This article will go over the average legal fees for hiring a Pompano Beach car accident lawyer. Most lawyers handle accidents on a contingency fee basis.
Most Americans fail to call a car accident lawyer after an automobile crash because of the notion that legal representation is not affordable. However, this assumption primarily benefits negligent drivers and insurance companies.
Florida has some of the most dangerous roadways in the United States. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 3,098 fatal motor vehicle crashes in Florida in 2020 ended the lives of over 3,300 people. If you or a loved one have sustained injuries from a car crash, you may be eligible to seek compensatory damages through a personal injury claim.
A seasoned Pompano Beach car accident lawyer can help you hold the at-fault party accountable. Having legal representation will help you avoid mistakes that could weaken your accident claim. But how much does a car accident lawyer cost?
There is no clear-cut formula for calculating how much a lawyer for an automobile accident in Pompano Beach, FL will cost before winning the case. Car accident attorneys usually work on work on a contingency fee arrangement. Read on to learn what to expect as legal fees for your unique case.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics highlighted that lawyers earned approximately $60 an hour in 2020. But this is the national average salary for attorneys in the United States. Florida attorneys charge a significantly higher hourly rate.
Most lawyers bill clients by the hour or on a contingency basis for their services. A lawyer's hourly rate is a flat fee determined by the amount of time spent on a client's case. Some attorneys use a six-minute increment for their billings.
Attorneys that bill hourly usually need you to pay a retainer fee, and they hold this upfront cost in trust and bill you against the retainer as they work on your case. The attorney-client relationship often involves the client keeping at least some funds in a trust account with the lawyer. Once the retainer is depleted, the attorney can send monthly bills for the services rendered.
When working on a contingency fee basis, a retainer is unnecessary. The client incurs no up-front costs in retaining the attorney's services. Instead, the attorney will take a percentage of the total compensation recovered.
This means that the attorney receives payment only if and when the client wins the case and gets paid. There will be no fee due to the attorney if the case does not result in a settlement or compensation for the client.
Many people have trouble meeting financial needs after a car crash. Based on the severity of the injuries, it's possible they won't be able to return to full-time employment for a long time. If you sustained injuries in a vehicle accident and cannot afford a lawyer, you can still get legal representation through a contingency fee arrangement.
You and your attorney must settle on a percentage for legal expenses before you hire them.
Several variables affect the attorney's percentage fee, such as:
Depending on the unique case factors, a contingency fee ranges between 25% and 40%. It is common practice for experienced attorneys to request more considerable contingency fees. However, an experienced Pompano Beach car accident lawyer may be worth the additional contingency fee cost.
The lawyer will not charge you for any time they spend working on your case. Instead, you will pay the agreed-upon settlement percentage at the end of the case, regardless of how long they worked on it. After deducting their fee from a settlement or court award, your lawyer will write you a check for the remaining amount.
Your personal injury attorney has a strong financial interest in maximizing your settlement. If the attorney successfully recovers funds, the attorney's fee will increase proportionally.
Florida law allows accident victims to claim compensation under two broad categories: compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages are either economic or non-economic, while punitive damages serve as a punishment for gross misconduct like reckless driving or distracted driving.
These are expenses and cost directly related to the car crash. The most common economic damages are:
A seasoned Pompano Beach car accident lawyer understands the type of compensation you can seek under state law. They will work with you to help determine your financial losses. Economic losses usually vary based on the severity of injuries.
Non-economic damages cover losses from the accident that have no specific monetary value. They include:
Although non-economic damages are more difficult to prove, they are significant and deserve compensation.
If the court determines that the responsible party's reckless or negligent behavior significantly contributed to the accident, the court may award punitive damages to the accident victim. However, your lawyer can pursue punitive damages as compensation if the other driver was drunk or careless and caused your accident.
Florida's law caps punitive damages for auto accidents at $500,000 or three times the compensatory damages amount.
Accident victims may sustain severe injuries, like concussions and fractured bones, necessitating expensive medical care and weeks or months of rehabilitation. Losing a loved one in a car crash is even more difficult. If a loved one dies in a car crash, you might be eligible to file a wrongful death claim.
Although medical treatment is essential after an accident, you should contact a car accident attorney as soon as possible. If the at-fault driver has insurance coverage and the policy covers the incident's losses, the insurance company may compensate the victim for their expenses. Your lawyer can help you file for a personal injury case if the amount offered by the insurer is inadequate.
Seeking monetary awards for your damages can be challenging. Accident victims must first prove fault for the accident and the chain of events that led up to the collision. The plaintiff might also have to talk to the defendant's insurance company and possibly the defendant's lawyer. While settlements are possible in some personal injury cases, others require litigation in civil court.
An experienced Pompano Beach car accident lawyer will help you with:
Time is of the essence when filing personal injury lawsuits in Florida. The Florida statute of limitations for personal injury cases is four years. However, it would be best if you didn't wait more than a few weeks or months before scheduling your initial appointment with a Pompano Beach car accident lawyer. An experienced personal injury attorney will be available to answer your questions throughout your legal consultation. They can also help you estimate the value of your case.
Traffic accidents can be terrifying and overwhelming experiences. Having legal representation on your side increases your chance of recovering maximum compensation for your damages. Get in touch with our Pompano Beach car accident lawyers if you or a loved one suffered injuries in a Florida car crash. To help you understand their legal options, VG Law Group, LLP offers free consultations.
Call us today at 877-377-3584 to see if we can help.
