A lawyer working on a document with the words, "what is a contingency fee?"

When you are injured in an accident caused by another’s negligence, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for damages and medical expenses. However, when you seek to claim your compensation, there is always a risk involved. Hiring a knowledgeable law firm to help guide you and stand with you throughout the legal process can make the difference between winning a case and losing one. This can be a very expensive task though – many lawyers charge a fee for their services and expect their clients to pay it whether they win or lose, and may require an initial deposit before beginning any work on the case. If they lose the case and the individual is left to pay their lawyer, this could put the recovering individual and their family in a terrible financial situation.

Law firms that are full of compassionate attorneys, such as the ones at the Hernandez Law Group, understand that seeking compensation is not an easy process. The defense will try to bully you into accepting less than you deserve, you will often have to relive the trauma of the accident over again, and being forced to pay if you lose adds insult to injury. The dedicated attorneys at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. operate under a contingency fee. This means that if we lose, you do not owe us a dime. What is a contingency and what is the catch? Here is a more detailed look at how a contingency fee can protect you and your family when seeking compensation:

Understanding a Contingency Fee

Contingency fees are based on the amount of monetary compensation we recover for your injuries. Monetary compensation is awarded when your case settles or you win the court trial. Contingency fee payments place all of the risks on the law firm.

Your attorney will talk to you about the basics of the contract. For example, the contingency agreement may be that the law firm gets ⅓ of the compensation if you win. However, this amount is based on two different things: how much risk is involved in the case and whether the case goes into litigation.

Risk In Seeking Compensation

Generally, all personal injury cases carry a type of risk. Maybe it is a slip and fall case with little witnesses or evidence (high risk) or maybe it is a cut and dry car accident case (low risk). The percentage owed to the law firm after a win depends on how much work and risk the law firm is placing on themselves. The lower the risk, the lower you will generally owe to the lawyer. This makes sense, as a straightforward case doesn’t require as much work as one that has a lot of different parts that need to be proven.

Litigation Cases

Although most cases do not require a lawsuit to be filed, sometimes it is necessary to file a suit in order to recover monetary damages for your injuries. When a case goes into litigation (meaning when a lawsuit is filed), there are additional risks involved due to the nature of the case. Also, the amount of time and effort attorneys will spend on each case increases significantly when a case goes into litigation. There are some costs that come with bringing a personal injury lawsuit before a court, which will not be charged to our clients if we lose at trial. These costs are as follows:

  • Court/Filing Fees: It costs money to file a lawsuit with the court (this can be anywhere up to $400). It also costs money to serve the defendant(s) with a copy of the lawsuit through an independent, third-party process server.
  • Discovery Costs: These costs go into hiring a court reporter, paying for the deposition transcripts, and issuing subpoenas. Many personal injury lawsuits, such as complex car accidents, may require more than one deposition.
  • Bringing In Expert Witnesses: Expert witnesses include doctors or other highly-trained and recognized professionals from a particular field to help prove a point in your case. These witnesses need to be paid for their time and expertise.
  • Gathering Evidence: This covers the costs that it takes to gather public documents, medical records, photographs of the accident, witness statements, etc.
  • Other Important Documents: This money is used to cover the costs of sending out postage and copying important documents.

Hernandez Law Group Will Fight For You!

Personal injury cases are not always straightforward and can be complicated. You want a team that will work hard to get to the truth and help you claim the compensation you deserve. Our persevering team at the Hernandez Law Group does not back down from a challenge and will work tirelessly to help you win your case. From personal injury to work injury cases, we handle them all. Spend your time focusing on your recovery while we work on winning your case and handling all the risks for you. Contact the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to go over your case!