What are Contingency Fees for Injury Cases and How Do They Work?
Many people face financial hardship as a result of serious injuries resulting from accidents. Even when someone else is at fault for causing their injuries, they may think they cannot afford a lawyer. However, a Lompoc personal injury attorney takes cases based on contingency, which allows you to get legal help without having to pay money out-of-pocket to cover legal fees.
Contingency-based fees mean that lawyers get paid only when they are successful in recovering compensation on behalf of the client. They can recover compensation either through verdict or settlement. California Legal Ethics Rule 1.5:100 requires lawyers to charge reasonable fees and enter into a fee agreement with the client prior to providing services. Some of the factors that attorneys must base their fees on include:
- Fee amounts proportionate to the value of services rendered
- Fees relative to the sophistication of the attorney and the client
- The novelty and difficulty required to perform the service properly
- Results obtained
- Time and labor
- Informed client consent to the fee
When lawyers charge fees based on contingency, they carefully evaluate the case and their prospects of being successful ― otherwise they may end up not getting paid for their work. From your standpoint as a client, when a San Luis Obispo accident injury law firm agrees to represent you, you can be reassured that the firm is confident it can win your case or obtain a fair settlement.
James McKiernan Lawyers has a proven track record for handling injury cases and the selection of James McKiernan into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum indicates he has been successful in obtaining million dollar verdicts for some of his clients.
