If you suffered severe harm under circumstances that you feel were avoidable or were caused by negligence, you may be eligible for compensation.
Like with most states, Texas allows victims of negligence to pursue monetary compensation for their losses by filing an injury claim, wrongful death lawsuit, or product liability claim, depending on the case.
But since the process involves a lot of legal hurdles that most plaintiffs find vague, personal injury attorneys are best fit to handle these cases.
Unfortunately, some parties dread working with professional legal teams, given the confusion that usually surrounds their payment. It is traditionally assumed that retaining a personal injury attorney is expensive and only complicates matters.
But honestly speaking, that is typically not true. To shed more light on how payment for a Harlingen personal injury lawyer works, our team prepared this guide that explains the various methods used to pay attorneys.
Consultation Should Be Free
Before you even decide to hire a Harlingen personal injury attorney, you will first of all have to meet them for initial consultations. It could be at their offices, at your home, or any other place of convenience.
But either way, the best personal injury attorney should not charge fees for initial consultations. Most don’t, but others do, and this may indicate whether the attorney you choose is up to the task.
Initial consultations allow both parties, especially the injured person, to lay bare the facts of their case before the attorney discusses and advises on the next course of action.
Why Consultations Should Be Free
Because you may need to consult with several attorneys before choosing the right one, having to pay for consultation may be a step backward in your pursuit of financial freedom.
At Lone Star Injury Attorneys, we understand that everyone who comes to us, especially for help with an injury case, is on edge financially. And since we want you well, the little you have should be spent on treatment and other things instead of paying us for consultations. For this reason, we don’t charge setting up initial consultations.
If your attorney takes up your case, here are three methods of payment they are likely to use:
Contingency Fee Arrangement
For decades now, the contingency fee arrangement has been the widely used mode of payment for personal injury attorneys. When taking up your case, both of you will agree to a prearranged percentage if your lawsuit succeeds and you get compensated.
In other words, your attorney foots all costs associated with your case upfront and only gets paid if you are compensated for the claim filed. The charges vary but are usually a percentage of your total compensation.
But you may ask, what happens if the case is lost? Well, here is the good thing about contingency fee arrangements. If you are not compensated, you don’t have to pay anything to your attorney.
However, there is usually a slim chance of losing your case if a lawyer takes it up. Agreeing to represent you at no upfront costs means there is a high likelihood of recovering compensation in your lawsuit. The attorneys at our firm use this model too, giving you peace of mind as you focus on treatment and recovery.
Hourly Rate
In some cases, a personal injury attorney may suggest getting paid an hourly rate for each hour worked on your case. As expected, this billing method can be costly, especially when the case takes too long to settle.
On top of that, you will still get billed even if you lose the case since the hourly charges are fixed. If looking to hire a Harlingen personal injury attorney, this is not the best payment model for you.
Retainer
Under this structure, you are expected to pay a lump sum to your personal injury attorney before your case gets started. All the legal costs associated with your lawsuit will be withdrawn from this fund until it is settled.
If the funds are depleted, the plaintiff will have to add more money to keep the case moving forward. Unfortunately, this is not ideal for an injured person.
Need Help With Your Case? Don’t Let Anything Hold You Back
Pursuing compensation in a personal injury case is no easy affair. The process may sound expensive and beyond reach for most victims.
But at Lone Star Injury Attorneys, we make it easier for everyone to get justice. Our contingency fee policy ensures that all our clients’ cases are taken on at no upfront cost. Our consultations are also free, and we only collect attorneys’ fees if and when you are compensated.
To get started on your case, give us a call right away.
Call or text (832) 346-9585 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
