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Car accidents can have a significant impact on your health and finances. The high number of car accidents and fatalities in Ohio makes it necessary for you to hire a Cincinnati auto accident lawyer. Many people tend to avoid hiring a lawyer, thinking it will cost them a lot of money and financial management often becomes an obstacle.
The fact is that they will end up paying more money on health care expenditures and other things that will bleed them dry. Therefore, we will cover all the aspects regarding the cost you will incur to hire a Cincinnati auto accident lawyer. Let’s start by understanding what a lawyer’s fee means.
Attorney’s Fees: What Are They?
The fees you will have to pay for your attorney will depend on the state and the law firm you are choosing. Charges of an attorney depend on the experience and the expertise they have, and the firm they are working at. The lawyer fees will include:
- Guidance regarding the legal aspect
- Compilation and making of documents/paperwork
- Negotiations during the settlement
- Legal representation in the court
A key thing to keep in mind when taking the services of a Cincinnati auto accident lawyer is asking about their schedule of payment. Since a car accident falls under the personal injury case, you will receive compensation for your injuries and damages. You can also choose to settle the lawsuit out of court.
Different lawyers and firms might have various ways they will take payments from you regarding your car accident case. Therefore, you need to discuss with your attorney how they will charge you. Let’s go over the billing methods that lawyers use for a car accident case.
Contingency Fees: How Do They Work?
As stated earlier, car accidents fall under the category of personal injuries. Therefore many attorneys will charge you a contingency fee. The contingency fees’ usage is quite popular in cases where an individual sustains injuries and looking to get financial compensation for it.
Usually, there is an agreement between the client and the attorneys that there will be no payments if the case is unsuccessful. However, if it is vice versa, the lawyer might get a percentage of their client’s settlement, depending on if the client gets financial compensation.
There is no upfront payment that the clients pay the auto accident lawyer, and if the attorney successfully wins the claims for the client, they will get a portion of the payment on the condition set by both parties for their contingency fee agreement.
The best thing about contingency fees is that the client does not have to focus on making payments to the attorney. They can get rest to recover from their injuries and focus on their case to get compensation for their pain and suffering.
Once the case is over, the lawyer will take their fees from the amount of the compensation, judgment, or ruling. All of the terms and conditions of the contingency fees will be in a complete document which you will have to sign. Therefore, you should go through it thoroughly before signing the contingency fees agreement.
Benefits of Contingency Fees:
The contingency fees payment can work in the right way for you, since:
- The attorneys will try to get the best settlement for you as their payment will depend on it.
- You won’t have to focus on the costs since they will come after you receive a settlement.
- The attorney will take your case for contingency fees since they think you have a good chance of a win.
Hourly Charges:
Another common kind of billing method the attorney uses is the hourly fees. As a client, you will have to pay for the hours the lawyers put in for your case. Regardless of whether you win the case or not, you will have to make hourly payments to the lawyer you have hired or the firm they are working for.
The rate will vary from firm to firm, depending on the skills and expertise they bring. As per the Ohio bar’s economies of law, the median hourly rate was around $225 in 2018.
Flat Charges:
Another billing method that the lawyers might use is flat charges. Though it is quite common for wills, criminal cases, or matters involving immigration, attorneys can choose it for car accident cases as well.
Various aspects come into consideration for calculating the fees under the flat charges, such as:
- The total time and the complications of the work necessary
- The scope of the fault involved
- The standard costs set for equivalent legal services
Cincinnati auto accident lawyers don’t use this billing method until the client’s request helps with a particular task, like a demand letter.
Additional Costs that Come with Your Case:
There can be other costs that you might have to bear for your case. Your attorney will need a wide range of paperwork for your case while also needing some money to cover particular expenses.
Although the costs will be under the contingency portion you set, the lawyer can ask you to pay for this addition to the contingency fees. It is vital to discuss all such costs with your lawyer beforehand. Such costs include:
- Court expenditures
- Witness expenses
- Manuscripts of medical documents
- Various managerial expenses
Hire the Best Cincinnati Auto Accident Lawyer for Your Case:
Having the best legal team by your side for your car accident case can do wonders for you. Therefore, you shouldn’t refrain from investing your time in finding a reliable Cincinnati personal injury lawyer. And to save you from the hassle, the attorneys of Young, Reverman & Mazzei are here to help; regardless of how difficult your situation may seem.
With years of experience, we know all the nitty-gritty and complexities of any car accident case and how to deal with them. So, give us a call today to speak with one of our representatives and obtain a thorough evaluation of your case.
