The type of costs and fees you will owe your lawyer in the event of a personal injury case loss will be determined by the agreement you signed with them before beginning working together. You’ll want to understand the costs and fees incurred, whether you win or lose your case, before signing the contract with your lawyers.
What happens now to all the costs that have been incurred and who is responsible?
Depending on the type of agreement you entered with your attorney dictates who is responsible for them. At GBG we pay our client’s costs up front. After settlement or verdict in your case, our office will be reimbursed for all out of pocket expenses. This includes some common costs such as postage, expert witness fees, filing fees for documents in court, fees for getting documents like police reports and medical records, paying stenographers or court reports during depositions, creating trial exhibits, and creating transcripts of testimony.
What about attorney’s fees?
Contingency Fees
The largest percentage of personal injury claims are managed on a contingency fee agreement. If you hired a Pasadena lawyer at GBG Law on a contingency fee agreement, it will mean that you are not responsible for any fees if your case doesn’t result in a settlement or verdict. We call it; no-win, no-fee. Because your attorney has the position that they will not receive anything if they are not successful in a case, it helps them to make sure the client is oriented for the best outcome possible.
Hourly Rates
Some law offices may charge hourly rates for their legal services. There is usually a tiered schedule based on the type of work that is being done. If you use this arrangement, the attorney is entitled to receive reimbursement for all work that was performed no matter the outcome of the case. This isn’t often seen in personal injury cases.
Flat Rate Fees
Flat rate fees are extremely rare in the realm of personal injury cases but when we do see them, they are fees that are usually paid up front and are paid whether your case is won or lost. However, they are mostly seen in simple routine things like resolving traffic tickets, filing an uncontested divorce, writing a will, or closing on real estate.
Retainers
The retainer is a prepayment for legal services. It is a way of having a bank account that the hourly or flat rate fees are charged against. The use of retainers is usually when there is a substantial amount of legal work that needs to be done. At GBG we don’t charge our clients any retainers to take their case.
When you are looking at hiring a Pasadena lawyer be sure to understand everything that is in the contract you are signing. It is important to read over any documents for signing and ask questions.
At GBG Law, our Southern California injury attorneys work on a contingency fee. We are passionate about protecting you and your rights and we win, when you win. A free consultation with Grigoryan Blum & Grigoryan can help you determine if a contingency fee is best for you.
Click here for our complete guide to hiring a personal injury lawyer.