If you have been injured at work and you need a Maryland workers compensation lawyer, you may be worried about how you will pay for legal advice. Do not let your anxiety about paying a lawyer for advice keep you from getting the help you need with a workers’ comp claim.
You can meet with a Pinder Plotkin attorney for a free case review. You can get the advice you need during a
free consultation. If you decide to retain a Maryland workers compensation lawyer in our office, you are not expected to pay any attorney fees until we recover money for your workers comp claim.
What are Contingency Fees in a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Our lawyers accept worker’s comp cases on a contingency fee basis. Under a contingency fee agreement, you consent to pay a percentage of the amount of money we recover for your claim to our law firm in payment of our attorney fees. Therefore, if we do not recover any money in your case, you do not owe any attorney fees.
In some cases, our law firm may incur out-of-pocket expenses related to your case. Common expenses incurred in some workers’ compensation cases include:
- Fees for obtaining copies of medical records.
- Costs of depositions for witnesses.
- Filing fees and court costs.
- Expert witness fees and costs.
- Costs and fees of an IME (Independent Medical Examination).
- Travel expenses.
- Clerical costs and expenses.
Some fees and expenses may not be included in a contingency fee agreement. Our attorneys carefully review the contingency fee agreement and expenses that you could be responsible for paying so that you are aware of any expenses, if any, that you may need to pay whether or not you recover compensation for your workers’ comp claim.
Attorney Fees Are Limited by Statute in Maryland Workers’ Comp Cases
The compensation for a Maryland workers compensation lawyer is limited by law. In most cases, the maximum percentage for calculating attorney fees in a workers’ comp case is lower than the percentage allowed in a personal injury case. The typical contingency fee charged by some law firms for personal injury cases can be as high as 30 to 40 percent. However, the maximum percentage allowed in a workers’ compensation case is 20 percent of the amount recovered. In some cases, the maximum percentage is 10 percent of the amount recovered.
The fee schedule is based on the type of workers comp benefit being recovered by the injured worker and the amount recovered. As the compensation recovered increases, the percentage for calculating the attorney fee decreases. Therefore, you do not pay a set 20 percent of all amounts recovered. Additionally, there is also a cap on the amount of attorney fees you are required to pay to a Maryland workers compensation lawyer.
There could be circumstances in which an attorney could petition the court for additional attorney fees, as in the case of a lengthy and complicated appeal. In addition, the fees in cases involving the death of an employee may be different from other workers’ comp cases.
The Pinder Plotkin Legal Team Has One Goal
Our Maryland workers compensation lawyer fights for maximum compensation for our clients. We believe that injured workers deserve to be compensated fully for their losses and damages. With that in mind, we strive to keep our fees and costs as low as possible so that you receive as much money as possible for your claim.
For instance, the fee for recovering benefits for lost wages is 10 percent of the amount recovered. However, if an attorney is able to obtain the benefits for the client without the necessity of attending a hearing, the law states that there is no fee owed for the attorney’s work. Therefore, we will always strive to settle lost wage claims before a hearing to put as much money as possible in our clients’ pockets for the lost wages they incurred because of a workplace accident.
Check out these Relevant Workers' Compensation blog posts:
Workers' Compensation
Your Right to Choose a Medical Provider in a Workers' Comp Claim
Contact a Maryland Workers Compensation Lawyer for a Free Case Review
Have you been injured at work? Is your employer or its workers’ comp carrier refusing to pay benefits? Did you suffer a permanent impairment and you are unsure if the settlement the provider offered is fair? Has your employer taken retaliatory actions because you filed a workers’ compensation claim?
If so, we want to help. Our attorneys handle all matters related to workers’ comp claims in Maryland.
Contact Pinder Plotkin for a
free consultation with a Maryland workers compensation lawyer by calling
410-525-5337. You are under no obligation to retain our law firm after meeting with an attorney.
