There are over 6 million car accidents every year in America. In 2020, more than 38,000 people lost their lives due to car crashes. Being involved in a car accident can be a life-changing occurrence. Depending on the severity of the accident, a victim can lose the ability to bring in income. You may have wondered, what does a personal injury lawyer cost?
Hiring a personal injury attorney can be a wise investment. With a lawyer’s guidance and counsel, you can receive the compensation you are entitled to. Learn more about how a personal injury lawyer can help you and how much it costs to hire an attorney.
The Impact of a Car Accident
As highlighted above, a car accident can be life-altering. If you have suffered from major injuries, there can be lasting implications that will be present for the remainder of your life.
Some people are fortunate to only receive minor complications from a car accident, while others can be permanently disabled. There are injuries so severe that an individual can no longer work. In turn, the individual can no longer provide for himself/herself or their family.
Car accident-related injuries often require medical attention. Sometimes individuals are in the hospital for an extensive period. The costs associated with medical care can be astronomical.
Costs of a Car Accident
Damages or expenses a victim can pursue in a personal injury claim include, but are not limited to:
- Medical exams or tests
- Medications
- Hospital stay
- Surgeries
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Additional medical-related expenses
As one can see, there are quite a few expenses that result from a car accident injury. The good news is victims can claim their injury and request compensation. Unfortunately, this can be a complicated task.
What You Can Do to Build Your Case
If you experience an injury, it is crucial to receive a medical examination. A physician can properly diagnose you and this can be evidence in your case.
If your car was damaged or totaled, make sure to take photographs of your vehicle. These pictures can additionally be evidence in your case.
Collect any information you can regarding the accident and create a file. Place your medical records and photographs in this file. Once you hire a personal injury attorney, you can provide all the information you need organized.
Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
With adequate help, victims can receive the compensation and damages that they deserve. A personal injury lawyer can provide this help.
What Will a Personal Injury Lawyer Do for You?
They will guide you throughout the whole legal process and explain the steps behind receiving fair compensation. After examining your injuries and having an initial conversation with you about the incident, a personal injury lawyer will conduct research about the case.
They will request police report information, your medical records, and any additional information that may help build your case. Personal injury attorneys collect substantial evidence such as medical records to prove the severity of your injury. In turn, you will receive more damages.
After conducting this research, your personal injury lawyer will determine what would be the most beneficial path to move forward with. Once an option is agreed upon, your personal injury lawyer will speak with the respective insurance provider on your behalf.
If a case goes to a court of law, your attorney will represent you.
Personal Injury Lawyer Cost
A talented and skilled personal injury lawyer will help you earn the best possible compensation. His or her fee will be reflective of the service provided.
Contingency Fees Explained
For car accident-related cases in California, many personal injury lawyers will charge 33% or less on the amount awarded by the insurance company or court. This is a contingency fee. The benefit of this payment approach is clients will be able to afford the attorney’s services.
Additionally, a majority of personal injury attorneys do not charge for their services if the client does not receive compensation. In turn, clients will not have to pay anything unless they win the case. In the case of a contingency fee, you will not have to pay your attorney until you receive damages from the case.
The contingency fee attorneys request is often determined by how challenging the case is. If there is a considerable amount of risk with your case, attorneys may charge a higher contingency fee.
Each personal injury lawyer can have his or her fee method. Before hiring an attorney, be sure to discuss how fees are approached and what they will cost.
There is no legal limit on how high a contingency fee can be in the state of California. This does not mean there are no regulations in place to monitor contingency fee rates. In most circumstances, all contingency fees in the state are below 40%.
Of the essence, ensure a written fee agreement is prepared. This will make sure that there are no future misunderstandings about the contingency fee. Everything that was agreed upon was written on paper.
Personal injury lawyers can have expensive fees but will work with clients to help them afford these fees. Some attorneys are even willing to negotiate their fees.
Litigation Fees
Additional fees associated with a car accident-related case are litigation costs. These include filing fees, dispositions, trial exhibits, investigators, and expert consultation.
Acquiring testimony and evidence requires time and money. Often litigation fees can be 10% or even more of the compensation earned.
Net Compensation Recovery Example
To exemplify net compensation recovery, say a client wins $100,000 in damages in a car accident-related case. The client and attorney agreed to a 30% contingency fee.
This means the attorney will receive $30,000 in fees. In this particular case, litigation costs are $7,000. In turn, the client will receive $63,000 after all expenses.
What Happens After You Receive Settlement?
After the court orders the defendant to pay a certain amount of damages, the defendant’s insurance company will send the settlement check to the prosecution’s attorney. Once the attorney receives the settlement, he or she will place the check in an escrow account, where it will remain until the bank approves it.
This is to ensure the defendant’s insurance company has enough money in its account to pay the settlement. Once the settlement check is confirmed by the bank, the attorney will take out all fees related to the case including the contingency fee. After all of the fees are paid, the client will receive the remaining money.
Why Hire Moreno Valley Car Accident Lawyer?
The Moreno Valley Car Accident Lawyer team understands the challenges and burdens of a car accident injury. With a talented and experienced team, Moreno Valley Car Accident Lawyer will build a compelling case.
Using substantial evidence, the team will communicate on your behalf with insurance companies or represent you in a court of law.
The Moreno Valley Car Accident Lawyer team will work nonstop to ensure you are fairly compensated.
Contact a Moreno Valley Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one has a car accident-related injury, do not wait. You want to get compensation as soon as possible. Start the process now.
Personal injury lawyer costs should be the least of your concerns as you heal from your injury. Our fees are reasonable and fair.
Contact Empire Accident Attorneys today. Call or email us now to receive a free and no-obligation consultation with a member of our team.
