Cost of Hiring a Phoenix, AZ Car Accident Lawyer

how much do lawyers charge for a car accident claim?

A motor vehicle accident can be extremely stressful and leave you with physical and emotional injuries. With everything a collision victim might be facing, it is beneficial for most to seek legal help rather than try to handle their claims on their own. What makes far too many hesitate to hire a car accident lawyer, though, is the fear of how much legal services may cost

Since each car accident claim is unique, there is no set amount that lawyers charge for each case. The fees personal injury attorneys charge for a car accident case depend on a variety of factors. Understanding how personal injury lawyer fee structures work can help you select the right law firm to represent your car accident case. 

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident caused by someone else, having an experienced lawyer can greatly improve your chances of being awarded the maximum compensation possible for your claim. At Phillips Law Group, we offer all potential clients a free, no-obligation review of their cases. Schedule yours today by calling us or completing the evaluation form

Car Accident Lawyer Fee Agreement

You may be hesitant to hire a lawyer because you are worried about having to pay an upfront fee. However, this is not usually the case. 

Personal injury lawyer fees can be structured in the following ways:

  • Flat fee: This is a fixed rate that your lawyer will charge regardless of how long the case takes or the outcome
  • Hourly fee: Your lawyer charges a set fee for every hour spent working on your case
  • Contingency fee: Your lawyer is paid a percentage of the settlement you are awarded

Phillips Law Group takes personal injury cases on a contingency fee agreement. You never have to pay upfront and we only get paid out of the final settlement if we win your case. 

Contingency Fee Arrangement Agreement Explained

The contingency fee arrangement for hiring a car accident lawyer is beneficial for clients who, like most people, do not have thousands of extra dollars lying around to spend on upfront legal costs. Car accident lawyers who work on contingency do not get paid unless your case is successful and you receive compensation. Your lawyer will then receive a percentage of your recovery. 

Here is a brief explanation of how the fee arrangement works at Phillips Law Group:

  • Your initial consultation is free. It is recommended that all car accident victims at least consult a lawyer to discuss their cases and receive legal advice. We offer all potential clients a free, no-obligation case consultation. 
  • You pay no upfront costs. We will assess your car accident case and determine whether you have a valid claim to compensation. If you decide to hire our law firm, we will diligently begin working on your case without any upfront cost to you. 
  • We are paid a percentage of your settlement. You will not pay anything until your case concludes and you are awarded a settlement. We will then charge a percentage of the settlement amount you receive. If, for some reason, you do not receive compensation, we will not charge you.

Average Contingency Fees for Car Accident Lawyers

You might be thinking the contingency fee agreement sounds great so far, but how much do personal injury lawyers actually charge in a car accident case? Typically, the contingency fee is a percentage of your overall award or settlement amount. The percentage ranges from 30 to 40 percent, with most fees being around 33 percent. 

When you choose Phillips Law Group to represent you, you can be assured that we will be open and honest with you about our fees. Transparency is key. We will explain our fee structure to you and answer any questions you have before you sign documents hiring us as your lawyers.

Factors That May Affect How Much the Contingency Fee Percentage

Often, the timeline of a car accident case determines how high or low a contingency fee percentage will be. A personal injury lawyer may charge a higher percentage for a case that is more complicated to settle. 

For example, a car accident lawyer may charge a client 33 percent of the settlement if the case can be resolved without filing a lawsuit. If the case needs to go further, though, the fee may increase to 40 percent. The increase is meant to account for the additional time, effort, and expense that the law firm puts into your claim. 

Additional Fees That Are Common With Car Accident Claims

Some car accident claims are complicated and difficult to resolve. Many people do not realize the amount of work that goes into each of these cases. It takes time, money, and diligence to thoroughly investigate a car accident, determine liability, speak with experts, and collect evidence. 

Your lawyer and the support staff will need to make calls, draft and file documents, send letters, and consider strategies. The legal team working for you will need to take the time to delve into the specifics of your injury and damages to ensure they accurately calculate the value of your claim. Negotiations with the insurance company can take many months, as can preparing for trial. 

Costs that go into building a solid car accident claim may include:

  • Filing fees
  • Postage fees
  • Fees for obtaining copies of police reports and medical records
  • Cost of hiring investigators
  • Cost of consulting with field experts
  • Cost of attending negotiation meetings
  • Cost of conducting depositions
  • Cost of preparing trial exhibits

When personal injury lawyers take on a case, they may perform all of the above work without any guarantee of payment. They want to win, though. The costs and expenses that go into building your case may be deducted from your settlement or award, just like the contingency fee. 

How Soon Should You Contact a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

At Phillips Law Group, we understand that a motor vehicle accident is a stressful experience. You may be injured and the last thing on your mind might be calling a lawyer. However, the sooner you contact an attorney after a car accident, the greater the chance you will have of recovering maximum compensation. 

It is recommended that you contact a lawyer as soon as possible after a car crash. The longer you wait to hire legal help, the more likely that valuable evidence will be lost or destroyed. On the other hand, contacting a law firm sooner means your legal team can begin working on your car accident claim before evidence degrades and the statute of limitations runs out.  

The statute of limitations regulates how long anyone has to file a claim or lawsuit after an injury. This limit varies from state to state. Contact Phillips Law Group to learn more about this.

Schedule a Free Consultation With a Car Accident Lawyer Today

Phillips Law Group handles motor vehicle accident claims on a contingency fee basis because we want to help victims get their lives back on track. The contingency fee arrangement benefits car accident victims who are dealing with problems, such as medical bills and being unable to return to work. 

Having to pay legal fees upfront would deter many individuals from filing a car accident lawsuit and receiving the compensation they are entitled to receive. When a law firm takes cases on contingency, though, the financial obstacle is removed. More people can have access to legal guidance and representation. 

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, our law firm is here to help. At Phillips Law Group, we offer all potential clients a free, no-obligation review of their cases. Schedule yours today by calling us or completing the evaluation form

how much will it cost to hire a car accident attorney?

Contingency fee arrangements are the standard payment arrangement between car accident attorneys and their clients. With such an arrangement, you do not have to pay any upfront costs or fees to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you. Your lawyer is only paid if your case is successful and when you receive compensation. 

If you or someone you love has been harmed in a motor vehicle accident, it is recommended to consult a personal injury lawyer before accepting a settlement from the insurance company. First of all, you want to make sure the amount you get is fair. And a car accident attorney can improve your odds of recovering the maximum for all harm and property damage resulting from the collision. 

At Phillips Law Group, we take car accident cases on contingency. Contact our law firm today to schedule a free case consultation. During your session with us, you can learn more about how a car accident lawyer can help you and about the fees you can expect to pay if your case is won.  

A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Actually Save You Money

Every crash makes its economic impact. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, motor vehicle accidents in 2021 cost over $20 billion statewide. 

If you have suffered serious injuries in an auto accident, you may be facing various financial challenges yourself, such as medical bills and lost wages. When you team up with an experienced personal injury lawyer, he can help you recover compensation for those losses. 

You may be entitled to damages for:

Your car accident lawyer will handle all negotiations with the insurance company. Dealing with the negligent driver’s insurer can be stressful. The insurance company may try to deny your claim or use bad faith practices in an attempt to derail your claim. Your attorney, though, will know how to counteract these unscrupulous tactics. 

In some situations, the insurance company may not deny your claim but the adjuster will try to pressure you into accepting a low settlement offer. Keep in mind that once you officially accept an offer from the insurer, you forfeit your right to pursue additional compensation later on.

It is seldom recommended to accept the first settlement offer you receive from the insurance company, especially if you do not yet know the full extent of your injuries. An experienced personal injury lawyer, though, has the know-how you need. He or she can make sure the settlement you receive covers not only current medical bills but also any future medical treatments you may require. 

Why You Should Hire a Lawyer After an Arizona Car Accident

The days and weeks following a serious motor vehicle accident can be overwhelming and stressful. At this time, you need all the support you can get.

Consider just some of the many reasons why hiring a car accident lawyer is in your best interests:

  • Maximize your payout: Your lawyer will fight to recover maximum compensation for your medical expenses and other losses
  • Build your legal case: Your lawyer will investigate the facts and circumstances of your accident and establish liability
  • Manage your claim: While you are recovering from your injuries, your lawyer will communicate with the other party, vendors, the insurance company, and all law firms involved
  • Meet all deadlines: An attorney can ensure that you meet all filing deadlines and do not miss out on your right to compensation because the statute of limitations on your case has run out
  • Protect your rights: Your car accident lawyer will make sure that you are not taken advantage of by the greedy insurance company and that you get the full amount of damages that you are entitled to receive

The Cost of Hiring a Lawyer After a Car Accident

Most car accident lawyers in Arizona use one of three major types of fee structures. The fee structure used by your attorney will determine how much legal representation is going to cost you. 

The following is a brief explanation of each fee structure:

  • Contingency fees: The majority of law firms take car accident cases on a contingency fee arrangement. Basically, you will pay your lawyer a percentage of your settlement or jury verdict once your claim is successfully resolved. Contingency fees in Arizona typically range from 30 to 40 percent. 
  • Hourly fees: Some lawyers will charge you a predetermined rate for every hour that they work on your claim. Unlike a contingency fee, you will have to pay the hourly rate whether or not your case is successful. 
  • Flat rate: There are also lawyers who charge a flat fee for services provided in car accident cases. Generally, flat fees are only charged in easy cases that will not need to be taken to court. 

Our Law Firm Takes Car Accident Cases On Contingency 

The personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group take all car accident cases on a contingency fee basis. In other words, the service fees are only owed if you win your case and you get paid. This takes all risk away from hiring a car accident lawyer since you will not have to pay if your case is unsuccessful. 

Another bonus is that our law firm values open and honest communication with our clients. When you work with us, our attorneys will make sure that all expenses and charges that may arise from the case are explained to you at the start. We will not proceed on your behalf until you clearly understand and agree to the fee arrangement and all involved costs. 

Before you agree to hire our law firm and we begin working on your case, we will present you with a fee agreement. It will outline how much you will owe your car accident attorney if you win and explain:

  1. The percentage of a verdict or settlement your lawyer will take for his services
  2. Any additional fees you will be required to pay out of the settlement amount, including but not limited to:
    1. Filing fees
    2. Fees for obtaining copies of medical records
    3. Expert witness fees. 

The Benefits of a Contingency Fee Arrangement

A contingency fee arrangement is beneficial to car accident victims in various ways:

  • It motivates your lawyer: Since the attorney’s fee is directly related to how successful the case is, attorneys working on contingency fees are highly motivated to receive maximum compensation for their clients
  • It removes the risk to you: Since you do not pay unless you win, you can hire a lawyer risk-free
  • It gives you access to legal counsel: Since the client does not have to pay any upfront fees, all accident victims are eligible to receive knowledgeable and experienced legal representation regardless of their financial situation

Discuss Your Case With an Arizona Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a family member has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you should not have to pay the price for someone else’s negligence. The personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group are here to help. There is no cost to you to discuss your case with us. 

Our law firm has been handling car accidents and other personal injury cases in Arizona for almost 30 years. We have recovered over $1 billion in compensation on behalf of our clients over the decades, and each case started with a free initial consultation.

You too can obtain legal advice and an honest case assessment, without any cost or obligation, from an experienced and dedicated member of our legal team. Call us now or fill out our free case evaluation form