If a lawyer does not get compensation for a client in a personal injury matter, they cannot seek payment for their legal services. There is no loophole for this when you are in a contingency fee agreement. If you do not win a settlement or verdict in your case awarding you any amount of money, then the attorney has no recourse to seek payment for their work. Keep this in mind. However, that success in a personal injury case does not depend on how much money you win. Once you receive a settlement award or verdict, an attorney has a right to compensation based on the contingency fee agreement. However, depending on the jurisdiction you are in, and the contingency fee rules that may apply if your award in a case exceeds a specific dollar amount, the contingency fee percentage may be less for a portion of the settlement or verdict.