There should be no upfront fees to secure legal representation in a motorcycle collision case. Your attorney’s firm should review your case for free, with no obligation to commit to their team. If you decide to work together, there generally are no retainers charged in injury accident cases, so your family will not need to write a check to get started.
Since most motorcycle accident attorneys work on contingency, there is no way to determine how much it will cost to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to handle your case without knowing your case’s outcome. This could be a quarter of your total payout, a third, or more for complex cases. Each motorcycle accident legal firm has its own fee structure, so you will need to discuss it before you start.
How the Contingency-fee Process Works In a Motorcycle Accident Case
Personal injury law firms, such as those that represent motorcycle accident victims, generally provide the resources necessary to:
- Investigate the collision
- Interview witnesses
- Call in experts
- Prepare the claim or lawsuit
- Negotiate with the insurer
This includes both the financial support needed to handle these tasks and the time and knowledge of the firm’s staff. If the case needs to go to trial to seek a verdict on behalf of the accident victim, this could also include more time-consuming and complex tasks such as:
- Managing discovery
- Taking depositions
- Making court appearances
- Preparing arguments
- Writing court documents
- Representing the client’s best interests to the judge and jury
Because the firm is paying for all this, they are more likely to fight hard for their clients’ best interests. They will not recoup their expenses, and the lawyers will not get paid unless they win the case and collect compensation for the client.
Calculating and Paying Your Attorney’s Fees
In most cases, contingency fees are based on a percentage of your total recovery. You will agree on this percentage before your attorney begins work on your case. This could be a flat rate or increase based on certain factors, such as if the case requires a lawsuit or requires expert testimony.
Your lawyer will explain their terms before you agree to work with them. This transparency helps ensure there are no surprises during your working relationship.
You will not need to worry about paying your attorney out of your own account in most cases. They will take care of all of it.
Everyone Benefits from a Fair and Just Settlement or Verdict
A fair settlement compensates you for your accident-related losses and expenses, including your intangible damages and future needs. Your attorney will work with you to gather evidence to prove your losses and assign a dollar amount to your case.
Reaching a settlement or receiving a verdict benefits you and your legal team. They get paid more when they recover a larger payout for you. At the same time, you need compensation to account for your injury-related out-of-pocket damages.
In this way, paying an attorney based on contingency provides an extra incentive for your lawyer to work hard on your case.
Understanding How Motorcycle Accident Cases Work
Motorcycle accidents are generally personal injury cases, meaning they require proving:
- Another motorist acted carelessly, usually violating a traffic law
- This caused your accident
- You suffered injuries and damages due to the crash
With evidence to show another driver was responsible for your injuries, your lawyer will file an insurance claim based on that driver’s auto liability policy. This allows fair and just settlements following negotiations with the insurer, in many cases. If not, it is possible to sue the driver and take the case to civil court in your parish or other jurisdiction.
In Louisiana, there is a one-year deadline to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit after a collision. This includes both injury accidents and wrongful death actions under CC §3492 and CC §2315.2 respectively. Because these deadlines arrive so quickly, and because the evidence is often time-sensitive, you should consider hiring legal representation at your earliest convenience.
An Attorney at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Will Review Your Case for Free
If you were hurt in a motorcycle collision caused by a careless driver in Louisiana, the Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers team is here for you. You can discuss your legal options with us today for free. We are upfront about our fee structure, and we will answer any questions you have about us being a contingency fee firm.
Call (337) 777-7777 today to get started.