Finding yourself injured after an accident or other incident due to someone else’s negligence can be terrifying, especially if you believe you can’t afford a lawyer.
However, many personal injury attorneys in Tulsa, Oklahoma will work with their clients on a contingency fee basis. Contingency means the client is not required to pay any fees up front; their payment comes out of a portion of their settlement or judgement.
If you would like to work with an attorney on a contingency basis, there are a few things you should know.
How Contingency Fees Work
Contingency fee arrangements allow the client to obtain legal services without having to pay upfront or end up with a bill costing thousands of dollars. Defense firms do not operate on a contingency fee basis and charge their clients from approximately $75-$150 an hour (and often more) to work on their case.
Contingency fees, on the other hand, are agreements between an attorney and her client that the attorney will automatically get between 33% and 40% of their settlement or judgement. If the lawyer loses his case, the client will not have to pay for their legal services.
Personal injury attorneys operating on a contingency fee basis often have to carefully choose the cases they take since they will not get paid if the case does not win.
Other Fees
Although a personal injury attorney will work with clients who can’t afford a lawyer, there may be other fees associated with litigation that the attorney does not pay for.
These fees are usually associated with the cost of filing documents in court. While some attorneys will require you to pay your own court filing fees, others will not.
Your retainer agreement should clearly state how much, if any, additional fees you will be expected to pay.
Client Responsibility
When working with any attorney– but especially personal injury attorneys– it is important that you do your part to help move the case forward.
Remember, your attorney is not getting paid for the work she does for you until the case settles. This means you must provide your attorney will all necessary information, such as the names and dates of doctors and hospitals you have visited and any other documents related to the accident.
You must also be sure to get medical treatment for your injuries, follow your doctor’s orders, and go to all follow-up appointments.
Lawyer’s Responsibility
Although a lawyer will not receive payment for the work she does until the end of the case, which can be months or years later, she still has an obligation to her client.
This means maintaining regular contact, keeping the file updated, staying on top of deadlines, and ensuring she makes the best tactical decisions for her client’s case.
Free Consultation
The law affords everyone an opportunity to have their day in court, no matter how big or small their case.
If you or someone you know has been hurt due to someone else’s negligence, please contact a Tulsa personal injury attorney to discuss your available legal options.
Consult with an experienced attorney at The Personal Injury Law Office of Tulsa today, by calling (918) 924-5528 If you prefer, you can use the box in the upper right-hand corner of this page to send a question or brief message.
