These include filing fees, deposition transaction and reporting fees, investigators, photography and expert witness fees. These costs must be repaid to the attorney at the end of the case. By using a contingency fee arrangement, the injured victim is able to afford as qualified a lawyer as would be available if he or she could pay an hourly fee. The percentage in some cases is controlled by statute. Some of the matters which affect the size of the percentages are the complexity of the case, the experience of the attorney, the expense of the case, and other factors.
Some attorneys charge a different percentage at different stages in the handling of the case.
No matter what kind of fee arrangement you make with an attorney, the attorney is entitled only to a reasonable fee. What is reasonable depends on many things. The fee is, of course, subject to individual negotiation. If you feel that a suggested fee is too high and, having discussed it with the lawyer, are not satisfied with the explanation, then get an additional opinion from a second qualified attorney. As previously mentioned, the lowest percentage may not be the best for a competent, well-qualified lawyer who could probably obtain a result which would more than make up for the difference in a lower fee charged by a less competent or trained practitioner.