When you want to pursue a claim after a crash, you may consider hiring a car accident lawyer to help. However, you might worry about how much it costs to hire an attorney.
Fortunately, most car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means they receive a percentage of the total financial recovery they secure for their client in a case. This percentage can vary depending on how long the case takes. However, clients typically won’t owe any legal fees if their attorney cannot recover compensation.
What Is a Contingency Fee?
A contingency fee is a contractual arrangement between a car accident lawyer and their client. The client pays nothing upfront to hire the lawyer in a contingency fee arrangement. Instead, the lawyer earns their legal fee once they’ve recovered compensation for their client through a negotiated settlement with the insurance company or by winning the client’s case at trial. Once the lawyer has recovered compensation for their client, a contingency fee entitles the lawyer to a percentage of the total recovery they secure for their client.
The contingency fee agreement will describe what percentage of the recovery the lawyer can take for their legal fee. The percentage may vary, usually based on how far in the legal process the case goes. A contingency fee agreement may use a sliding scale where the lawyer’s percentage increases as the case progresses from initial settlement negotiations to a lawsuit and ultimately to trial. A contingency fee agreement may also entitle the lawyer to reimbursement of case costs the lawyer spent.
What Is the Difference Between Car Accident Lawyer Fees and Costs?
Car accident victims who hire an attorney can typically expect to pay lawyer fees and costs. Lawyer fees are the cost of hiring an attorney to represent you and handle the details of your car accident claim. On the other hand, costs are the expenses you or your attorney incurred to prepare and pursue your legal claims.
What Are Some Examples of Attorney Costs?
A car accident case may incur various expenses. Examples of costs that you or your attorney may need to spend on your case include:
- Records request fees – A lawyer may need copies of various records, including police crash reports, arrest or criminal history records, public records, surveillance footage, and medical records. Records keepers will usually charge fees to provide copies of these records.
- Doctor’s fees – A lawyer may meet with the client’s treating healthcare providers or ask providers to complete questionnaires or write summaries to understand the nature of their client’s injuries and future prognosis.
- Filing fees – Courts charge fees to file lawsuits. Attorneys will also incur process server expenses to serve the complaint and summons on the defendant.
- Deposition expenses – Attorneys may also depose witnesses expected to testify at trial. Deposition expenses may include fees to rent an office or conference room where the deposition will occur and the costs of a court reporter who will record and prepare a transcript.
- Expert witness fees – Car accident cases frequently involve accident reconstruction, engineering, medical, vocational, and financial experts. These experts will all charge fees for the time they spend reviewing evidence, drafting reports, or testifying in depositions or at trial.
- Mediation expenses – Many cases will go through mediation before reaching trial. At mediation, a neutral third party, called a mediator, tries to help both sides negotiate a settlement. Mediators will charge fees for their time.
What Are the Benefits of a Contingency Fee Arrangement?
Contingency fee arrangements offer car accident victims several benefits. First, a contingency fee prevents a car accident victim from feeling pressured while dealing with lost income from missed work, especially with significant medical bills and other expenses. Contingency fees enable victims to obtain legal representation regardless of their financial circumstances.
Contingency fees also align the lawyer’s and client’s interests. Because the lawyer receives a percentage of the total financial recovery they obtain for their client, the lawyer will earn a larger fee if they recover more money for their client. A contingency fee arrangement incentivizes the lawyer to do everything possible to recover compensation for their client since they do not earn a legal fee if they cannot secure a settlement or win the client’s case at trial.
What Damages May My South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Be Able to Recover for Me?
In a car accident claim, your lawyer will pursue fair compensation for the economic and personal losses you’ve suffered due to the accident. Your financial recovery may include money for your:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation, including hospitalization, surgeries, medical procedures, medications, and physical or occupational therapy
- Long-term care for prolonged or permanent disabilities
- Loss of income from missed work or reduced earnings
- Loss of future earning ability and job benefits if you become permanently disabled from work
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Car repairs or reimbursement for the value of your totaled vehicle
Do I Have a Limited Amount of Time to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in South Carolina?
Under South Carolina’s statute of limitations, victims typically have three years after a car accident to file a lawsuit against those liable for the crash and the injuries and losses they’ve suffered. Although specific circumstances may affect the deadline for filing your car accident lawsuit, you should speak with a lawyer immediately after a crash to ensure you file your claims on time. If you file a lawsuit after the deadline, the court can dismiss your case, and you may lose the opportunity to recover compensation for your harm and loss.
Contact a South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve suffered injuries in a car crash caused by someone else’s negligence, get legal help to pursue financial recovery for your harm and loss. Contact McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC today for a consultation to discuss your options with an experienced, dedicated South Carolina car accident attorney.
