How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer in Washington Cost?
Request Free ConsultationCar accidents happen in an instant, but the consequences can be long-lasting or even permanent. Although no legal process erases the harm caused by a car accident injury, a successful claim recovers crucial compensation to relieve the associated financial consequences of the crash.
Fortunately, a Renton car accident attorney understands that no one sets aside money solely for the possibility of hiring an attorney after a car accident. Instead, the car accident attorneys at Caffee Accident & Injury Lawyers offer a free case consultation and contingency-based payment.
What is Contingency-Based Payment in Washington Car Accident Claims?
Most reputable personal injury lawyers and car accident lawyers offer a free case consultation to injury victims. Then, they use a contingency-based payment system that allows them to immediately go to work for the injury victim without charging upfront fees. Instead, the car accident attorney only gets paid after first recovering compensation for their client’s damages through a settlement from the at-fault party’s insurance company or a court award.
Common damages recovered in car accident claims include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Out-of-pocket injury-related costs
- Lost earnings
- Future income loss or reduced future earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering and for catastrophic injury damages
Only after recovering compensation for their client does the attorney deduct a pre-agreed-upon percentage of the client’s total compensation as their fee for legal services.
What Are the Advantages of Contingency-Based Payment in Washington Car Accident Cases?
Contingency-based payment benefits a car accident victim in several ways. First, they don’t have to pay any legal fees unless or until they’ve received compensation. If the attorney doesn’t succeed in the case, they do not get paid. This incentivizes the lawyer to work hard to ensure the injured party receives compensation.
Also, because they take a percentage of the compensation as their fee, the law firm has an additional financial incentive to achieve the highest possible settlement for their client. The more they recover for the injury victim, the more they get paid.
In most cases, the car accident victim comes out far ahead of what they would have without an accident attorney, even after the attorney’s fees are deducted.
What Percentage Does a Car Accident Lawyer Charge?
Most car accident attorneys in Renton and throughout Washington charge between 30% and 40% of the car accident victim’s total compensation as their fee. The Washington court system considers this a reasonable fee. Typically, the more experienced and successful the accident attorney, the higher the percentage they charge. Also, some car accident lawyers increase their percentage for cases that go to court. Only about 4% of car accident and personal injury claims require a court.
If your case does go to trial, your Renton car accident attorney will ensure that you are prepared for the process and understand their payment structure, including any increases for trial preparation and the trial itself.
Most insurance companies offer settlements to avoid court. Although court claims take longer and many car accident lawyers increase their percentage for trials, juries tend to sympathise with injury victims over powerful insurance companies, often deciding in the car accident victim’s favor with large court awards for their damages.