| What does a consultation on a personal injury case cost? |
Response: This law firm charges no consultation fee on personal injury cases. Additionally, if it is economically feasible, such cases are pursued on a contingency basis and you will be charged only in the event of a recovery by settlement or judgment.
| What is a “contingency basis”? |
Response: A contingency basis is when an attorney is paid his fees by receiving a percentage of the net recovery in a case. This payment is determined by reimbursing or paying the outstanding costs and fees incurred in the case first and then paying the attorney’s fees on the net amount of recovery. The client then receives the remainder of those funds.
| What is the advantage to a client of a contingency basis? |
Response: One advantage is that if there is no monetary recovery, the client is not required to pay for any of the costs or expenses, unless a written agreement to do so has been previously signed by the client. By so doing, a client who cannot afford the sometimes substantial costs of a legal matter such as this has access to the judicial system and can seek just compensation without a financial burden being added to their already serious burden of injury.
| What is a referral fee case? |
Response: This is when an attorney does not handle your case alone and refers the matter to another attorney who may have a more concentrated history in handling such matters, has a larger support staff than does the referring attorney or the financial means to better pursue the matter in the client’s best interest.
| What would be the advantages to me to have a local attorney be a referring attorney than just going ahead and hiring another attorney? |
Response: Not all cases are referred, but with our law firm, in most instances when a referral is made, we remain active in the cases. In that way we can remain aware of the progress of your case and can provide the local contacts which attorneys from outside the local area may or may not have available to them. In that way, you, the client will have someone locally with which you can confer on your case as it progresses and a local law office that can serve as a nearby location at which to conduct much of the business which might be required in your case.
| If you refer my case, will that cost me more on my contingency fee? |
Response: No, there would be no additional percentages required in payment of the attorney’s fees in your case in such an instance. The referring attorney and the attorney to whom a case has been referred would agree to a certain percentage of split on the attorney contingency fee already agreed upon by the client. The client would be fully aware of this arrangement and would have to agree to such arrangement in writing and in advance for the referral arrangement to be valid.