If you’ve been injured in a car accident and are considering legal action, you might be wondering whether you can afford to hire a lawyer. With medical bills, vehicle repairs, and missed work already straining your budget, the idea of legal fees can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, in most cases, hiring a highly-regarded Geneva car accident attorney is far more affordable than many people think. In fact, it typically costs nothing upfront.
Common Legal Fee Structures
Attorneys use different billing methods depending on the type of case. While most Geneva car accident lawyers use a contingency fee arrangement, it helps to understand all the common structures:
- Flat fees are a set amount for a specific task, such as reviewing a contract or preparing a document. They are rarely used in car accident cases.
- Hourly fees are where the attorney bills for each hour worked. This is common in other areas of law but not ideal for accident victims who may not have the funds to pay as the case progresses.
- Retainers are an upfront deposit that the lawyer bills against for hourly work. Retainers are uncommon in personal injury cases unless a contingency arrangement isn’t an option.
While these fee structures may be suitable for other areas of law, the vast majority of car accident cases in Geneva are handled on a contingency fee basis.
How Contingency Fees Work
With a contingency fee arrangement, you don’t pay any attorney’s fees unless your lawyer wins your case. Instead of charging by the hour or requiring an upfront payment, your attorney’s fee is a set percentage of the settlement or verdict they recover for you.
In Illinois, this percentage typically ranges between 33% and 40%, and it must be reasonable under the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.
This fee arrangement is designed to help injured people get quality legal representation without taking on major financial risk in addition to medical expenses and other damages. If your lawyer doesn’t recover compensation for you, you owe them nothing for their time and work.
Contingency fees align your attorney’s interests with your own. The more compensation your lawyer recovers for you, the more they receive for representing you. This built-in incentive motivates your attorney to fight for the maximum possible settlement or jury award.
Fees and Costs Deducted from a Settlement
While the attorney’s percentage covers their legal services, there are also case costs that may be deducted from your settlement or verdict. These costs can include:
- Court filing fees
- Expert witness fees
- Medical record retrieval fees
- Costs for depositions and transcripts
- Travel expenses related to your case
- Costs for accident reconstruction specialists
Before signing an agreement, your lawyer should explain whether these costs will be deducted before or after the contingency percentage is calculated. For example, some agreements calculate the lawyer’s fee from the total settlement amount before subtracting costs, while others deduct costs first and then apply the fee to the remaining balance.
Contact Feagans Law Group for a Free Consultation After a Crash
In addition to using contingency fees, most car and motorcycle accident lawyers in Geneva offer free consultations. This allows you to discuss your case, learn your legal options, and understand the fee arrangement without any financial obligation. You can get answers to your questions and decide if the attorney is a good fit before moving forward.
If you’ve been injured in a crash, you deserve to know your rights and explore your options for pursuing compensation. Feagans Law Group works on a contingency fee basis and offers free consultations to accident victims throughout Geneva and the surrounding areas. Call us today to schedule yours.Â