Payment of any attorneys fees to your lawyer should be deducted from a verdict or settlement to you. You should not have to pay out of pocket or before you obtain payment from the responsible party for your injuries by way of a verdict or settlement and you should only have to pay for your attorneys’ fees if they have been able to get you compensation for your injuries. Costs are different: a plaintiff is responsible to pay for or reimburse costs incurred by counsel, even if they do not get you compensation. Ask your potential attorney about what they expect costs to be in your case and the particulars of how all of this will be handled. It should be spelled out in a retainer agreement you are asked to sign at the beginning of the attorney client relationship. Make sure to read the retainer agreement and get a copy of it.