Contingency Fees: How Do They Work?

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You’ve probably heard a lot of lawyers talk about working on contingency fees, but if you aren’t familiar with what that means, you could miss out on getting your case heard without having to pay a lot of money. Most lawyers use the contingency fee method for personal injury types of cases.

Ask Your Lawyer About Fees

Just because a lot of lawyers offer contingency fee work for certain cases, that doesn’t mean that all lawyers do or that all cases can be handled off of a contingency fee. It’s always very important to find out exactly what fees you have to pay to your lawyer so you aren’t suddenly surprised later on.

Make Sure You Understand What You’re Paying

Is everything about your case covered under the contingency fee? That’s a good question to ask. You may end up paying some other costs, so it’s very important to get information in writing and to ask questions about any and all payments that you may need to make to your lawyer. Get your information up front and straight from the source.

What If Your Lawyer Loses The Case?

If your lawyer is unsuccessful, you shouldn’t owe him any money. That’s how contingency works – no fee unless you win the case. Keep in mind, though, that you should still clarify that. If your lawyer has spent a lot of money on court fees and other things, it’s important to know whether you’ll be responsible for any of that, even if you don’t have to pay the lawyer’s hourly fee.

Also ask about a win in your case if the guilty party doesn’t have any money to pay the judgment. It would be important to know how you’re going to pay your lawyer at that point.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

Don’t Pay Until Your Lawyer Collects For You

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With many legal cases, especially those that involve some type of personal injury, there are lawyers who will work on contingency. They don’t get paid unless they win your case. It’s wise to find one of these lawyers since you don’t want to pay in addition to your injury if your case is unsuccessful.

Get A Contingency Fee Lawyer

There are many lawyers who work on a contingency fee system for personal injury cases, but they don’t all do. Ask the lawyer whether he works that way and what the specifics are so you know what you’re dealing with and aren’t surprised later on.

Make Sure You Know What Percentage You’re Paying

Even if you find several lawyers who work on a contingency fee basis, that doesn’t mean they all have the same rates or charge the same percentage. It’s important to ask what percentage of your settlement they’ll be taking, and whether there are other fees on top of that amount.

What If You Can’t Collect On Your Win?

What happens if the lawyer wins your case and gets a big judgment in your favor, but you can’t collect on it because the other party doesn’t have the money? Do you still have to pay your lawyer? Out of what money? Be sure to ask this question, because it could become a serious problem later, otherwise.

Paying your lawyer for the work he’s done is important. Lawyers shouldn’t have to work for free, just like other types of workers. However, contingency fees are there for a reason, and there’s nothing wrong with getting a lawyer who offers that kind of fee system.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

Personal Injury Cases Can Mean Large Payouts

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Some personal injury cases don’t amount to much, but others are very serious and a lot of money can be collected by people who are hurt in specific ways or by certain people or products. That’s something that has to be considered if you have a personal injury claim.

Some Injury Cases Have High Compensation

Depending on your injury, you could be entitled to a few hundred dollars or millions of dollars – and anything in between. Without a good lawyer, though, you may not have any idea whether you even have a case, much less how much compensation you can receive.

Getting Injury Compensation Is About Justice

There are people who think that those who collect personal injury compensation are trying to get easy money for something, but this is often not the case. There will always be people who do those kinds of things, but people who are injured should be compensated if someone else’s negligence caused that injury.

A Lawyer Can Advise You On Your Case

Make sure you talk to a lawyer if you think you might have a personal injury case, because it can be hard to tell whether you’ll be able to get compensation without a competent legal professional to help you. If you can get compensation, you’ll want someone to properly represent your interests.

Even if you find that you don’t have a case, it’s still important to talk to a lawyer to make sure. There are time limitations on filing personal injury cases, and you don’t want to miss out because you overlooked the deadline. Having an advocate can help to avoid that.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

What Will Your Lawyer Ask For?

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When you go to see a lawyer, you may be nervous. That’s understandable. You have a legal issue to deal with, and you also aren’t sure whether you’ll be comfortable with the lawyer, or what he or she might ask of you. If you’re more prepared, this can be easier for you.

Questions To Prepare For

You’ll need to provide your personal information – name, address, phone, etc. – as well as details about your case. Even if you feel some of these details are private, if your lawyer is asking for them he has a good reason. Your information will be kept confidential unless it must be disclosed to handle the case, so speaking freely is important.

Documents You’ll Need

What kinds of documents you’ll need to give your lawyer will depend on the case. If it’s a car accident, for example, a copy of the police report would be a good idea. Child support cases may require income disclosures. There are always exceptions, so be sure to ask your lawyer exactly what to bring.

Don’t Be Afraid To Give Private Information

Tell your lawyer the truth, and don’t hold back details that can be used for the case. Even if you feel silly or embarrassed, the lawyer is not there to judge you. He’s available to help you, and he can’t do that properly unless he has all the information.

Be sure to ask your lawyer why information is necessary if you’re not sure. Also, ask what documents to bring so you’ll be better prepared. The more you ask, the more you know about how your case is being handled.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

Making The Best Of A Legal Dilemma

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Most people go through their lives without any legal problems, but there is always the chance that something will pop up. It could be a car accident, an injury on the job, or something else entirely. There are often ways to make the best of it, even when that seems difficult.

Know What Your Rights Are

In order to avoid even more legal problems, know what rights you have. If you aren’t sure what those rights are, do some research. You can find out a lot of information that way if you use reputable publications and Internet sites. It gives you a starting point to decide whether you want to see a lawyer.

Get Information From A Good Lawyer

Once you’ve learned about your rights and collected some information, you can find out more from a lawyer. Ask about fees, get a free consultation, and find out about the possibility of a lawsuit. Some things aren’t worth pursuing, but you’ll never know until you ask a professional for his opinion.

Learn From The Experience

No matter how your legal case turns out, the chances are high that you can learn a lot from going through it. Whether you receive compensation for an injury or whether you were at fault for something, there is always a lesson to be found in any kind of legal issue.

By having a good attorney you can get the most compensation possible or get a penalty that is fair and just, depending on your situation. Keep this in mind when you’re choosing a lawyer to represent you, no matter what your legal issue might be.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

Car Accident Claims Can Require A Lawyer

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When you’ve been in a car accident, the first thing to consider is whether you’re ok or whether you need medical attention. Your health and safety and that of your passengers has to be most important. Once that’s been addressed, your thoughts will likely turn to your car and how you’re going to get it fixed – as well as who’s going to pay your medical bills.

Were You At Fault?

Whether you were at fault in the accident is a very important question. If the other party was clearly at fault, you’ll have a better chance of receiving compensation. It’s very hard to get compensation for an accident that you were responsible for.

What Does Your Insurance Cover?

Everyone’s car insurance is different, but there are some specific things that each state requires the insurance to cover. Beyond that, there could be other deductibles and other coverage that could help you get your vehicle fixed and pay your bills, especially if the other driver didn’t have any insurance.

Know Your Legal Options

Depending on the cause and nature of the accident, you may or may not have legal options to consider. In other words, some car accidents mean compensation for you, but most do not. Talk with an attorney and find out whether he can help you.

Often, if you were not injured, there won’t be much an attorney can do to get your car fixed. Insurance should take care of that, but it won’t in all cases. Talking to a lawyer, though, is the only way to really find out what you can get done.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

Slips And Falls: The Most Common Personal Injury Cases

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When it comes to personal injury, the most common problem are simple slips and falls. These account for the majority of personal injury issues that don’t involve a drug or medical malpractice issue. Even though they’re common, they aren’t always winnable.

Slipping And Falling On The Job

Depending on where you work, slipping and falling on the job can be very common. If you work in wet conditions, or if you’re a construction worker or someone else with a more dangerous job, it could be almost expected. It can be hard to stay safe in those kinds of jobs.

Minor Injuries Are Very Common

It’s quite common to see minor injuries on the job and just from daily life. These can include trips and slips, cuts and sprains, and even a small broken bone. Bruises happen, too. Generally, these minor injuries aren’t something you can sue over.

Ask A Lawyer About Your Case

If you have a bigger injury or you believe someone else’s negligence caused you to get hurt, you may have a case. Talking to a lawyer is the best thing to do at that point, because he can advise you as to what action you can and should take.

Don’t assume you automatically do or don’t have a case, because each situation is different. Talk to a lawyer and find out what you can do to ensure you’re fairly compensated for serious injury. It’s the best way to move forward with any potential case that you might have against a person or a business.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

How To Determine If You Have A Legal Case

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If something unfortunate has happened to you and you’re considering suing over it, you may want to think twice. It can be expensive in some cases, and you might not get the kind of compensation you’re hoping for. It’s best to understand and weigh all your options.

Ask A Lawyer For Advice

When you’re not sure what to do next but you think you might have a case, it’s best to talk to a lawyer. Getting legal advice can help you move forward if you’re due compensation, and can also help you determine what your goals are regarding whether you want to pursue specific aspects of a case – or any case at all.

Be Your Own Advocate

Lawyers generally know best, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be your own advocate, too. Talk to others who’ve had similar experiences and do some Internet research. When you handle some of these things on your own you’ll be more confident and find a lot of good information you can ask your lawyer about.

Know What Your Rights Are

Even if a problem was partially your fault, you still have rights. Make sure you pay attention to what they are and learn all you can about them. You wouldn’t want to miss out on compensation because you weren’t aware you were entitled to it.

By researching on your own, learning your rights, and talking with a lawyer, you should be able to determine whether you have a legal case you can pursue. If you do, your lawyer can advise you of the best way to go about it.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

What Makes A Good Personal Injury Case?

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There are a lot of people who claim that they’ve been injured at work or by someone in a business or on public property. They want money for their injury, but they aren’t always entitled to it – and sometimes they fake their injury in an attempt to get some easy cash.

What Kind Of Injury Do You Have?

A good personal injury case is one in which the injury is real, and where the person who was injured was not doing anything that would have caused the injury to occur. In other words, the injured party must not have contributed to getting hurt through horseplay or other means.

Is There Compensation Available?

Not all injuries can be compensated, especially if the person who injured you doesn’t have any money to pay your medical bills. You may be able to get a judgment against that person, but that won’t help you if there’s no money to pay the judgment.

Getting The Right Lawyer To Handle Your Case

The lawyer you choose to help you may affect how much money you’ll get and what kind of compensation you’ll receive for your injury. It’s important that you find a lawyer you can work well with and who’s honest and upfront about what you can expect.

No matter what you think about your injury, it’s always best to get legal counsel so you can determine whether you should pursue a case or not. Some cases are best left alone. Other really need to be pursued.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am

What You Should Ask Your Lawyer

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Don’t ever be afraid to question your lawyer about things that are important to you. If you don’t ask questions, you’ll never get the answers that you need – and that you deserve when it comes to your case and how your lawyer plans to help you.

Questions About Your Case

You know a lot about your case, but that doesn’t mean you know the legalities of it or how your lawyer plans to handle it. Ask these kinds of questions, because you’ll want to know what your lawyer is planning to do and how the information you give him will be used.

Questions About Education

Where your lawyer went to school might not be as important as when he went to school. A lawyer who’s a recent graduate might be more up to date on current case law. However, all lawyers need to have continuing education, so this might not be an issue for your case.

Questions About Experience

Don’t forget to talk to your lawyer about his experience, too. If he’s been handling cases like yours for a long time, you might have a better chance of winning simply because he’s more experienced than some other lawyers when it comes to your specific problem.

Whatever you choose to rely on when you make your choice of lawyers, asking questions should play a large part in that decision making process. Don’t be intimidated or feel uncomfortable questioning your lawyer. He is there to help you, and that includes by addressing anything you feel concerned about.

Author --- Robert D. Curran@7:00 am