Some personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee-basis, which means that:
- It will cost you nothing upfront to hire a truck accident lawyer
- It will cost you nothing out of pocket to hire a truck accident lawyer
- You will not have to pay for legal services unless your lawyer wins a judgment or negotiates a settlement for you or your loved one
You can ask a lawyer or their team if they offer a contingency-fee payment structure as you seek a lawyer to represent you or your loved one after your accident. There could be several positive features to paying a lawyer via a contingency fee.
The Perks of Contingency Fee Representation
Hiring a lawyer through a contingency-fee payment structure may provide several benefits to both you and your lawyer. Because you do not have to pay any upfront costs for legal services, a contingency fee payment structure may:
- Allow you to hire a lawyer that may be too expensive if you were forced to pay for their services upfront
- Allow you to hire a lawyer that could be too expensive if you were required to pay them out of your own pocket
- Assure you that your lawyer is taking on your case because it is worth bringing, as they will not receive payment for their services unless the case results in a positive outcome for you
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides details showing that:
- The per-hour cost of hiring a lawyer can be quite expensive
- Depending on the state where you are trying your case, the cost of hiring a lawyer out-of-pocket could be even greater than in many other locales
- The expense of hiring a lawyer upfront or out of pocket could plausibly prevent a significant number of truck accident victims from accessing legal services
A contingency-fee payment arrangement allows you to avoid the perils of high legal costs. Such a structure may also allow your lawyer to:
- Provide services to you regardless of your financial means
- Invest their time and effort fully in your case, knowing that they only receive payment for their services if they win for you
- Judge cases based on who is most deserving, rather than which clients are able to pay the most upfront
Finding a lawyer who offers a contingency fee arrangement could eliminate your upfront cost to hire a truck accident lawyer.
What a Lawyer Will Do for You
A lawyer may provide a significant array of services without you having to pay a dime upfront for those services. Some of the preliminary steps that a lawyer may take after your truck accident include:
- Guiding you to medical professionals who can assess and treat your injuries
- Ensuring that authorities document your accident in a proper fashion
- Explaining your options for pursuing compensation
- Representing you in matters with insurance companies
It is possible that insurance negotiations may fall through, in which case your lawyer may prepare to bring a lawsuit on your behalf. Some of the steps that a lawyer may take to prepare for settlement negotiations or trial include:
- Organizing documentation of your injuries, which may include photographs, video, medical bills, and official medical records
- Collecting evidence, which they may do with assistance from specialized investigators
- Organizing existing witness testimony and re-interviewing witnesses where necessary for accounts that are specific to the issues in your lawsuit
- Hiring expert witnesses to provide testimony regarding the facts of your accident
- Filing your lawsuit and all subsequent paperwork required to complete your lawsuit
- Making in-person appearances on your behalf
- Calculating the total amount of losses you suffered and making that figure the anchor point for negotiations
- Negotiating for a fair settlement
- Proceeding to trial in the case that a fair settlement is not possible
- Defending your rights
Having somebody—a lawyer—to complete these tasks on your behalf could spare you:
- Time
- Effort
- Stress
- Headaches
Consider whether it may be worth it for you to hire a personal injury lawyer after your truck accident. They may ask nothing from you in terms of upfront payment and could provide a great deal in terms of their services.
Determining Liability for Your Accident
Whether a truck accident resulted in you or a loved one being harmed, or a loved one dying, a lawyer will review the facts of your collision to determine liability. A motorist could be responsible for your losses if:
- They were intoxicated at the time of your accident, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that nearly 30 people per day die in traffic accidents because of intoxicated drivers
- They were under the influence of drugs at the time of your accident
- They were driving too closely to your vehicle at the time of your collision
- Their vehicle failed in some way that caused your accident
- They were speeding at the time of your accident
- They were engaged in distracted driving just before or at the time of your accident
- They made an improper or illegal driving maneuver that caused your collision
- They took any action, or failed to take certain actions, that contributed to your collision
Your lawyer may also identify parties besides a driver who are responsible for your accident. Additional liable parties could include:
- A trucking company
- A local government
- A state government
- The federal government
- A vehicle manufacturer
- A vehicle assembler
- A vehicle parts manufacturer
- An individual citizen, such as a pedestrian
Those who are liable for your accident could be ordered to compensate you for losses such as medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and any other harm you endured because of a truck accident.
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC Today
The team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC takes on tough cases undaunted and will work hard for you or your loved one to obtain a legal outcome that you are happy with. Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC today at (800) 235-0444 for a free consultation.
