Many clients who have been involved in any type of accident are concerned about their cost of hiring an attorney. While some attorneys do, in fact, charge very, very high, exorbitant hourly rates, that is not the case with personal injury attorneys in Boston. These attorneys handle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. That means the attorney is only paid his or her fee in the event the case settles.

The contingency fee is reflected in the contingency fee agreement that is signed at the outset of the case by both the client and the attorney. The percentage depends on the case involved and the attorney involved. Generally, the fee percentage for personal injury cases is 33.3%. However, for some cases, such as slip and fall cases or other premises liability cases, the fee could be more than 33.3%. It may be 37% or even as high as 40%.

Some attorneys have in their contingency fee agreements the percentage that he or she will charge. However, sometimes that percentage can increase in the event that the case has to be filed in court. For example, suppose you’re involved in a car accident case, and the contingency fee agreement charged by the attorney is 33.3%. There is a chance the fee agreement spelled out in the contingency fee agreement states that the fee will go up to as much as 40% if the case is filed in court. That is an important consideration to keep in mind when reviewing a contingency fee agreement that is proposed to by an attorney.

Many attorneys will, if requested, negotiate their fees. Therefore, like all things in life, the attorney contingency fee agreement can be negotiated. Some attorneys will reduce their fees, and some will not. However, you will never know until you actually ask the attorney for that request.

Keep in mind with the contingency fee that does not include case expenses advanced by the attorney. The attorney’s office will advance costs such as obtaining medical records, medical bills, and if applicable, will incur case filing expenses. Therefore, at the end of the case, the attorney will collect the contingency fee as well as recoup all case expenses advanced by the attorney during the case.

If you or anyone you know needs the services of a personal injury attorney in Massachusetts, please contact the Earley Law Group Injury Lawyers today at 617-444-7777 for your free, no-obligation consultation.