Car accident attorneys typically accept cases on a contingency fee agreement. This means they do not charge an upfront fee or make you pay in advance for any case-related expenses. Your attorney will cover the costs to prepare, file, and litigate your claim. Their legal fees will be dependent on how much you are awarded in your settlement or jury award. If you do not win, you will not owe your attorney anything, so there is no risk to you.
Once you recover compensation, typically, between 33 to 40 percent will be taken as legal fees. Most often, you will owe 33% or one-third of your compensation. For example, if a settlement yields $100,000, your lawyer will keep about $33,000 as their fee for representing you, plus court costs and case expenses.
Depending on the attorney, you may be able to negotiate the terms of your contingency fee agreement. In addition, some lawyers may reduce their percentage if your case quickly resolves in a settlement or raise it if your case goes to trial. Others may work on a sliding scale fee—for example, 33% of a recovery up to $100,000, 25% of a recovery from $100,000 up to $300,000, etc. Be sure to discuss the terms before signing your agreement, to know exactly what costs you will be responsible for.