- November 3, 2020
If you’ve suffered serious injuries in a collision, you may see the value of hiring a car accident lawyer. However, you may worry that you won’t be able to afford one. If you’ve never hired a Baltimore car accident attorney before, you may not know that you won’t have to pay anything upfront.
Personal injury attorneys usually offer one free consultation to prospective clients and they take cases on a contingency fee basis. This arrangement means that you won’t have to pay unless they secure compensation on your behalf either through negotiation or a court verdict. This contrasts with a fixed hourly fee like that imposed in matters involving family law or criminal defense.
If like many car accident victims, you don’t have lots of cash at your disposal, you can still hire an attorney to represent your interests. You don’t have to try to handle your case alone.
How Contingency Fee Arrangements Work
The cost of hiring a lawyer is prohibitive for many people. If you suffered serious injuries, you may be unable to work. At the same time, your medical bills will likely be piling up. If someone else caused your injuries, you shouldn’t have to worry about legal fees on top of everything else. Citizens should have equal access to compensation no matter what their personal financial circumstances are. That’s why contingency fee arrangements are so helpful.
This payment system gives a car accident lawyer an increased incentive to ensure they get the best possible outcome in each case. The more compensation they can get for you, the more they will be able to make. While Baltimore car accident lawyers naturally want to get fair compensation for each client, they also need to get paid for their time, knowledge, and experience. The contingency fee arrangement often leads to more in-depth investigations, better preparation, and improved negotiation. If litigation becomes necessary, attorneys have an added reason to try to secure a favorable verdict.
Another benefit of a contingency fee agreement is that you won’t pay your car accident lawyer large sums only to later find out that you won’t be able to recover damages. Attorneys only take cases that they believe will result in a positive outcome for the victim. However, there’s no way to guarantee that an insurance company will approve your claim or that a jury will rule in your favor. In the event that your claim is denied, or you lose your lawsuit, you won’t lose exorbitant sums. That being said, there may still be some costs that you will have to pay.
Costs Associated with a Baltimore Car Accident Case
Your attorney’s legal fees usually come out of your settlement. However, regardless of whether or not you recover your damages, you may still have to pay:
- Expert witness fees
- Filing fees
- Charges associated with telephone calls or photocopying documents
Before agreeing to hire an attorney, you should ask about the costs you’ll have to pay and make sure you’re clear on when you’ll have to pay them. You should also ascertain the forms of payment the lawyer will accept. This ensures there are no surprises along the way.
What Takes Place During a Free Consultation with A Car Accident Lawyer
As soon as possible after your accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney so they can assess your case. The consultation will provide you with an opportunity to share details of the accident and your injuries. The lawyer will then advise you on your legal options. When you attend the consultation, you should take all the required documentation with you. This will likely include:
- The police report
- Photos of the accident scene
- Your medical records pertaining to the accident
- Medical bills
- Car repair estimates or invoices
- Correspondence from insurance companies
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, the attorney may request other information. The more details you can provide during the meeting, the easier it will be for your attorney to evaluate your case.
Consult an Attorney at Pinder Plotkin LLC Today
If you suffered injuries at the hands of a negligent driver or another party, you deserve full compensation even if you can’t afford an attorney out of pocket. Don’t hesitate to set up a free consultation with one of the Baltimore car accident lawyers at Pinder Plotkin LLC. This is your opportunity to discuss the merits of your case and get advice from an experienced, knowledgeable lawyer. Call us today to begin the process of getting the compensation you deserve.
