What Percent Do Personal Injury Lawyers Take?

Share

If you were injured in an accident, you may be confused and stressed about your legal options. You may also be daunted by significant repair bills and medical costs. Fortunately, you can recover these costs by filing a personal injury lawsuit if another party was responsible for the accident that hurt you.

Many people are intimidated by talking to a lawyer about their case. After all, lawyers have attracted a reputation for charging exorbitant hourly rates. However, unlike other types of lawyers, personal injury law firms don't usually charge hourly or upfront fees for their services. Instead, they operate on a contingency basis, which means they take a percentage of the compensation they win for clients. They will not charge anything if they don't win.

The exact percentage personal injury lawyers take for their claims depends on the circumstances of the case. Read on to learn more about personal injury lawyer percentage compensation, key factors that affect what personal injury attorneys charge, and how to hire an experienced lawyer without hefty legal fees.

What Percentage Personal Injury Lawyers Take: Average vs. Maximum

In most cases, the personal injury contingency fee percentage is between 10% to 45% of the final amount, with the average being 33%. Cases that go to court may incur other common costs, such as filing fees, creating copies of legal documents, witness fees, records requests, and more. 

Talk to your personal injury lawyer to learn how much they will charge for your specific case. You may be able to negotiate the percentage charged as needed.

Key Factors That Affect What Personal Injury Attorneys Charge

Several factors affect what personal injury attorneys charge for their cases. These include:

  • Charging personal injury contingency fees versus upfront costs
  • The outcome of the personal injury claim
  • Administrative fees and expenses
  • Time and services provided throughout the personal injury settlement

Contingency Fee Agreement vs. Upfront Costs

Most personal injury attorneys use contingency fee arrangements, which means that the lawyer does not get paid until the case settles. If the lawyers win, they will take a percentage of the final amount. 

However, some personal injury attorneys may require you to sign a retainer agreement. This is a work-for-hire contract where you pay upfront costs to secure the attorney's services. Lawyers that charge contingency fee percentages tend to cost less than those who charge money upfront.

Outcome of the Personal Injury Claim

Personal injury attorneys who use contingency fee agreements will not charge any fees if your claim doesn't win. However, if they win, they will take a percentage of the final settlement or verdict.

Administrative Fees and Expenses

Personal injury lawyers may also charge additional costs, including administrative fees and expenses. Examples include photocopying, filing, records, and courier fees. Although the average cost of these fees is usually low, they can add up over time. As such, cases that take longer to resolve may have hefty administrative fees and expenses.

Time and Services Provided Throughout the Settlement

The amount of time and number of services provided throughout the settlement will also affect what personal injury attorneys charge.

Quick settlements tend to cost less, while longer settlements tend to cost more. Similarly, settlements that require fewer services cost less, while those that require more services cost more. This is because personal injury cases are resource-intensive and firms need the money to continue providing services to clients.

Hire an Experienced Lawyer Without the Hefty Legal Costs

If you're looking for an experienced personal injury lawyer in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky who doesn't charge hefty legal costs, consider partnering with The Moore Law Firm in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Moore Law Firm offers free consultations, and takes cases on a contingency fee basis. You don't pay unless we win. 

With over 50 years of combined experience, our attorneys have a proven record of success in helping injured people claim compensation for their losses. Our law firm is headed by Daniel N. Moore, who has over 19 years of experience in personal injury law. Dan received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Washington State University and went on to receive his juris doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. After graduation, he clerked for a top-tier medical malpractice firm before joining the family business at The Moore Law Firm.

Dan is admitted to practice in Ohio and Kentucky state courts. The federal courts he is admitted to practice are the Southern District of Ohio, the Northern District of Ohio, the Eastern District of Kentucky, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Dan's outstanding legal advocacy has earned him several prestigious awards, including The Best Lawyers in America List (2020-2023), Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

If Dan and the other lawyers at The Moore Law Firm determine that you have a valid case, we will fight to secure fair personal injury compensation. We will walk you through every step of filing a personal injury claim, including:

  1. Ensuring you seek medical treatment: We will ensure that you seek immediate medical treatment after your accident. Besides accelerating recovery, this lets you prove your injuries for your personal injury claim.
  2. Telling the responsible party about your intent to file: We will submit a letter to the responsible parties and their insurance companies about your intent to file a claim.
  3. Filling out and filing the legal documents: We will help you fill out the required paperwork. Specifically, we will outline the details of the accident, your injuries, and the compensation you want. We will file the paperwork ahead of Ohio's statute of limitations, which is two years from the date of the injury.
  4. Ensuring you receive adequate compensation by negotiating with the other side(s): The opposing side(s) will either offer a settlement or reject the claim. If the proposed settlement is too low, we will negotiate until you receive adequate compensation for your injuries. We can also take the case to trial when needed.

Contact The Moore Law Firm to learn more about how we can help you. Whether you have suffered an injury in an auto accident, truck crash, or you have been subject to medical malpractice, we will ensure you get full access to your legal rights. We will walk you through every step of the journey, and recover a fair settlement or verdict for your injuries.

Get in Touch

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one as a result of another person's negligence, you deserve to be fully compensated for your losses. The simple fact is that you should not be forced to pay the price for another person's careless or reckless actions.