How Expensive Is It To Hire An Orlando Car Accident Lawyer?
After sustaining injuries in an Orlando car accident due to another driver’s negligence, you are probably wondering if you can afford to retain the services of a lawyer. Often, car accident victims do not contact an attorney because they fear they won’t be able to afford legal fees. Many car accident victims hesitate to hire an attorney because of the other substantial expenses they have to pay, such as medical expenses and vehicle repairs. But is it costly to hire an Orlando car accident lawyer?
How Expensive Are Orlando Car Accident Lawyers?
If you were recently injured in an Orlando car accident because of another driver’s negligence and are worried that you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, you will be happy to know that most Orlando car accident lawyers work on what is known as a “contingency fee” basis. This means that most Orlando car accident attorneys do not charge their clients any legal fees upfront. However, this is not to say that most Orlando car accident attorneys work for free. In a contingency fee agreement, an attorney recovers money for their services if they successfully recover damages for their client from the settlement amount or verdict award.
Usually, Orlando car accident attorneys take a percentage of the total settlement amount or verdict award. The percentage your attorney will take is dependent on several things. But generally, car accident attorneys take about 33% of the settlement amount if a case is settled out of court and about 40% of the verdict award if the case proceeds to trial. The main reason for this is the time and money an attorney has to invest into your case if it goes to trial.
What if a Case Is Lost or Not Settled?
Suppose you retain an Orlando car accident attorney who works on a contingency fee basis, and your case is lost or not settled. Will you have to pay the attorney from your own pocket? No, you won’t. Attorneys working on a contingency fee basis assume the risk and responsibilities of the claims they handle. They know that if a case is not won or settled, they won’t get paid. Therefore, before a car accident attorney working on a contingency fee basis takes on your case, they will conduct a thorough evaluation of it. Usually, car accident attorneys only take on cases on a contingency fee basis if they believe the case can be won or settled and the plaintiff can recover meaningful compensation.
That said, it is crucial that you don’t give up if one attorney refuses to take on your case on the ground that they do not believe it can be won or settled. At times attorneys reject cases not because the cases are weak but because they (the attorneys) do not have the skills to handle those cases.
Legal Help Is Available
If you were injured in an Orlando car accident, our Orlando personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm are here for you. At The Pendas Law Firm, we only recover our costs if we settle your case or win at trial. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Tampa, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Bradenton, Daytona Beach, and Ocala areas.