Also called a contingent fee arrangement or a contingency fee, no-win-no-fee claims usually involve personal injury claims. Some of the most common personal injury legal cases include:
- Car accidents
- 18-Wheeler accidents
- DWI or DUI accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction accidents
- Defective machinery accidents
- Defective product accidents
- Pharmaceuticals injuries
- Train, plane, bus and cruise ship accidents
- Wrongful death
- Workplace injuries
- Sexual assault or abuse
- Medical malpractice
Many law firms offer a free evaluation or consultation to determine the soundness of a case and the likelihood of winning it before offering a no-win-no-fee arrangement.
No Win No Fee Agreement Costs
Although the attorney fees are typically covered with this type of contingency fee agreement, other costs may still be applicable. Court fees, witness deposition costs, and other expenses can apply regardless of the outcome of a case. Plaintiffs with very limited or no financial resources should include these types of costs as part of any binding fee agreement.
Lawyer Fees for Contingency Fee Agreements
A contingent fee agreement is normally about one-third of the total monetary award. It's important to remember that some awards are not required to be paid in full at one time. Plaintiffs need to request that the form of payment to a lawyer reflect the form of payment required for any settlement to avoid having to pay legal fees before any monetary award is actually received.
Reducing Legal Costs
Do some research and pick an experienced lawyer or law firm: most experienced attorneys often charge more per hour, but take fewer hours to perform work than less experienced lawyers. In addition, some attorneys are open to help with things such as document pick-up and delivery, making phone calls, or other light legal assistance that consumes valuable time. Communicate any willingness to participate in the process with this type of legal support to possibly reduce the number of legal hours charged to a case.
Presenting a Successful Case
Most law firms and lawyers agree on one thing: it's of the utmost importance to be completely honest with them in order to pursue a successful no-win-no-fee claim. Issues of personality, character, relationships, addictions, habits and past conversations can all have an adverse affect on legal cases related to personal injury. Even if complete honesty with a lawyer reveals personal details that are uncomfortable or unsavory to talk about (which lawyers are bound by law to maintain in private), it's best to share the information with a lawyer so that he or she can properly prepare for every possible defense tactic or attack.
Reference
Clementina Altamirano - Clementina Altamirano has written professionally since 1999, been published in "Hispanic Magazine" and has extensive experience with ...
