How Can I Pay For An Accident Attorney?

Many times, people hurt in accidents wait to call an attorney because they just don't know how to pay for one.

Did you know that if you hire an attorney to represent you on a “contingency” fee, you don't pay a dime of attorney's fees to get the attorney on the case right away? Instead, you pay the attorney, out of the money you win, if the attorney recovers money on your behalf.

At Gardner Law, I handle all of my plaintiff's personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means when I represent someone who is hurt, or whose loved one died, they don't pay me a dime until and unless I win their personal injury case.

Is A Contingency Fee Expensive For The Client?

No - it costs nothing upfront!

With a contingency fee, my ability to get paid for my work depends, or is “contingent”, on my ability to recover money for you.  This means I only get paid if I win your case. My fee is a percentage of whatever I recover for my client. No recovery, no fee!

Do Attorneys Like Working for A Contingency Fee?

Like a lot of things, contingency fees have negatives and positives.

The negative for attorneys is that contingency fee cases are risky, because the attorney does not get paid for their time and effort unless they win the case. Not all cases are won or end up being valuable. 

The positive about a contingency fee is it motivates me to fight hard to recover as much as possible for my clients. A contingency fee makes sure that my client, and myself, have the very same interests in mind when it comes to their personal injury case - maximizing its value. The more money I recover for my client, the more fee I earn. It's a win-win for my client and for me.

How Much Do You Charge For My Accident Case?

Many attorneys charge personal injury accident case contingency fees from 33.33% to 40%, and up, depending on the complexity of your case and what stage your case is in when it resolves.

Why Do Attorneys Accept Cases On A Contingency Fee?

Unlike large insurance companies or big corporations who can easily pay expensive hourly fees to hire attorneys, contingency fees allow regular people who otherwise do not have the money to pay for an attorney to immediately hire an attorney in their legal case.

This allows access to justice for those who may not have a lot of money on hand -- leveling the playing field between you and the insurance company.  And, it deters lawsuits that should never get filed in the first place because attorneys who accept contingency fee cases only take cases they think they can win, so they're more selective about the cases they agree to take on. 

Contingency fees mean court suddenly becomes much more accessible to all injured people because attorneys such as myself take on a case with no money up front.

Is A Contingency Fee Good For A Personal Injury Client?

Definitely good for the client! A contingency fee means you pay $0.00 to hire me, but I will immediately start to fight your injury or wrongful death case.

Without a knowledgeable and skillful attorney on your side, from the start, you will find it hard to get paid from a powerful insurance company. When you represent yourself, the insurance will offer you less than they would if you have an attorney fighting for you.

By hiring a contingency fee attorney, you get the benefit of their skill and advice, which really helps your chance of recovering the maximum possible on your personal injury case. The insurance will do things to claimants that they'd never try with a skilled attorney. 

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I am Renée Yvonne Gardner, the founder and attorney at Gardner Law.

I have been a personal injury attorney for 16 years. I have fought for many clients to recover full compensation for them, including wrongful death cases and serious personal injuries such as brain injuries and fractures.

I am here to provide a free consultation to you, on your personal injury case.

Please call me today at 408-214-5555 so we can talk about what happened and how you can put me to work to champion your rights in your personal injury case.

_{Image: Contingency fees by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free}