Many people consider hiring legal representation following a car accident. But, many people believe that all lawyers charge fees that are too expensive. That is a big reason why many decide not to hire a car accident lawyer. But the reality is that hiring a lawyer for an automobile wreck does not cost anything else. This is referred to as a contingency fee.

Nearly all personal injury lawyers in Massachusetts and throughout the country charge contingency fees. This applies to cases such as bicycle accidents, dog bites, and workers’ compensation claims.

A contingency fee means the lawyer only gets paid if he recovers financial compensation for you (settlement). The fee is always a percentage, which is usually between 33.33% – 40%. For most car crash claims, the fee is closer to 33.3%. For example, if the attorney is able to settle a case for $100,000, the attorney fee would be $33,333.33. With slip and falls claims the fee percentage can sometimes be closer to 40%. With these cases, the attorney will advance all necessary case expenses. Once the case settles, the attorney will deduct his fee from the settlement, along with the expenses advanced.

In order to charge a contingency fee, the lawyer is required to sign a written contingency agreement, and the client is required to sign the agreement as well. That requirement is set forth in the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure.