It is common practice for your attorney to receive the settlement check or disbursement after your case has finished. This arrangement ensures that your lawyer will get paid for the service they provided.
A majority of personal injury attorneys work on contingency fees exclusively, and can’t risk not getting paid. When your lawyer receives the settlement payment, they will contact you. Your attorney should provide you with an itemized list for all deductions from your check including attorney’s fees, costs, and expenses. If there is a dispute over any of the fees, your lawyer may distribute the rest of the check and put the disputed amount in a trust account until the issue can be resolved.