Do I Have to Pay a Retainer to Hire a Bethlehem Personal Injury Lawyer?

If you have questions about hiring a Bethlehem personal injury lawyer, you are not alone. For many people, thinking about hiring a personal injury lawyer will be the first time they have thought about hiring any type of lawyer in their entire lives.

5 Important Facts About Legal Fees in Personal Injury Cases

For most people, some of their primary questions will understandably have to do with the costs involved. Do you have to pay out-of-pocket? If so, how much? If not, how (and when) does your lawyer get paid? Here are five key facts about legal fees in personal injury cases in Bethlehem, PA:

1. Your First Consultation is 100% Free

Your first consultation with a personal injury lawyer is completely free. Regardless of whether you end up hiring the lawyer to represent you, you do not have to pay anything for this meeting.

Why? It is critical that accident victims make informed decisions about asserting their legal rights. If accident victims had to pay for their initial consultations, many would not seek the legal advice they need—and, as a result, many would not seek the financial compensation they deserve. Your initial consultation is your opportunity to learn about your legal rights, decide if the attorney you’ve chosen is a good fit, and then make an informed decision about whether to take legal action.

2. You Do Not Have to Pay a Retainer Fee

If you hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you, you will not have to pay a retainer fee. As discussed in greater detail below, personal injury lawyers represent their clients on a contingency-fee basis. This means that you will not have to pay anything out-of-pocket at any stage of your case.

3. You Will Not Have to Pay Hourly Rates

The fact that you will not have to pay anything out-of-pocket also means that you will not have to pay hourly rates. Your lawyer will not bill you on an hourly basis, and you will not receive monthly legal bills for services rendered. As a personal injury client, you will not have to pay anything while your case is pending.

4. You Will Only Pay if You Win

With contingency-fee representation in personal injury cases, you only pay if you win. If your case is not successful for any reason, you will not owe anything for your legal representation. This means that your lawyer has a vested interest in helping you recover the financial compensation you deserve.

5. Your Legal Fees Will Be Calculated as a Percentage of Your Recovery

If your personal injury case is successful, your legal fees will be calculated as a percentage of your recovery. Your lawyer will discuss this percentage with you during your free initial consultation. If you receive a settlement offer during your case, before you accept or reject the offer, your lawyer will explain how much you would take home after paying for his or her legal services.

What Else Should You Know About Hiring a Bethlehem Personal Injury Lawyer?

Now that you know how legal fees work in personal injury cases, what else should you know about hiring a Bethlehem personal injury lawyer to represent you? Here are five more key facts to know:

• Your Lawyer Will Provide an Unbiased Assessment of Your Legal Rights – During your free initial consultation, your lawyer will provide an unbiased preliminary assessment of your legal rights. As we noted above, one of the primary purposes of your initial consultation is to help you make informed decisions about your next steps. Your lawyer will need to conduct an investigation to thoroughly assess your legal rights, and, as your lawyer gathers evidence, your lawyer will keep you updated about your likelihood of success.
• Your Lawyer Will Have Your Best Interests in Mind – Your lawyer will handle all aspects of your case with your best interests in mind. This is an ethical requirement for all lawyers practicing in Pennsylvania. A personal injury lawyer who is passionate about his or her work will be focused on doing everything he or she can to help you recover just compensation as quickly as possible.
• Your Lawyer Will Help You Make Informed Decisions Throughout the Process – When you have a personal injury claim, making an informed decision about whether to take legal action is just the start. As your case progresses, you will need to continue making informed decisions at every step. Your lawyer will provide the advice you need to feel confident that you are making sound decisions with your long-term best interests in mind.
• Your Lawyer Will Respond to Your Questions as Soon as Possible – Most likely, you will not be your lawyer’s only client. As a result, your lawyer won’t always be available to speak with you immediately. However, when you hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you, you should be able to expect that your lawyer will respond to your questions as soon as possible.
• Your Lawyer’s Job is to Help Maximize Your Financial Recovery – While personal injury cases are complex, your lawyer’s ultimate job is simple: Everything your lawyer does should be focused on helping to maximize your financial recovery. An experienced personal lawyer will only take your case if the lawyer believes he or she can help you recover more than you would be able to recover on your own.  

Do You Have a Case? Find Out from an Experienced Bethlehem Personal Injury Lawyer for Free

Do you have more questions about hiring a personal injury lawyer? If you were seriously injured in an accident and have questions about hiring a Bethlehem personal injury lawyer to help you seek just compensation, we strongly encourage you to get in touch. To schedule a free initial consultation at Drake, Hileman & Davis, PC, give us a call at 888-777-7098 or tell us how we can help online today.