What Is a Contingency Fee & How Does It Help Clients?
Understanding How Contingency Fees Work
What is a contingency fee?
Those who have been injured in an accident, may be unable to pay out of pocket for legal assistance. Fortunately, using a contingency fee makes it possible to retain experienced and reputable attorneys to defend them without paying an expensive retainer. This is called a contingency fee agreement. Under a contingency fee agreement, the client pays no upfront fees or hourly rates for legal services. Instead the attorney agrees to accept a percentage of the resulting settlement or court award. If the client does not attain compensation, the attorney does not get paid.
If you’ve been injured in an accident, the last thing you want to worry about is paying expensive legal fees upfront. A contingency fee agreement makes it possible to hire an experienced and reputable attorney without paying out of pocket.
Instead of charging hourly rates or large retainers, your attorney agrees to take a percentage of the final settlement or court award. If you don’t win compensation, your attorney doesn’t get paid.
In most personal injury cases, the standard contingency fee is about one-third of the recovery, though the percentage can vary, especially if the case goes to trial. It’s also important to know that certain costs, like court filing fees, expert witnesses, or medical record requests, may be advanced by your attorney and later deducted from your settlement if your case is successful.
This type of fee arrangement levels the playing field, giving injured clients the chance to pursue justice without additional financial strain.
Common Cases That Use Contingency Fee Agreements
Contingency fees are most common in cases where financial recovery is expected as a lump sum. These include:
- Personal injury lawsuits – car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, and slip-and-fall cases.
- Medical malpractice claims – when negligence by a healthcare professional causes serious harm.
- Product liability cases – defective products that result in injury.
- Wrongful death actions – holding negligent parties accountable after the loss of a loved one.
By working on contingency, attorneys ensure that clients facing medical bills, lost wages, and uncertainty can still access skilled legal representation.
How a Contingency Fee Benefits Personal Injury Clients
When you’re recovering from an accident, you may be dealing with hospital bills, ongoing treatment, and time away from work. A contingency fee agreement allows you to focus on healing while your lawyer fights for your compensation.
At Matt Dion & Associates, we’ve secured millions in settlements for injured clients over more than 30 years.
You Shouldn’t Feel Taken Advantage of After an Accident. With My Help, You Won’t.
After 9 years representing major insurance carriers, I switched sides and began helping injured individuals recover damages against insurance companies. I use this rare insider experience to help my clients avoid tactics insurance companies and defendants use, so my clients don’t settle for a substandard offer.
My goal is to give you peace of mind knowing you’re in experienced hands.
