ArticlesIf you suffered severe injuries in a Southern California motor vehicle collision or another type of injury accident, you might consider pursuing a legal claim.
You can pursue a claim yourself, through the at-fault party’s insurance company. However, hiring an experienced Southern California personal injury lawyer can provide a number of benefits.
To help you make the right decision for you and your future, you need to know the basics about how much your personal injury lawyer cost might be.
With this knowledge, you can better determine the right approach for you.
How Much Are Lawyer Fees for a Personal Injury?
Typically, law firms take personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means, essentially, that you will not owe any legal fees unless the firm recovers compensation on your behalf.
Once your attorney recovers compensation for your claim, the firm will deduct their agreed-upon fee from the award and give you a check for the rest.
Most personal injury lawyers take a percentage of the settlement amount and award after any agreed-upon costs have been deducted.
Costs typically include court fees, filing fees, administrative costs, etc.
The bottom line is that when you hire a Southern California personal injury lawyer, you should not have to come up with any money to get started.
You should not have to pay any hourly fees as your claim moves forward. In fact, you won’t have to pay any legal fees at all if your attorney cannot negotiate a settlement or win your case in court.
What Is the Average Percentage a Lawyer Takes?
When you go for your initial personal injury lawyer consultation, your attorney will explain their fee structure. If you decide to move forward, your written agreement should contain a full breakdown of the legal fees and costs you will owe once your claim is resolved.
Every attorney and law firm sets its own fees. Consequently, we cannot accurately estimate any type of average percentage that lawyers take.
However, you can generally expect personal injury lawyer fees to range from approximately 33% to 40% of your award. In some states, the average percentage might be higher, and in other states, the fee could be lower.
It is also important to understand that your fee percentage could change during the process. For example, most lawyers increase their fee percentage if they take your case to trial.
They do this because litigation is more costly and time-consuming than negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company. In other words, it takes a lot more work to take a case all the way through a trial than to negotiate a settlement.
How Much Are Lawyer Fees in Southern California?
In Southern California, lawyer fees are similar to those throughout the western United States. California personal injury lawyer percentages typically range from approximately 30% to 35% of an insurance settlement.
If you go to court, expect to pay around 40% of the total award.
When you meet with attorneys to discuss your case, make sure you get the information you need regarding legal fees and costs. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and get clarification until you’re confident you understand all the details.
Talk to a California Personal Injury Lawyer Today for Free
Are you considering doing an internet search for “how much do lawyers take from settlement payouts?” If so, make sure you choose trustworthy sources for your information.
If a firm’s fees seem especially low, get all the details in writing before you proceed. You don’t want any unpleasant surprises when you get your settlement payout.
In Los Angeles and throughout Southern California, the personal injury attorneys of the Farzam Law Firm understand how challenging your situation is today.
We are compassionate yet aggressive litigators. We do everything we can to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf.
If the insurer will not make a reasonable settlement offer, however, we are always prepared to move forward with a lawsuit.
Contact us now to schedule a consultation or to discuss our Southern California personal injury attorney fees.
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).
Rate this Post
Loading...