How Does a Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Get Paid?

When your loved one has suffered from a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or another severe injury, money may not be the first thing on your mind. But you may want to pursue a claim for damages, and the services of a catastrophic injury lawyer are a good way to do so.

Cost, however, is likely to be a concern. Specifically, you may be concerned that a catastrophic injury lawyer’s services will be too expensive. You may worry that hiring an attorney will mean you are stuck with a large bill even if your case does not successfully resolve.

Fee Structures in Catastrophic Injury Cases

Catastrophic injury lawsuits have the potential to take a while to resolve and involve considerable investigation and preparation before they are ready for trial. To cover the costs of this preparation, a catastrophic injury lawyer will charge fees according to one of three fee structures.

Hourly Fee Structure

This is the fee structure with which most individuals are familiar. In this structure, the attorney charges you a predetermined hourly rate. If the catastrophic injury lawyer uses the services of a paralegal or other attorneys, there may be different hourly rates for these people’s work.

You will often be required to deposit a retainer or down payment before your catastrophic injury lawyer will begin working on your case. You may also be required to make regular payments while your case is pending.

Flat-Fee Structure

While not common, some attorneys will use a flat fee structure with personal injury clients. In a flat fee structure, you pay a one-time fee for the attorney to handle your case. The payment is either made as a lump sum or in a few installments.

Flat fee structures are not often used by a catastrophic injury lawyer because it is difficult to anticipate what costs will be incurred or how long a case will take to resolve.

This could result in the attorney not being fairly compensated for their time and efforts. Or it could result in you being overcharged, paying more than your attorney was able to recover.

Contingency Fee Structure

Contingency fees are the most popular fee structure for personal injury cases. Upon taking your case, your catastrophic injury attorney and you will agree that the lawyer will receive a fixed percentage of whatever recovery they can obtain for you. This allows you to obtain legal representation and encourages the attorney to obtain the best recovery possible.

The South Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct do not specify the percentage, but they do require that any contingency fee agreement be reasonable.

Seek Representation from a Capable Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Do not let a fear of attorney’s fees or costs keep you from seeking legal help. If you or a loved one have suffered a serious injury in a car accident, workplace incident, or another occurrence, contact Lowcountry Law, LLC for immediate assistance.

We want to put our resources and knowledge to use for you and help you recover compensation. Contact us at Lowcountry Law, LLC, for a no-cost case evaluation.