When you’ve been injured at work, in a motor vehicle accident, or after a fall on someone else’s property, you may feel like you’re in over your head. You may be temporarily or permanently unable to work, and watching medical bills spiral out of control. The insurance company may be pushing you to agree to a quick settlement, and you may feel that you don’t have any options. Hiring a personal injury lawyer could provide some relief and keep the insurance company honest, but legal representation may seem out of reach when your income is limited and your debt skyrocketing.
If you’re in that situation and aren’t sure how to get the help you need, you’re not alone. While many NYC personal injury victims worry about the cost of hiring a personal injury lawyer in New York, retaining an attorney is easier than you think.
Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer in New York on Contingency
If you’ve looked at personal injury law firm websites, or even advertising for a personal injury lawyer in New York, you have probably seen language like, “No fee unless we win” and “We don’t get paid unless you do.” However, to the inexperienced injury victim, those promises can seem too good to be true.
Here’s how contingency fee arrangements work in personal injury cases:
- You retain the attorney with a “contingency agreement” that entitles the lawyer to reimbursement for any costs he or she covers, plus a percentage of your verdict or settlement
- The attorney commences the case without taking any attorney fees from you in advance
- In most cases, a personal injury lawyer in New York will also advance any costs, such as filing fees, costs of depositions, expert witness fees, and other expenses
- When the attorney settles the case on your behalf or wins a verdict at trial, the attorney fees and expenses come out of that award—the rest is yours
- If you don’t get a settlement or verdict, the lawyer doesn’t get paid
In the business world, this is known as “alignment of interests.” In plain English, that means that what’s good for you is good for the lawyer, and vice versa. The larger the settlement the attorney is able to negotiate for you, or the verdict the attorney wins for you at trial, the more he or she gets paid. That gives the lawyer a powerful incentive to work hard on your behalf.
For a free legal consultation, call (212) 540-2984
Start with a Free Consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer in New York
Our New York personal injury lawyers are experienced in a wide range of personal injury cases, including work injuries, slip and fall and other premises liability cases, car accident and truck accident cases, and many others. We’ve structured our fee arrangement and management of litigation expenses with that in mind.
The process begins with a free consultation, so you can learn more about your options, fully understand the contingency fee arrangement, and ask questions to help find the right NYC personal injury attorney for you. You have nothing to lose by learning more about how we can help you recover fair compensation for your injuries.