What is a Contingency Fee? How Personal Injury Lawyers Charge Their Clients

How Do Contingency Fees Work?

A contingency fee is a payment agreement between a lawyer and their client in which the client doesn’t have to pay legal fees to the lawyer unless there is a successful recovery. What this means is that, if the case doesn’t result in an out-of-court settlement or a jury verdict isn’t in the client’s favor, the client doesn’t have to pay the lawyer.

Should the claim end in a settlement or a verdict, the final fee to the attorney will be taken from the settlement check or payment from the defendant. This system is designed to take as much of the heavy lifting off your hands. If you have questions about how contingency fees work with the injury law firm you choose, be sure to ask for a full explanation.

In The Article

How Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge for Services?

Many personal injury lawyers will charge on a contingency fee. This allows injury victims and their families the peace of mind that they don’t have to put money up in order to secure legal representation in their case.

How Much Does Ron Bell Injury Lawyers Charge?

The experienced personal injury attorneys at Ron Bell know that injury victims have a lot on their minds. With the need to recover, the potential loss of wages they face, and the chaos that may ensue in the aftermath of a serious injury, we want you to have the peace of mind and financial confidence to contact us. That’s why it’s so important that we charge our clients on a contingency basis.

Our contingency percentage and total fee amount can vary case by case based on factors that can include:

• The complexity of the case

• Court filings

• Expert witness fees

• Whether or not the case goes to trial

To learn more about our fee structure, please contact us today at 898-BELL.

What is the Difference Between Pro Bono and Contingency Fees

You may have heard the term “Pro Bono” come about when people talk about different types of fees attorneys may have. However, there is a difference between pro bono and contingency fees. According to the Legal Information Institute, “Pro bono is derived from the Latin term pro bono publico, which means for the public good.” It refers to voluntary work performed by law firms, attorneys, or law schools. Whereas contingency fees, the client will pay the fully agreed upon amount, if their case ends in recovery.

Additionally, pro bono work can be done for nearly any area of law, including civil and criminal cases. On the other hand, there are limits to the types of laws that contingency fees can be applied to.

What Case Types Allow Contingency Fee Agreements?

Contingency fees are allowed in civil case types in which the client may recover monetary damages. These case types include:

• Personal Injury

• Medical Malpractice

• Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

• Workers’ Compensation

• Car Accident Injury

• Big Truck Accident Injury

• Wrongful Death

• Birth Injury

• Slip & Fall

To find out if your case type can include a contingency fee agreement, contact us today.

What Case Types Explicitly Do NOT Allow Contingency Fee Agreements?

According to Model Rule 1.5(d), an attorney cannot enter a contingency fee agreement with clients they represent for domestic matters, such as a divorce case that ends in the client receiving alimony or other assets. Additionally, attorneys cannot make contingency fee agreements for criminal defendants (in criminal matters).

What Are the Benefits of Contingency Fees?

There are many benefits to personal injury law firms using contingency fee agreements with their clients.

Enabling Low-Income Clients

Many people believe that they wouldn’t be able to afford an attorney for their injury case, and with contingency fees, victims can have confidence that their bank accounts won’t be drained before their case is complete or if their case ends up unsuccessful. This makes the legal system more accessible to New Mexicans, no matter their financial situation.

Adds Incentive for Success

While the experienced personal injury attorneys at Ron Bell are always primed to fight for their clients, contingency fees have been a great way to incentivize attorneys who are always putting their best foot forward for clients.

Reduce Financial Risk to the Client

For those who may be able to afford an attorney without a successful case, putting their savings at risk for the sake of getting recovery could be scary. Contingency fees reduce the financial risk of personal injury claims for all clients.

What To Do If You Can’t Afford a Personal Injury Lawyer in New Mexico

The experienced attorneys at Ron Bell work on a contingency fee basis, easing your worry about not being able to afford a personal injury attorney. When you call for your free case evaluation, you’ll learn how our fee system works, and we’ll take you step by step through the contract. Along the way, we will be open, honest, and transparent about what we’re doing to ensure your case is a success.

Call today for your free case evaluation. 898-BELL