Personal Injury Attorney Fees
How Much Does a Personal Injury Attorney Cost?
If you're like most people, you're concerned about paying an attorney and, perhaps, you think you will net more if you don't hire an attorney.
- Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they get a percentage of your winnings. If you don't get a settlement or a jury verdict in your favor, you pay nothing.
- Trying to act as your own attorney and deal with the insurance company directly, in an attempt to save fees, is likely short sighted. You probably will net more money if you pay an attorney than if you do not.
Most Cases Never Go To Trial
About 98% of all personal injury cases are settled without going to trial. A "settlement" is a mutual agreement.
- Not TV. Real life is nothing like on television. Most cases are settled, trials are boring, and there is a ton of paperwork - and more paperwork. Oh, and lawyers don't dress as well in real life as they do on TV.
- Be ready. However, it's imperative that your PI attorney be ready, willing, and able to go to trial in order to have a strong negotiating position.
- ADR. Sometimes, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is implemented. ADR is like a tiny court - which operates faster and less expensively than a court of law. The ADR panel imposes a resolution on the parties.
- Mediation. Other times, mediation is implemented. Mediation is nothing like a court - instead, an impartial professional guides the parties through negotiations with the goal of reaching a mutually agreeable settlement. Mediation also operates faster and less expensively than a court of law.
