Our Austin personal injury lawyers at FVF Law take cases on a contingency fee basis. This approach to hiring a lawyer benefits our clients. Our clients do not pay a retainer fee upfront, making it easier for injury victims to have experienced personal injury attorneys handling their cases.
What Is a Contingency Fee for an Austin Personal Injury Lawyer?
Law firms often require clients to pay a retainer fee to hire lawyers. The attorneys bill against the retainer fee. When the retainer fee is gone, the client must make another payment or pay recurring payments.
Some lawyers perform legal services for a flat rate. This fee arraignment works best for legal matters requiring a specific amount of work to complete, such as real estate closings or preparing Wills.
However, we do not bill by the hour or have a flat fee for personal injury cases. Instead, we charge a contingency fee for personal injury cases. Our attorneys’ fees are based on a percentage of what we recover for your personal injury claim.
We are not paid until we receive money for your case. Therefore, in the unlikely event that our legal team does not recover a settlement or jury verdict for your case, you do not owe any attorney’s fees for your case.
Using a contingency fee means that we are invested in the outcome of your case. Our legal team receives nothing for their hard work if we do not win your case.
We work diligently for our clients because we care. Therefore, we fight to maximize recovery for your benefit, even though it also benefits us to recover the maximum amount available for your personal injury claim.
How Much Is a Contingency Fee for a Personal Injury Case in Austin, Texas?
The typical contingency fee for a personal injury claim is 33% of the settlement amount for cases that do not go to trial. The percentage might increase if your case does not settle.
The contingency fee increases because preparing for trial and arguing a case in court requires more time and resources. However, most cases are resolved through settlement negotiations.
Several factors lawyers consider when determining the percentage for a contingency fee include, but are not limited to:
- The strength of your injury claim.
- The complexity of your case.
- The parties involved in your injury case.
- Whether your case goes to trial or settles.
- The size of your personal injury claim.
Attorneys might charge different contingency fees than other lawyers. However, do not focus solely on the fee when hiring an attorney. Ask the lawyer about their experience and success rate. Also, make sure the law firm has the resources and staff to handle your case.
Before hiring the law firm, you sign a retainer and contingency fee agreement. The lawyer reviews the agreement with you so that you understand the agreement and the factors that cause the percentage of the contingency fee to change.
Who Pays for the Costs of a Personal Injury Case?
In addition to attorneys’ fees, pursuing a personal injury case involves costs. The costs of a case can include, but are not limited to:
- Fees for obtaining accident reports, medical records, and other documents
- Copy fees and postage
- Deposition costs
- Expert witness fees
- Travel expenses and mileage
- Court filing fees
- Trial preparation
Typically, the law firm pays the costs as they arise during the case. Then, when the case settles, the law firm is reimbursed from the settlement proceeds. Therefore, you do not need to worry about paying these fees until you receive money for your claim.
How Much Is an Austin Personal Injury Claim Worth?
When hiring a personal injury lawyer in Austin, you probably want to know how much your claim is worth. After the cost to hire a personal injury lawyer and the costs of the case are deducted from the settlement proceeds, how much money can you expect to receive?
First, it helps to understand what types of damages you can receive for a personal injury case. Texas tort laws provide for compensatory damages for financial losses, pain, and suffering. Examples of the economic and non-economic damages you could receive include:
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Medical bills
- Physical pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Loss of income, wages, and benefits
- Rehabilitative therapies
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Impairments and disabilities
- A decrease in earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
The facts of your case impact how much your claim is worth. For example, catastrophic injuries increase the value of a claim. Likewise, disabilities and impairments increase how much your claim is worth.
However, if you are partially to blame for causing your injury, Texas contributory fault laws decrease the amount you can recover for your case. Your damages decrease by your percentage of fault. However, if you are over 50% at fault, you are barred from recovering any money for your claim.
Other factors could affect the money you receive for a personal injury case. A skilled Austin personal injury attorney works to minimize the factors that can hurt your case while using the other factors to maximize recovery.
What Is the Deadline for Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Austin?
If you miss the deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit, you receive nothing for your case. You are barred from pursuing your claim through the court.
The general statute of limitations for Texas personal injury cases is two years from the date of injury. The deadline for a wrongful death action is two years from the person’s death.
Texas laws have several exceptions to the statute limitations. However, it is never wise to assume that an exception could extend the time to file your claim. Instead, it is best to talk with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after a personal injury or accident.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in Austin, TX
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Austin and need legal help, contact our Austin personal injury lawyers at FVF Law to schedule a free consultation with our team.
FVF Law
3101 Bee Caves Rd #301, Austin, TX 78746, United States
(512) 982-9328
