The cost of a motorcycle injury lawyer will vary depending on your case’s complexity. The more significant the issue, the larger you have to take on as a client. Many cases will be negotiated and settled with little or no court involvement. It is good because it can save you thousands in legal bills. A motorcycle lawyer will take you through the entire process, from beginning to end. Moreover, most law firms work on a contingency fee. It means that you will only pay them if and when they obtain a settlement.
How Contingency Fee Works and What You Should Know About Paying Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
In movies or TV shows, you may have seen that law firms ask for a retainer or operate with “billables,” meaning that you have to pay them by the hour of work they do for your case. While these payment methods are very much real, they do not apply to personal injury cases in general or traffic accidents in particular.
As you will learn from your chosen Indianapolis motorcycle injury lawyer, injury cases are complicated. Proving liability, hiring accident reconstruction experts, deposing witnesses, analyzing medical reports, etc., can accumulate countless hours. In other words, an hourly fee is not practical for plaintiffs in car or motorcycle accidents. Furthermore, when a settlement is reached, you might get little or no money if the attorney factored in all the time and effort invested in building an injury case. Hourly payments are more common in estate planning, commercial law, and even real estate, but you should not go with a law firm asking hourly rates in personal injury litigation.
When it comes to the infamous retainers lawyers ask for, you should know that they are more common in criminal practice. Criminal defense lawyers ask for a lump sum paid upfront. Hence, the client secures representation and all its expenses (ballistic experts, forensic specialists, expert witnesses, investigators, the lawyer’s transportation costs, and much more).
In some situations, a flat fee might be in order. Again, not for personal injury cases. You can pay a flat fee for a lawyer to prepare a will for you or help you with a contract, a sale, etc. However, car or motorcycle accidents are far from simple, and a reputable attorney will never quantify them by a flat fee.
In other words, you should expect to pay a percentage of your settlement at the end of your case. The American Bar Association agrees that a lawyer should ask for a fixed percentage of 30%-40% of the recovery (the amount paid to the client by the at-fault party).
Factors that Determine How Much You Should Pay Your Indiana Motorcycle Lawyer
1: The Complexity of Your Case
It is one of the primary factors. Complex issues usually end with bigger settlements, which means more money for you and your attorney. Reputable law firms pay investigators, accountants, paralegals, consultants, accident reconstruction experts, medical experts, etc. A strong case means a big award, especially if the verdict is offered in court. Depending on how much you agreed with your lawyer on contingency, you will pay their fee accordingly at the end of the trial.
2: The Experience and Reputation of the Lawyer
Experienced and reputable lawyers will cost more than those that lack experience. We mean asking for a larger percentage of your settlement by “costing more.” Go with a big law firm with experienced professionals. They will likely ask you for a larger contingency fee because they have a strong reputation and litigation experience. Usually, they also have a “brand,” countless connections, and plenty of resources to use for your benefit.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, you want to choose the attorney that will do their best work for you and your situation. You want to get what you deserve as quickly as possible. Suppose you have a complex case that will be exhausting and time-consuming in the long run. In that case, it may be worth finding an experienced and reputable attorney operating with a higher contingency fee than a beginner lawyer with smaller fees. Even if you end up with less money than you expect, at least you will win your case, as big law firms also have the resources and logistics to win complicated cases.
