Can You Afford a Personal Injury Lawyer?

After suffering an injury due to someone else’s negligence or intentional action, the last thing that you want to think about is spending more money. Already, you have to worry about the medical costs, lost wages and how you’re going to return to normal, depending on the severity of your injury. If you deserve compensation, you still have to pay the medical bills in the meantime and this can be an extremely trying time for a lot of people.

How can you possibly afford a lawyer? The following should answer your questions on how to afford a personal injury lawyer.

Seek a Contingency Agreement

Most personal injury lawyers work for a contingency fee. It should not be difficult for you to find a lawyer who works for contingency fees. This means that your lawyer will not be paid until after you win your settlement. Once you agree on a settlement or win your award in court, your lawyer will receive a percentage. This is typically about 33% of your settlement. In addition, you may also have to draw legal fees and court costs out of the settlement to reimburse the lawyer. Of course, whether or not this is necessary depends on the agreement that you made.

Get all Expenses in Writing

When you discuss the prices with your lawyer, you need to make sure that you have a written agreement once the two of you settle on the costs. Now, most lawyers will be careful to make sure that there is a written agreement. After all, this protects you from surprise fees and ensures that the lawyer receives payment. Before you sign the agreement, make sure that you look it over thoroughly. You need to make sure that it has all of the arrangements that you made with your lawyer.

If you were recently in an accident or suffered an injury because of someone else’s negligence, then you may deserve compensation. If you are worried about affording a lawyer, you may find some relief in the fact that you normally do not have to pay any costs until after you receive your award. If you do not win, then you do not owe your lawyer for his or her time. You should be able to receive representation without worrying that you aren’t going to be able to afford it. For more information about personal lawyer costs, set up a consultation with a lawyer today.