How Much Does A Personal Injury Attorney Cost?

How Much Does a Personal Injury Attorney Charge?

The answer to this question is: it depends.

If your case is very straightforward and resolves quickly, the fees should be low. If your case is very complicated and takes years to resolve, the fees are likely to be on the higher end.

In most cases, it is well worth it to hire a personal injury attorney to handle your case for you. If a lawyer will receive nothing unless the case wins an amount, then it will create an incentive for him to work hard on your case or risk not being paid for the hours that he has put in.

Standard Fees
It is pretty standard for personal injury lawyers to charge between 30% and 33% of your recovery, if you are able to recover before filing suit. Most attorney's fees then go up if you have to file suit, from anywhere to 40%-50%.

Costs
Keep in mind that your personal injury attorney should not get paid at all unless you win, and he or she should be paying your costs. So you are getting a very valuable service - someone who is not only willing to be paid later, if at all, but is also paying all the costs.

In no event are lawyers in California allowed to charge "unconscionable" fees to their clients.

Pete Clancy is a Personal Injury Attorney in Oakland and a 2010 Northern California Super Lawyers "Rising Star." He can be reached by phone (925-835-7500) or by email (pclancy@injuryoakland.com).