Getting injured in an auto accident in Atlanta could be a traumatic experience. Car crashes and accidents caused by drivers’ negligence are not uncommon in Georgia. Fortunately, this is a fault state, which means that the at-fault driver is liable for your losses and injuries. You could recover a settlement for your damages, which will cover medical bills, future treatment costs, and income losses. For that, hiring an auto accident attorney Atlanta GA is necessary. While the law allows you to file your claim or lawsuit, it is hard to deny the value of legal advice and representation. People often don’t hire lawyers in Atlanta because they are worried about the costs. How much does it take to avail legal advice for accident cases? We have an overview below for your help!
No upfront fee – Pay if you win!
For the uninitiated, injury lawyers in Georgia generally take a contingency fee instead of charging an hourly rate. The contingency fee is a percentage of the final compensation received. For instance, if you win $10,000 in a settlement and the lawyer’s fee is 30%, you will eventually get $7,000. That may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that the lawyer only gets paid if you get a settlement from the other side. In other words, there is no upfront fee. If you don’t get anything after all the work, your lawyer cannot ask for a fee. This arrangement differs from the retainer fee or hourly rates that family or criminal lawyers charge.
How much is the contingency fee?
Accident lawyers can charge anywhere from 25% to 40% as their contingency fee. The fee depends on many factors. For instance, if an attorney has years of experience fighting accident lawsuits, they may charge more than an average injury lawyer. Also, some accident cases are often complex and hard to investigate. If there is more work involved, the lawyer may charge more. However, you should consider discussing the attorney’s fee in advance. There could be other expenses, but your attorney could help you sort these costs. If the expected settlement is high enough, your lawyer can advance the expenses until you get paid.
As you have guessed by now, hiring an attorney after your accident in Atlanta doesn’t have to be about big budgets. Having an attorney certainly increases your chances of winning a fair settlement, especially if you are not at fault for the accident in any manner.
