How Much Does a Lawyer Charge for a Car Accident Case?

One of the biggest deterrents to hiring a lawyer after suffering a car accident is the fear of the cost. Many victims don’t even try to find out the truth about affording a lawyer, and as a result, they face the struggle of appealing to insurance adjusters and recovering from injuries on their own. When taking care of your accident, you don’t have to go at it alone. Many car accident attorneys in San Diego use a contingency-based fee system, which means you don’t pay them at all until you get fully compensated.

Often, attorneys won’t even think of charging for their services unless their client receives financial compensation for their injuries. This helps injured accident victims put aside their financial worries while they work on healing.

Claim A Free Case Evaluation

Fee Systems Used By San Diego Car Accident Lawyers

car accident injury lawyer opening a briefcase

San Diego accident attorneys generally receive a third of the total amount recovered on a claim. Also known as a contingency fee, the idea is that legal counsel doesn’t receive any money upfront and waits to take their costs from the final amount agreed upon by you and the insurance company. If you fail to secure a verdict or settlement, the lawyer doesn’t get paid.

As of 2014, there are two methods a San Diego car accident lawyer can use when calculating a contingency fee for your case.

1) A Third of the Net Settlement Amount

This fee calculation involves taking actual case expenses from the gross amount and then taking a third from what remains. San Diego car accident lawyers who use this scale still have the ability to demand costs for general expenses of handling your case, but this rarely occurs since they are responsible for losing your case. There are clients who prefer this method since this means the lawyer’s cut of the settlement amount after expenses is smaller than if it had been taken from the entire amount first.

lady justice with gavel and open law book

injury attorney meeting client in office

A Third of the Gross Settlement Amount

Unlike the first option, your car accident attorney will take their third of the gross settlement amount and have you pay their service fees out of your share afterward. The downside is your net amount is smaller before taking out separate case costs that Option 1 would have contributed towards.

What Are Case Expenses?

laptop keyboard with magnifying glass on top of it

Case expenses may sound very generalized, but a good personal injury attorney will be glad to explain exactly what extra fees come with moving a case forward through an accident claim. By representing you without any costs upfront, your attorney agrees to use their resources on your behalf and take their payment later. These expenses take up valuable time and personnel to help bolster your suit against the insurance company and the negligent driver who injured you.

Fees that will accrue include services such as:

Court filing fees
Medical record request costs
Deposition-related time and expenses
Serving of official correspondence to defendants in your case
Costs associated with the gathering of evidence
Trial preparation expenses

How much your final case will cost depends entirely on the nature of your accident and how much litigation took place.

Why Hiring A San Diego Car Accident Lawyer Is Worth It

Victims suffering from catastrophic trauma and debilitating suffering from a car accident deserve relief from associated financial, medical, and emotional distress. At The Barnes Firm, our personal injury lawyers dedicate themselves to supporting you and your family through these difficult times. We understand the stressful situations surrounding devastating injuries and will do everything in our power to help you find financial resolutions to start back on the path to normalcy.

We’ve provided San Diegans with some of the best representation possible for years, and continue to fight against greedy insurance companies and their manipulative tactics. As members of the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, we will work tirelessly to not settle for anything but what is necessary to help you bring your case to a successful closure. Contact our office right away if you or a loved one are struggling to file a claim and need assistance.

Claim A Free Case Evaluation