Most personal injury attorneys are paid using a payment structure known as contingency. Contingency is a very pro-client payment format in which a law firm takes no up-front payment or retainer fee. Instead, attorneys working on contingency take their payment from the settlement or verdict amount.
This means that the law firm will absorb any costs associated with the case such as fees for hiring expert witnesses, filing costs, and any ongoing costs for the litigation. In exchange, the law firm will take between 15% and 50% of the verdict amount. While this may seem high, the client will never have to pay their attorney out of their own pocket. Additionally, if they do not win, then the attorney has essentially worked for free.