Have you been injured? Are you thinking about hiring a personal injury attorney? Are you worried about how much it may cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?
After an injury, many people with valid claims do not seek legal representation for fear of the potential cost of hiring an attorney. Before letting cost deter you from finding an attorney, it may be helpful to know more about how attorneys are paid for their services.
Consider A Personal Injury Law Firm that Offers a Free Case Evaulation
First, most personal injury attorneys will provide a free consultation to discuss your potential claim and any legal causes of action you may have. This consultation may include discussing your issue over the phone, through the firm website, or at an in person meeting with an attorney. Regardless of how the communication takes place, most attorneys will not charge for basic advice. If you are injured, it does not hurt to contact an attorney to discuss your case. Our personal injury attorneys in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Mequon are available to discuss your case at no charge.
Try to Avoid Payments by the Hour
Second, not all attorneys bill clients in the same way. One way many private attorneys charge for their service is by the hour. Once you retain the lawyer that works for an hourly rate, the attorney will do the necessary work on your case and you will receive a bill when the representation is completed. This type of billing is where the fear of expensive attorney’s fees becomes a reality. If you have retained an attorney who works at an hourly rate, you may want to discuss your budget ahead of time and the amount you are willing to pay for legal services. While this type of attorney is not uncommon, most personal injury attorneys do not charge at an hourly rate.
Avoid Sliding Scale or Fixed Rate Payments
Another billing method includes a sliding scale fee based on income. Some attorneys will take a client’s income into consideration when they usually bill at an hourly rate. The attorney will reduce his or her hourly rate in accordance with the amount of money the client has available to pay for legal services. With this sliding scale method, attorneys are more affordable. Another method of billing includes charging a fixed rate for legal services. The attorney would tell you up front how much representation would cost and what services the client can expect to receive.
The problem with both of these payment methods is that you get exactly what you pay for and nother above and beyond that may be required. Once your max budget it reached, what are your options?
Consider a Personal Injury Law Firm that Charges on a Contingent Fee Basis
Our Milwaukee personal injury attorneys work on a contingent fee basis. This means that we will only be paid for our legal services if we are able to help you successfully recover damages for your injury. For example, if you are involved in a car accident and we help you to recover $30,000 in damages, we would be compensated a portion of that award for our services. After an initial consultation, our attorneys will represent cases with merit. We then work diligently on each case to ensure you are justly compensated and made whole for your injury. Hiring an attorney who works on a contingent fee basis will not break the bank and will require little to no out of pocket costs for you.
Therefore, if the fear of paying for a personal injury attorney is keeping you from pursuing a claim for your injury, do some research on how your attorney will charge you for their representation. Excellent attorneys do not necessarily charge unreasonably high fees for their services. In most cases, you should be able to find an attorney who is the right fit for your case and budget.
At Murphy & Prachthauser we are personal injury attorneys in Waukesha, Milwaukee and Mequon who practice the law the way it should be practiced – motivated and equipped to do our best for you. We take pride in being good lawyers who help people.
If you have a case you would like to speak to a personal injury lawyer about, please contact us to schedule a free consultation and get an experienced Waukesha personal injury lawyers working on your behalf.