What is a “No-Fee, No Win Fee” Lawyer?
Should You Get a No Win No Fee Lawyer?
Suffering an injury is expensive. Not only do you watch medical bills arrive in your mailbox daily, but you might be unable to get back to work to earn income.
With money tight, you might think that a personal injury lawyer is the last thing you can afford.
However, a no win no fee lawyer can step in and help you obtain the compensation you need for no upfront money. This might sound too good to be true, but it isn’t.
Thousands of Californians are represented every year by lawyers in just this type of arrangement.
At Starpoint Law, a no win no fee lawyer can handle your case on contingency, meaning that he will get paid only if you win.
How Does Contingency Fee Work?
There are two ways you can win your case—with a settlement that helps you avoid court or by receiving a court judgment in your favor after trial. Either way, you will receive a sum of money for your injuries.
With a contingency fee agreement, you agree ahead of time with your lawyer about how much of the award your attorney will receive. Most no win no fee attorneys receive 33-40% of any award, depending on when the case is resolved.
For example, some will take 33% if they settle before trial but 40% if they need to go into court to vindicate your rights before a jury.
The contingency fee agreement should be spelled out in writing so there should be no surprises. As the name suggests, no win no fee lawyers does not take any fee if they do not win your case.
What are the Benefits of Contingency Fees?
California does not allow contingency agreement in every case—usually, only personal injury attorneys can use them.
In our experience, contingency fee agreements work well for both attorneys and clients. Among the benefits are:
- Injured victims receive an experienced attorney’s assistance without any upfront fees. Your attorney can help collect evidence and communicate with insurance adjusters for you, allowing you to focus on healing.
- The attorney has an incentive not to take a case that doesn’t have any merit. If he did, then he would probably lose, and all his work would be wasted. If a no win no fee lawyer agrees to take your case, then that is proof your claim probably has merit.
- The attorney has an incentive to maximize the amount of money the client receives. Remember, the more the client receives, the more the attorney receives. A bigger pie benefits both the client and the lawyer.
- The lawyer has an incentive not to do unnecessary work just to inflate the bill. Instead, the lawyer can work as efficiently as possible while still providing good representation.
Our clients are very happy with the contingency fee agreement. If we win, then we deduct our fee from your settlement or award before sending on the remainder to you.
Are there Hidden Costs to Bringing a Lawsuit?
There are costs but none are hidden. We are very upfront about what expenses you can expect to pay. Attorney fees are not the only expenses to litigation. Our clients often incur the following as part of their lawsuits:
- Copying and postage costs
- Court filing fees
- Fees to obtain copies of medical records
- Deposition costs, such as the cost of a court reporter
- Expert witness fees
Not every case will have all of these costs. Talk to your attorney about how much you can expect to pay in costs. Also talk about how you will pay for them. Some lawyers will bill you every month while others will keep a running total and then deduct the costs from your final settlement or award.
Costs should also be discussed in your contingency fee agreement, which you will receive a copy of.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a California Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured in an accident, please contact Starpoint Law. Our no win no fee attorneys have handled countless cases on contingency and are available to meet with you to discuss your case. Please reach out to us today.
Avoid delay. California law gives you a short amount of time to protect your rights; if you delay, you could lose out on valuable compensation.
Aidin Ghavimi
Aidin is a partner at Starpoint LC, Attorneys at Law, and focuses on personal injury and employment law cases in and around Southern California. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the Loyola School of Law and his Bachelor’s from USC. Aidin’s primary goal is to bring justice to his clients and to ensure they are able to move on with their lives after a serious injury.
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