What Does It Cost To Hire A Personal Injury Attorney?
After an accidental injury, many hesitate to bring an attorney into the picture at first. In the early aftermath of a crash or construction accident, they may delay contacting a personal injury lawyer because of concerns about legal fees. Friends, family, medical professionals and insurance company representatives may express opinions leading away from personal injury representation. In fact, however, a personal injury case is a special area of the law in that this practice area is paid on a contingency basis. In other words, personal injury lawyers receive their fees as a percentage of compensation obtained for clients, not an hourly rate. In a contingency fee arrangement, if you are injured, you do not need to worry about paying your attorney upfront for legal services or out-of-pocket expenses.
Even when people understand contingency fee arrangements, they may worry about “losing” or giving up the percentage of the final recovery payout (by settlement or verdict at trial) that will go to the law firm. They may believe they will shortchange themselves if they “have to pay a lawyer” for help.
Insurance companies often play off of these fears. They often encourage injured people, without involving legal counsel, to accept quick settlements offered by companies’ claims adjusters. Your insurance agent or a representative of someone else’s insurer may attempt to persuade you through these tactics. Please think twice before going this route.
In fact, however, studies have shown that with quality legal counsel, seriously injured people tend to receive much higher payouts than people without representation. This is generally true even when legal fees are taken into account.
What Are The Benefits Of Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer?
At Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC, we gladly share the wisdom of our experience in free initial consultations and throughout our attorney-client relationships. Under the stress of your injuries and losses, it is likely that an insurance company, if possible, will push you to accept an insufficient, premature settlement. The pressure to take quick money and sign a release can be intense at a time like this. When you meet with an injury lawyer at our firm, we will advise you of ways we can intervene before an insurance company makes your life miserable. If we represent you, we will work toward the best attainable outcome on your behalf.
We are ready to investigate thoroughly to uncover facts of great importance to your future. For example, do your doctors anticipate you will need additional treatment such as plastic surgery months or years after a burn injury or physical therapy after a spinal cord injury? With our law firm on your side in a serious injury case, we will aggressively fight for your right to full compensation that takes into account your future medical bills resulting from additional treatment and care needs.
Remember that insurance companies deal with accidental injury cases all the time. They know full well what things cost and what your personal injury claim is worth. If you deal with them directly, do not be surprised to discover that they will try to convince you to accept a settlement for far less than what your injuries and losses call for. Do not be fooled into believing they care about your long-term health and well-being. They are fundamentally interested in one thing: paying out as little as they can get away with after a car accident. An injury lawyer from our firm, on the other hand, will align with your interests.
If we represent you, we will make sure you have a clear picture of what care will cost in the long run. We will work to ensure you recover full and reasonable compensation for costs of your medical care, therapy and lost wages, as well as acknowledgement of your pain and suffering.
How Should I Choose A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Once you realize the value of having legal representation, the next question on your mind will be how to select the right lawyer for your case. Fortunately, the matter of attorney’s fees should not play into this decision. Why? Because the percentage of your recovery amount will likely be about the same for any personal injury lawyer. You can hire an experienced one or a less-than-experienced one with a similar or identical contingency fee arrangement. The real difference will be in the quality of your attorney-client relationship and your lawyer’s persistence to go after maximum attainable compensation.
Most people who find satisfaction after an injury case appreciate quality advocacy that includes:
- Local representation: A lawyer from out of town may not understand the ins and outs of the courts in your area or other key aspects of your Chicago auto accident case. A knowledge gap in your case could prove critical to the outcome
- Personalized guidance: A national law firm that handles your case a file number cannot, by definition, get to know you, your family and your losses to the degree that an involved hands-on attorney in your area will
- Detailed investigation: If you do business with an out-of-town law firm that is simply a settlement mill, lawyers with that firm will not likely understand the nuances of traffic patterns in your region
- Persistence: A settlement mill type of personal injury law firm is likely to rush a case to conclusion, whereas a local attorney committed to your case will be better positioned to take the time and thought necessary to build a strong case for you
- Trial readiness: Yes, most personal injury cases settle in negotiations, but not all. Your legal opponents may put up roadblocks, meaning that you may need to file a lawsuit to get the compensation you need
At Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC, our experience and strong track record have prepared us to guide you toward ample compensation as you expect to be advised. We understand the types of support you need from a lawyer throughout the duration of your case. We are prepared to see things through to a favorable conclusion. We offer thorough preparation for trial; we are ever-ready to take your case before a judge and/or jury if necessary. Your recovery will be our primary concern in all aspects of your personal injury case.