Most situations that require the assistance of a lawyer are inherently stressful. Whether it be a divorce, car accident, work-related injury, or writing up a will, the legal system can be a worry for many people, especially when it comes to being able to pay. Different attorneys charge in different ways, which we will go into in detail below.
What does it cost to see a lawyer for an initial consultation?
Most law offices offer an initial, free consultation to attract new clients. If you choose to contact Williams Hart & Boundas, then the first appointment will be free of charge. Howe’ver, if you decide to seek another law office, then be sure to check first. A personal injury lawyer will generally take this opportunity to explain how the legal process works. They will also get the particulars of your case and see if your lawsuit will be a good fit for their area of expertise.
How do attorneys charge?
After hiring an attorney and entering into an agreement, there are three common ways in which attorneys charge legal fees, including:
Contingency Fee
With a contingency fee, the more money your attorney can get on your behalf, the more that they will inevitably be paid. Also, a contingency fee means that your attorney will only get paid once your settlement is finalized. As such, you will not need to pay anything up front, and any payments due to your attorney will come out of the settlement payment. In this situation, your attorney accepts all the risk of whether they will be paid at all. Contingency fees, as a general rule, are a percentage of the amount awarded by the court or in a settlement package. They can be on a sliding scale depending on the awarded amount and the time involved. Remember that additional fees such as administrative expenses and travel also need to be discussed.
Hourly Legal Fees
First off, note that the attorneys at Williams Hart & Boundas do NOT charge hourly fees. Howe’ver, many traditional lawyers still charge by the hour. In this case, they would generally request that a retainer is paid in advance, and then this is held in escrow and used to pay bills and on-going fees. This is generally what happens with attorneys that work with clients on multiple legal matters but would be incredibly rare for personal injury lawyers.
Flat Legal Fees
Certain attorneys work primarily drafting wills, filing patents, or closing real estate deals. In these situations, where attorneys are working with the same type of case repeatedly, they may offer a predictable, flat legal fee for the job.
Not hiring a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can cost you the most in the long run. An attorney will ascertain how much you deserve and consider factors such as future loss of earning or family distress, which you may not have realized. You can rest assured that the team at Williams Hart & Boundas will never ask you for any form of payment until you receive the compensation that you are due.?
