Facts On Contingency Fees For Injured Accident Victims

An accident victim with a personal injury case usually seeks out the services of a Personal Injury Lawyer in Kitchener. That same victim/client does not pay a retained lawyer’s contingency fee, unless the same lawyer has succeeded in obtaining the client’s desired compensation. Each of the various contingency fees is an agreed-upon percent of the delivered compensation.

Advantages attached to arrangement where the client has agreed to pay some percent of a court-ordered award, or of a compensation package

The fee does not increase if the case becomes more complex. The arrangement normally includes a provision regarding anticipated changes, if the negotiations fail, and the claims process moves on to the litigation stage.

Typically, that provision specifies this: Should the lawyer’s client win a specific amount of money, the same client’s attorney would receive a larger portion of that award, as compared to the percent-cut for any legal assistance that had been provided during earlier negotiations.

Some of the funds used to pay the contingency fee might be used to cover any court fees or other costs, if the outcome for the case were decided in a courtroom setting.

What facts associated with a given case might cause it to advance beyond the negotiation stage, and move on to the litigation stage?

Nature and extent of victim’s injuries: The insurance company might have refused to accept the plaintiff’s claims, regarding a given injury’s severity.

Size of past medical bills

Anticipated size for future medical bills: An expert in economics might be needed, in order to determine the projected future costs.

Effect of injuries on the victim’s daily life: Have those injuries caused the plaintiff to alter his or her career plans? Have any of them forced suspension of a hobby or recreational activity? Have any of them caused the plaintiff to lose a chance at utilizing an athletic scholarship?

Disfigurement of claimant/plaintiff, or fact that the claimant/plaintiff has developed a disabling condition

–Disfigurement of a certain body parts might force the plaintiff to alter any plans for his or her career.
–A disabling condition might necessitate the introduction of specific adaptations in the plaintiff’s work environment. If the client were self-employed, then that would be an added cost for the victim/plaintiff.
–Even a man or woman that did not have a job could use certain adaptations in the home. For instance, it might be necessary to install a ramp on outdoor stairs, or a stair lift on an indoor staircase.

Other possible adaptations might include a bed with a mattress at the same level as the wheelchair’s seat, or a walk-in bathtub, or a shower with a seat. Obviously, each of those would cost money.