How much do lawyers take from settlement?

Many US residents fail to seek legal help for compensation in case of injuries or pain incurred due to negligent behaviors from other parties because they wonder how much do lawyers take from settlement and believe that the costs of hiring an attorney would be out of their budget. Many also believe their funds wouldn’t be enough for legal fees. However, a seasoned attorney will usually work on a contingency fee and take a percentage from the final settlement, this includes all the costs and expenses. They may even refrain from taking a legal fee if a settlement is not secured.

What does contingency fee mean?

In most cases, the lawyers charge a contingency fee. A contingency fee allows you to have an agreement with your attorney where he or she would only get paid once you have received compensation through the settlement or judgment from the court of law in a personal injury case.

A contingency fee is payable only after you receive a monetary settlement in your case or win the trial against the other party that caused the injury. Simply put, a lawyer receives the contingency fee only if the client receives an amount for compensation. In most cases, a percentage fee is negotiated before the case is taken to court and proper agreement papers are signed by the client and attorney beforehand.

Is a contingency fee agreement important?

Contingency fee agreements are important in personal injury cases as it makes it more accessible to seek monetary compensation in such cases. Let’s say an Alabama resident who has been in an accident hires an attorney to help seek the settlement, doesn’t have to pay the legal fee in case the attorney is unable to secure a settlement for him or her.  If a settlement is secured for you, then the lawyer can take home the agreed-upon percentage as his/her charges for managing the case.

What amount will I get as a settlement?

How much you receive in your final settlement varies from one state to another. Moreover, mental suffering and trauma caused in lieu of a personal injury are normally not recognized, however, a skilled lawyer would be able to build up a case that damages mental health measures for compensation.

The settlement amount results from the two types of calculations that are determined by the court or negotiators. The following methods to calculate a settlement amount for your personal injury are:

• multiplier method
• the “per diem” approach

Calculating the settlement amount through the Multiplier method

When talking about the multiplier method, it means that during your personal injury, the amount that your insurance company would have borne along with your lost income would be multiplied by a certain number to compensate you for the loss of your quality of life due to the injury. However, the number of multiplication solely depends on the scale of 1-5 and the severity of your injury. For example, per se, you get hit by a car and you break your neck.

Now your attorney would demand the money that your medical insurance paid, let’s assume it, $8000. Apart from that, because you were severely injured and weren’t able to go to work, you lost your income, which was around $1500. His would-be added up, which makes it $9500.

Now your attorney won’t just demand $9500, instead, he/she will see your situation and per se, you were too weak to carry out your house chores and complete other regular activities. Which makes your situation 3.5 on a scale of 1-5. Now your attorney would multiply those $9500 with 3.5, which makes $33250 from the opposite party. Not only this includes the amount that you lost and what your insurance company paid, but also the compensation for your sufferings as well.

This is how your attorney would calculate your settlement via the multiplier method.

Calculating settlement amount via Per Diem method

Derived from Latin, the phrase Per Diem means “per day” or “each day.” In legal terminology, is the calculation of injuries and your measurable losses per day. Let’s say, if your lawyer puts up the argument your daily wages are $300 and you have suffered this loss for 90 days as this is the period you have not been able to work, the total damages to be claimed would amount to  $27,000. However, a legitimate explanation must be provided for claiming this number.

The Per Diem method might sound like an easier option, but when it comes to loss of income in the long term, it is not very feasible for you. For example, it will determine the lost wages, and cover your physical pain and injury but it wouldn’t compensate for the trauma, especially if you have suffered a traumatic injury that has resulted in delayed recovery. It will not cover the anguish, anxiety, and stress that you have suffered because of the personal injury.

Having a lawyer by your side is extremely important when you want to calculate and choose the method for your injury claim. Legal jargon can be quite mind-boggling, and a professional and seasoned personal injury attorney can help you determine what is the best course of action for you.

Whether you use the multiplier method or choose the easier Per Diem method or even opt for some other way to determine how much pain and difficulty you have suffered, it should be determined and finalized with a mutual consensus of you and your lawyer. No matter what agreement you settle upon, the focus should be on your needs. This calculation must fit your needs post-accident and strengthen your case as all the other costs and fees will also be retrieved from this amount. So, it is best to come up with a claim that would leave you enough to cover damages after all the deductions. This is in the best interest of the lawyer as well because it will also determine how much the lawyer would take from the settlement.

How much do lawyers take from settlement?

An attorney takes a mutually agreed-upon percentage from the final settlement. Usually, it is one-third or thirty-three percent of your recovered compensation that the court determines via an agreement signed by all parties involved. Each injury case is different from the other, therefore, there is no average settlement.

Complexity and risks associated with a case may also affect the contingency fee. If there is high risk and complexity, an attorney may request a higher contingency fee and you may have to pay 35% to 40%. On the contrary, if it is a simple case that would end up in settlement instead of a trial may allow you to settle upon a lower contingency fee – around 20% to 25% of the final settlement.

The average contingency fee is around 33% most of the time. For instance, if the final settlement is $50,000, the lawyer will take home $16,500 from this amount.

When will the lawyer release the settlement check?

Once the final settlement has been made, the check is sent to the attorney. Until the bank clears the amount, it will be managed by an escrow or a trust. It usually takes a period of 3 -10 business days depending on the sum of money.

Though, if the attorney has put up an argument for coverage of medical bills or liens by the settlement, it may take longer for the plaintiff to receive the claim. It is best if you discuss these formalities with your attorney and be aware of when and how you will receive the settlement check. All in all, the check will be handed over to you, once all the deductions are deducted.