If you find you need to seek the services of a car accident lawyer, one of your first questions may be, “How much are lawyer fees for a car accident?” In this article, we will break down how you can calculate the auto accident attorney fees when it comes to your settlement after a car accident. 

Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident that caused you or a loved one personal injury is one of the most stressful situations you’ll deal with in your lifetime. On top of the personal emotions involved in dealing with the injuries sustained, you also need to think of a million other practical matters. 

Contingency Agreements

Most personal injury lawyers work on what is known as a “contingency fee” agreement. This means that your car accident lawyer works for you, the client, but only gets paid their fee if they are getting compensation for you. That means if your lawyer is unable to get you the settlement you seek, they do not get paid any fees, and you are not paying for their services out-of-pocket. 

How Much Does a Lawyer Take From a Settlement?

How much a car accident lawyer charges for their services depends on a variety of factors. Some circumstances may require more time and work than others, so the fee is adjusted accordingly. Some factors that may affect the percentage your attorney will get upon settlement are explored below. 

What Kind of Claim Are You Filing?

The kind of claim you file will affect the amount of time and work involved on the part of the attorney, so the fee will be affected as well. If the client is only filing an insurance claim, this straightforward process is more cost-effective and usually requires a smaller fee. However, if the client’s injuries and the response of their insurance company necessitate a full lawsuit, the fee would be negotiated at a higher percentage due to the amount of time and work involved in a lawsuit. 

How Complex is Your Case?

It stands to reason that the more complex a case, the more work an attorney will need to devote to it. Some circumstances that can make a case more complicated to litigate include:

• Multiple Parties: The more parties are involved, the more difficult it can be to determine liability when seeking a settlement.

• Level of Liability: The more at fault you are for the accident, the more time and effort it will take for your attorney to reach a settlement for compensation. 

• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: If you have health issues before the accident, it could take some time to determine if your injuries are truly due to the car accident you were involved in.

• Commercial Vehicles: If your injury was sustained in an accident involving a company-owned vehicle, your case becomes more complex as more parties and insurance companies are involved. 

What Kinds of Injuries Were Sustained?

Cases that involve severe injuries or fatalities require a different level of services. These services often include things such as gathering extensive medical documentation, seeking eyewitness testimony, consulting expert witnesses, and sometimes consulting someone with more specialized legal knowledge. These services may also include calculating damages to include long-term care or wrongful death claims. With more complex or long-term injuries, a lawyer will be putting in more hours, work, and expenses. 

Are There Limits to the Time Remaining to File a Claim?

Some attorneys have to work under tighter time constraints depending on the type of claim being filed by the client. Most personal injury claims have a statute of limitations depending on factors such as jurisdiction and type or extent of the injury. Since not all injuries present themselves immediately after an accident, this can delay a client filing a claim and shorten the window of time available to an attorney to file. With less time to build a strong, winnable case, an attorney may charge a higher fee to expedite the process. 

Poynter & Bucheri, LLC: Car Accident Lawyers in Indiana

If you’re facing the prospect of filing a car accident claim, and you would like an car accident lawyer who not only works under contingency agreements but also has a proven track record of getting their clients the settlement they deserve, call the attorneys at Poynter & Bucheri today. 

With our FREE case review, we can tell you if you have a strong case file a claim for your personal injury with absolutely no obligation. Contact us today and tell us about your case, and we’ll start fighting for you right away-1-800-265-9881.