If you have been involved in a truck accident, you may be facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, pain, suffering, and a feeling of hopelessness about your future as you think about how your injuries will impact your life. While you know that you should file a claim to recover damages–and maybe know that working with an attorney can help you to recover the amount you deserve–you may nonetheless be on the fence about working with a legal professional. Indeed, many people hesitate to hire a lawyer because they worry that it is too expensive to do so. Before you hire a truck accident attorney in Vermont or New Hampshire, it’s very important to understand how truck accident attorneys charge, what you will be expected to pay, and how the process works. Consider the following overview about how much it costs to hire a truck accident lawyer, and please reach out to our Vermont and New Hampshire truck accident attorneys at the office of Sabbeth Law if you have questions that are specific to your case–
Fees in a Truck Accident Case
First, it’s important to know what types of fees are usually incurred in a truck accident claim. Common fees include, but are not limited to:
- Experts fees;
- Fees for an investigation;
- Document filing fees;
- Document request fees;
- Court fees;
- Administration expenses;
- Deposition costs; and
- More.
Of course, these fees do not include the value of the actual damages you’ve suffered, such as medical expenses and lost wages, which are sure to outweigh any fees you might incur. No matter what, you will never be charged for fees by Sabbeth Law unless they win your case.
How Does a Truck Accident Attorney Charge?
When you are searching for a truck accident attorney, you should never choose an attorney that charges you hourly or asks for a retainer fee. These types of fee schedules are common in criminal and family law cases, but not in personal injury cases. Instead, you should always choose an attorney that works on a contingency fee basis.
What Is a Contingency Fee Basis?
When an attorney works on a contingency fee basis, this means that their fee is contingent, or dependent, on their client’s case being successful. Rather than paying the attorney an upfront or hourly fee, you and the attorney will enter into an agreement at the beginning of your case about how the attorney will be paid and when. This agreement will specify that if the attorney is able to recover a settlement on your behalf, then you will owe them a percentage of your winnings. This percentage varies depending on the attorney and whether or not your case goes to trial, but usually starts around 33 percent. This means that rather than paying your attorney out of pocket, you will pay the attorney out of your winnings. If you don’t recover anything, then you won’t owe the attorney a cent.
In addition to not having to pay your attorney out of pocket, it’s also important to note that an attorney is often able to front many of the fees listed above so that you don’t have to pay those initially, either. Sabbeth Law always puts these expenses up for its clients, no matter how expensive.
What’s more, an attorney may be able to negotiate some fees and other expenses in your case. For example, an attorney may be able to negotiate with a hospital or doctor to have some of your medical bills forgiven.
Is Hiring an Attorney Really Worth it?
One way to think about hiring an attorney is that you don’t really have much to lose by doing so; in fact, the opposite is true. Because you won’t owe an attorney anything unless your case is won, you don’t have to worry about incurring excessive fees. On the other hand, if you don’t have an attorney working on your case, you may be at an increased risk of losing your case or being offered a settlement that is far less than what you deserve. Working with a lawyer, especially when your damages are severe, is always a good choice.
Call Our Truck Accident Attorneys Today
Our law firm primarily focuses on trucking and commercial motor vehicle cases. We are associated with the Association of Truck Accident Lawyers, AAJ Trucking Litigation Group, and we were recently selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top Truck Accident Lawyers. We always try to beat insurance adjusters to the scene of an accident, bring in the best experts from around the nation, and believe we were built for these types of cases. What’s more, we have recovered seven- and eight-figure results on our clients’ behalf, and will always travel to you. To learn more and to schedule your free consultation, please call us directly today.