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If you just lost your job, you might be thinking about bringing a claim against your employer for wrongful termination.

You’re probably also wondering, How much does a wrongful termination lawyer cost?

Finances and expenses might be a bigger concern for you now than they were before you lost your job.

It’s understandable that you’re worried you might not be able to afford the wrongful termination lawyer cost. But you should not have to abandon your legal rights because of money. 

Unlawful Reasons for Firing Employees in California

California is an at-will employment state, which means that California employers don’t need to have a good reason to terminate employment.

However, they cannot fire people for unlawful reasons. A wrongful termination lawsuit is where a worker claims that their employer violated their legal rights by firing them.

Unlawful reasons for termination include:

Union employees and people with employment contracts usually enjoy increased protections against termination based on the terms of their agreements.

There are many ways an employer can violate a worker’s rights based on unfair or illegal practices.

How Much Does it Normally Cost to Retain an Attorney for a Wrongful Termination Lawsuit?

The cost of a lawyer for wrongful termination will depend on how much work they have to do for your claim.

For instance, your lawyer may be able to help you with just a letter or phone call to your employer. Or they may be able to swiftly negotiate a settlement out of court.

Conversely, if your lawyer has to take your case to trial, that can take a great deal of time, money, and labor—and can end up being more expensive.

The cost of your claim is totally dependent on the circumstances. But before you hesitate, consider what’s at stake.

And keep in mind that the amount of time you have to file your claim depends on what kind of wrongful termination you’re alleging.

You should speak to an attorney as soon as possible about whether you have a valid claim for wrongful termination, what your compensation could be, and how to proceed legally.

What Are Your Damages?

If you have an idea of how much you stand to gain from your wrongful termination claim, it may help you decide how to proceed.

Compensable losses could include:

  • Lost wages and benefits;
  • Emotional distress, mental suffering, and related physical symptoms; and
  • Loss of professional reputation.

Compensation for a wrongful termination suit could involve monetary awards, job reinstatement, and attorney’s fees.

Sometimes it could even include punitive damages if the employer’s actions were particularly egregious.

A separate factor that the court will consider is whether or not you attempted to mitigate damages.

If your ex-employer can show that you could have found a similar job and you failed to do so, the court could reduce your damages by the amount of the wages you could have earned. 

The Farzam Law Firm: Your California Wrongful Termination Attorneys

At the Farzam Law Firm, we pride ourselves on offering compassionate, reliable legal representation to our clients.

We understand how financially and emotionally harmful it can be to be unfairly let go from your job.

If you believe your employer acted illegally, we can help you figure out the next steps to take.

Please contact us to discuss your wrongful termination claim.

Author Photo

Joseph Farzam

Mr. Farzam attended Santa Monica high school and worked at McDonald’s and local coffee shops to support himself. Although he worked 2 or 3 jobs, he valued education greatly and earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge in biology, and attended the prestigious Pepperdine University School of Law. He graduated with high marks and passed the California bar exam on the first try. Mr. Farzam has received the coveted titles of Super Lawyer, Los Angeles Magazine’s Top Lawyers, and has received The Litigator Awards.  He is a proud member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) and California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA).

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