There is a misconception floating around that all attorneys are expensive and unaffordable. Many people fear they cannot retain the services of a good lawyer because the costs and fees involved will be too high. The truth is that there is a fee arrangement called a contingency fee that makes hiring a good lawyer possible.

The Truth About Contingency Attorney Fees

A contingency fee is an arrangement where legal services are rendered and the fee is only paid when there is a favorable outcome to your case. Most often, these fees are a percentage of the amount paid to a client. Typically this type of fee arrangement occurs with personal inury. In fact, most jurisdictions don’t allow contingency fees with criminal or family law issues.

What Are The Benefits Of Contingency Arrangements?

A huge benefit of a contingency fee arrangement is that it allows people who could not otherwise afford legal services access to the justice system. Since hourly attorney fees and litigation costs can be quite expensive, a contingency fee allows people to hire talented lawyers to work on their legal issues. Incentives are aligned correctly because the attorney only receives payment upon a successful outcome for their client.

What Are Some Common Concerns With A Contingency Fee Arrangement?

Utilizing legal representation with a contingency fee does not guarantee a successful resolution to your issue. Since lawyers only receive compensation upon a successful resolution, they take cases that they feel have the best merit and are most likely to succeed. It is sometimes difficult to determine the viability of a case before doing initial research, and even that can be risky and expensive. As a result, there are cases that are sometimes turned down before the investigation is even underway.

The Cost of Litigation and Contingency Fees

It is also important to distinguish between contingency attorney fees and the costs of litigation. While contingency fees protect the client from incurring paying high fees to the attorney in the event of an unsuccessful outcome, many jurisdictions require that the client remain responsible for the costs of litigation. It is essential that fee arrangement is discussed at the very beginning of an attorney-client relationship. Don’t be afraid to ask your attorney both how their fees and the costs of litigation will be paid.

Getting injured is a troubling and difficult experience. If you suffer injury it is important that you be made aware of your rights. NJ personal injury attorneys can protect your rights and help you receive compensation for the the loss you have suffered. Talk to a New Jersey injury attorney today.