm their case. Having capable legal counsel on your side ensures you will not have to deal directly with the insurance company or harm your case.
Navigating the Claims Process
Filing an insurance claim is often a complex process that many personal injury victims underestimate. You may be required to fill out detailed forms and provide continued requests for evidence to support your claim. Insurance companies try to get out of paying claims any way they can, so they are just waiting for you to make a mistake to justify a denial or lowball settlement offer. Our legal team can handle this process for you so you can focus on your recovery.
Determination of Damages
Many insurance companies try to pressure accident victims into accepting low settlements that do not fairly compensate them for the full extent of their damages. When you work with an experienced car accident lawyer, they can ensure that your demand for compensation accounts for the short- and long-term effects of the accident, including:
- All medical expenses related to your accident, including ambulance rides, emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, specialist visits, follow-up appointments, rehabilitation and therapy
- Future anticipated medical expenses
- Lost income and employment benefits
- Reductions in your long-term earning capacity
- Costs to repair or replace your damaged property
- Permanent disabilities and impairments
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Our experienced car accident lawyers understand how a split second can change your life. Let us advocate for you and the maximum compensation available for your claim.
Negotiating for Fair Compensation
Our award-winning Florida car accident attorneys have recovered over $150 million in recent personal injury verdicts and settlements. We use our strong negotiation skills in every case we handle and take on a limited number of cases to ensure that we can provide the dedicated legal representation our clients need. We want to secure compensation that recognizes the full extent of your injuries and fairly compensates for them.
Continued Advocacy and Support
Your lawyer will be with you every step of the way, taking steps to safeguard your interests. We can explain whether a settlement is fair compensation or whether you should pursue further legal action. You can lean on us for emotional support during this challenging time, as well as for our legal knowledge of relevant Florida statutes.
How to Choose a Car Accident Attorney
If you have decided it is in your best interests to hire a car accident lawyer, the next step is choosing the attorney you want to work with. Some of the characteristics we suggest you look for include:
Legal Knowledge
Personal injury is a complex area of the law. Any attorney you are considering working with should be familiar with it, including knowing laws related to the timing of filing personal injury lawsuits, comparative fault, and discovery procedures.
Experience
There is simply no substitution for relevant legal experience. Your attorney should have experience handling cases similar to yours and be willing to share their track record with you. Our firm has been a fixture of the community since the 1950s and has 13 attorneys with decades of combined experience. This experience has helped us achieve over $150 million in recent verdicts and settlements and garnered recognition as one of U.S. News World Report’s Best Law Firms.
Good Communication
You will be working closely with your lawyer, so it is important that you are able to communicate well together. Look for an attorney who will take your questions seriously, return your phone calls promptly, and keep you informed about the status of your case as it progresses.
Empathy
At Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm, we lead with compassion. We know that you never anticipated being injured and that the accident has likely upended your life. We will treat you with the respect and dignity you deserve.
Transparency
Your lawyer should be upfront and honest with you about legal fees and all other aspects of your claim. This is why Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm offers transparent fee structures. We provide free and confidential consultations to discuss the matter with you in more detail and to answer any questions you have.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation
If you would like to learn more about how a dedicated attorney from the Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm can help, we welcome you to contact us for a free case review. Your confidential consultation is at no cost and no obligation, so you have nothing to risk by reaching out to us and learning whether you have a viable claim. We accept all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so you are not charged unless we win your case. Contact us today to learn more.
