Average Lawyer Compensation from a Car Accident Settlement

April 10, 2022 | Car Accidents

Individuals often wonder how much an attorney costs. This is particularly true for those who sustain injuries caused by the actions of others and need legal assistance fast. The reality is that most personal injury lawyers in Washington will take claims on a contingency fee basis. Here, we want to define what a contingency fee means for an injury claim as well as examine how much an attorney may get paid for a case that they decide to take.

Understanding Contingency Fees for a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Many individuals do not move forward with an attorney to help with their injury claim because they are afraid they will not be able to afford one. However, most attorneys will work on a contingency fee arrangement in these circumstances.

When an attorney agrees to take a personal injury claim on a contingency fee basis, this means that the injury victim will not have to worry about any fees or costs associated with their claim while the case is ongoing. This is a significant benefit because most individuals do not have the money to pay for the total costs of a case upfront.

The attorney agrees to this type of arrangement because they expect to receive payment once the case is over. Before the case begins, the attorney and the prospective client will have to agree on a certain contingency fee percentage. This means that the attorney will receive an overall percentage of the final settlement or jury verdict that comes out of the case. A contingency fee arrangement can range anywhere from around 25% to 35% of the total case, and it is crucial for a personal injury victim to understand what percentage they will have to pay out of the final settlement or verdict before casework begins.

For an example of how this may look at the conclusion of a case, let us suppose that an individual sustains a severe spinal cord injury caused by a commercial truck accident. If an attorney is able to secure $1 million in compensation for their client and they agreed on a 30% contingency fee, then the attorney would receive $300,000 out of the final settlement.

The total amount of money an attorney receives for a Washington car accident claim will vary depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding each particular situation. There is no set amount of compensation paid to car accident victims in this state. Total compensation amounts vary depending on the severity of the injuries, whether or not there was any partial fault, the level of property damage, and more.

Contact an Attorney for Help Today

If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury or property damage caused by the actions of a negligent driver in Washington, reach out to an attorney immediately. A skilled Seattle car accident lawyer can help you recover full compensation for your losses. They will handle every aspect of the claim on your behalf. When you work with a lawyer, you will have a better chance of recovering a settlement above and beyond what the insurance carriers initially want to offer.