If you’ve been injured and you’re looking for a lawyer, you may see that many attorneys advertise that they work on a “contingency fee” basis. But what is a contingency fee, and what does it mean for the client? In short, it means that a lawyer’s fees for their services are contingent on whether or not they help you win your case. If you don’t win, you don’t pay.
At the Law Offices of Ossie Brown, our Baton Rouge personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means that you don’t pay us a dime unless we help you recover compensation for your losses. If you’ve been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, our attorneys will fight to ensure you receive a favorable outcome.
Call (225) 343-1111 to schedule a free consultation with a member of the legal team at the Law Offices of Ossie Brown today.
Contingency Fee Meaning
Contingency fees, or contingent fees, are fees for legal services that are contingent upon (dependent on) a certain outcome. Generally, this means that a lawyer doesn’t charge their client any fees unless they help their client win their case. If the client loses their case, they are not required to pay their lawyer for their services.
How Do Contingency Fee Agreements Work?
With a contingency fee, your attorney only gets paid if they recover compensation for you, either through a settlement or a court award. Instead of charging an upfront payment or billing by the hour, the lawyer agrees to take a set percentage of the total amount they help you recover.
That percentage may vary depending on the complexity of the case or when it’s resolved. Some attorneys may use a sliding scale, taking a lower percentage if the case settles early and a higher percentage if it goes to trial or requires an appeal. Regardless, the percentage will be clearly outlined in your contingency fee agreement, which you enter into before they begin work on your case.
If the case is successful, the attorney’s fee is deducted from the final recovery. If the case isn’t successful, you typically don’t owe any legal fees.
What are Contingency Fees For?
Contingency fees help make legal services accessible to people who might not be able to afford a lawyer otherwise. Generally, contingency fees are for cases involving negligence. These include matters like personal injury claims, product liability claims, malpractice claims, and wrongful death claims.
Most states, including Louisiana, limit the types of cases attorneys can handle on a contingency basis. Louisiana legal ethics prevent lawyers from working on a contingency fee basis when taking on cases involving domestic relations or criminal cases.
Personal injury cases often require a number of expenses. These could include filing fees, deposition costs, record retrieval fees, payment for expert witnesses, and billable hours for the attorneys involved. In these kinds of cases, contingency fee agreements allow injured clients to seek compensation without worrying about the cost of their case.
Personal Injury Contingency Fee Example
Let’s say someone is injured in a car accident in Baton Rouge, and the car accident was not their fault. That person hires an attorney with contingent fees and does not pay any upfront costs. In negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company, the lawyer is able to negotiate a fair settlement for their client.
Because the lawyer was able to secure compensation for their client, the client must pay their lawyer. The client may be required to pay a percentage of their total settlement award, or another fee, to their lawyer. This depends on their original agreement with their lawyer.
Now, let’s say the lawyer was unable to negotiate a settlement, and the lawyer also lost the case at trial. In this situation, the client would not have to pay their lawyer for any services they performed because of the contingency fee agreement.
What is a Contingency Fee Lawyer?
A contingency fee lawyer is any attorney who provides legal services on a contingency fee basis. When a contingency fee lawyer takes on a case, they typically do not receive payment until their case is over and they’ve won. Most contingency fee attorneys are personal injury attorneys. However, some bankruptcy lawyers, malpractice lawyers, and class action lawsuit attorneys may also work on a contingency fee basis.
Benefits of Hiring Lawyers on Contingency Fee Basis
Hiring a lawyer on a contingency fee basis removes the burden of paying for legal services upfront. Even if someone cannot afford a lawyer, they can have the chance to seek justice for their losses. Personal injuries often lead to unexpected medical bills, lost wages, and other financial hardships. Contingency fees prevent victims of these injuries from incurring additional costs (like attorney fees and filing fees) on top of their existing expenses in order to receive compensation.
Contingency arrangements also create an incentive for attorneys. Since contingency fee lawyers don’t get paid unless they help their client win, they have an extra incentive to build the strongest possible case on behalf of their client.
Do The Lawyers at The Law Offices of Ossie Brown Work On a Contingency Fee Basis?
Yes, our personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means that if we don’t help you obtain money in a settlement or trial award, you don’t pay us anything. If you’re looking for a contingency fee basis lawyer in Baton Rouge, look no further than the personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Ossie Brown.
How Our Contingency Fee Arrangement Works
At the Law Offices of Ossie Brown, we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. When we take on your personal injury case, we’ll establish a contingency fee arrangement with you. We’ll also explain how case-related expenses are handled, so there are no surprises along the way. Our goal is to be transparent and to fight for the compensation you deserve with your best interests in mind. The most important thing is that if we don’t make a recovery for you, you owe us nothing!
Contingency Fee FAQs
Are There Any Upfront Costs in a Contingency Fee Agreement?
No, there are typically no upfront costs in a contingency fee agreement. This allows you to pursue your case without having to worry about the high cost of legal representation.
What Happens If You Don’t Win Your Case in a Contingency Fee Agreement?
If you don’t win your case under a contingency fee agreement, you generally don’t owe any legal fees. Your attorney’s payment is tied to the success of your case; they only collect a fee if they recover compensation for you.
However, some attorneys may require reimbursement for case-related expenses regardless of whether you win or lose. Some of these expenses could include court filing fees, expert witnesses, or deposition costs. Always review your agreement carefully so you understand exactly what is and isn’t included.
Are Contingency Fees Standard in Louisiana Personal Injury Cases?
Yes, contingency fees are standard practice in Louisiana personal injury cases. Many personal injury lawyers in the state work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if you recover damages. State statutory requirements allow for contingency fee agreements in civil matters like personal injury.
Contact a Baton Rouge Personal Injury Lawyer at The Law Offices of Ossie Brown Today
If you have been seriously injured, you deserve access to a dedicated attorney, regardless of your ability to pay. Luckily, our personal injury attorneys in Baton Rouge provide service on a contingency fee basis. We are dedicated to providing experienced legal representation to our clients, every single time.
If you or a loved one has been injured by another party, don’t hesitate to reach out. We represent victims of various kinds of accidents, including auto accidents, product liability claims, premises liability claims, wrongful death claims, and more.
With over 40 years of experience serving Baton Rouge, we are here to be your law firm for a lifetime. Call us at (225) 343-1111 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.