If you have been in a car accident in Houston through no fault of your own, you will be looking for a personal injury attorney to represent your car accident case. But how much will it cost you to hire a lawyer?
You will want to hire a car accident lawyer on a "contingency fee" basis. A contingency fee means that the attorney doesn't get paid unless they recover compensation for your injuries and property damage through your case. So, the cost to hire a car crash attorney is virtually nothing at all.
What does this mean for you? Read on to learn more about how much a car accident attorney will cost. Contact Chelsie King Garza at 713-893-8808 to learn more about how a personal injury attorney can help you after a car accident.
Contingency Fee Contracts – The Basics
On a contingency fee basis, your car accident attorney will be paid a percentage of the money received from any insurance settlement amount (or what is awarded by a judge or jury if your case goes to trial) instead of an hourly fee. If they do not recover money for you, you will not be responsible for paying the fee. Schedule a consultation with your car accident lawyer and discuss the contingency fee percentage arrangement beforehand.
Although the contingency percentage varies from one attorney to another, the industry standard is typically anywhere from 25 to 40 percent. If you have a 25% contingency fee arrangement and recover $100,000 in car accident damages, you will pay your attorney 25% of $100,000 or $25,000.
Note: The contingency fee percentage may be on the higher side if the case proceeds to trial and on the lower side if the case settles before it goes to court.
Other Fees and Expenses
Besides the contingency fee, you may pay some additional fees and expenses, including the cost of obtaining copies of medical records and police reports, deposition expenses, court costs (including transcript copies), expert witness fees, and administrative costs for things like legal research, copying, postage, and trial exhibits.
While some attorneys will ask for these fees and payments upfront, others will deduct them from the "net settlement" — that is, your share of the compensation they recover. Again, you must talk with your car accident lawyer and get a clear picture of whether you will need to pay any costs upfront or will all expenses be taken from your recovery. Most reputable attorneys will not ask for any upfront costs.
Contact a Houston Car Accident Lawyer Today
Whether you seek an insurance settlement or take the case to court, Chelsie King Garza can be there every step of the way. Chelsie works on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not have to worry about any out-of-pocket costs. You can start getting help with your case immediately.
To schedule your FREE consultation with Chelsie King Garza, call (713) 893-8808 or contact her online now.
