What is the Average Cost of Hiring a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
The average cost of hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer is difficult to express in outright dollar terms. That’s because most motorcycle accident lawyers work on contingency fees. There are also costs over and above their fees that lawyers advance on your behalf, and the nature and value of these may vary.
To understand why it’s hard to state the average cost of hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer, we must explore several concepts. Since we do not know your context, not all of this may apply to you. The best way to find out what hiring a Newnan motorcycle accident lawyer will cost you is to consult one in person. They should accept your first consultation at no charge, and you can get answers that specifically apply to you.
The Cost of Hiring a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer is Usually a Contingency Fee Plus Costs
One of the reasons why people worry about hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer is that they fear legal costs that might even exceed their damages. To give you peace of mind on this, and to help people who would not ordinarily be able to afford a lawyer, most personal injury lawyers work on a contingent basis.
The contingency fee is expressed as a percentage of damages awarded, usually around 33.3%, but up to 40% to make up for the demands of a trial instead of a settlement, and up to 45% in complex cases. That means you do not pay the lawyer anything for their time if they do not win. However, you will still have to pay expenses, even if they lose. For example, your lawyer may have paid expert witness fees, deposition costs, and court filing fees.
In other words, the cost of hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer consists of their contingency fee plus costs. An honest lawyer will be willing to explain this to you in detail before you sign any agreement with them. This brings us to the next point.
The Cost of Hiring a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Depends on the Value of the Damages Awarded
Our law firm has won many multi-million dollar settlements, but that does not mean your settlement will amount to tens of millions of dollars. Instead, you may recover thousands or tens of thousands. The reason for this is implied in the term “compensatory damages.”
Here is the basic principle. You have been harmed. Some of your harms are physical, and others are emotional or mental. Your compensation is meant to make up for the harm you suffered. So, if you are very seriously hurt, your case could yield high-value damages. If you are less seriously hurt, you will not recover as much. A skilled lawyer can often recover far more than you ever could, making the percentage of your compensation you pay as a contingency fee worthwhile.
Costs You Must Repay to Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Some fees and costs are fairly standard. Others are more difficult to generalize upon. The different types of costs may include:
- Court filing fees
- Expert witness fees
- Medical record retrieval fees
- Investigation costs
- Administrative fees
As an example of how fees may vary, if an expert witness is needed to show that a common auto defect was responsible for your accident, they will expect payment. You cover this cost once the case is concluded, but not all cases require this form of investigation. Always choose a lawyer who will be open with you about these additional costs.
Consult Us for a Fair Case Assessment and Fair Fees
At Kam, Ebersbach & Lewis, we have a reputation for helping motorcycle accident victims recover fair compensation that often exceeds their expectations, even after all fees are deducted. Make an appointment for a free consultation.
Our auto accident attorneys in Newnan will evaluate your chances of winning a case, estimate the value of damages that can be recovered, and discuss the cost of hiring our motorcycle accident lawyer to help you. We can also estimate what we believe the associated fees will be.
If we decide to work together on your case, you will know where you stand and can make an informed decision. You will be in good hands. Honesty, transparency, and a strong code of ethics have made us the successful law firm we are today.