How Much Does a Long Island Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?

If you were injured in an accident in New York, you might consider hiring a personal injury lawyer to help you pursue a compensation claim. You might also be worried about how much it will cost to hire a skilled lawyer to represent you. Fortunately, most personal injury lawyers offer compensation arrangements that allow accident victims to afford the cost of counsel, which can help them secure a financial recovery for their injuries and losses.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Long Island, NY?

Almost all personal injury lawyers represent accident victims on what is known as a contingency fee basis. In a contingency fee arrangement, the client is not required to pay any money upfront to hire a personal injury lawyer. In addition, the lawyer does not charge the client an hourly fee for their services.

Instead, the lawyer only earns fees if they recover compensation for their client, either through a settlement or by winning a verdict in the client’s favor at trial. If the lawyer does not obtain any money on the client’s behalf, the client will not have to pay the personal injury lawyer’s fees.

When a personal injury lawyer recovers compensation for the client, they take a percentage of the client’s total recovery as the legal fee. The lawyer and client will agree on the percentage at the start of the relationship in a fee agreement. In New York, the most common fee arrangement for a personal injury case is for the lawyer to charge a fee of 1/3 (33.33%) of the settlement amount. In medical malpractice cases, there is a reduced fee with a more complicated formula known as the “sliding scale.”

How Are Expenses Covered in a Personal Injury Case?

A fee agreement should also discuss who will pay for expenses and when. Pursuing any personal injury case will require expenses such as the following:

• Deposition fees
• Expert witnesses
• Medical exams and testing
• Private investigators
• Court filing fees

These costs are customarily paid for by the lawyer or law firm. In most cases, NY personal injury lawyers deduct the expenses from the client’s recovery and subtract their contingency fee percentage from the settlement (or verdict) amount.

The client may be required to pay for certain costs related to their injury cases, such as co-pays and other medical visit costs or printing fees for copies of medical records. Those costs may not be considered when calculating fees after receiving a settlement or court judgment.

Is There a Typical or Maximum Amount a Personal Injury Lawyer Will Charge?

In New York, personal injury lawyers fee arrangements are governed by the state legislature. Customarily, a personal injury attorney will charge a fee of 1/3 (33.33%) of the client’s total recovery as their legal fee. In medical malpractice cases, attorneys will use a reduced “sliding scale” instead.

If you have more questions about the cost to hire a lawyer in New York, contact Finz & Finz, P.C. today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let us help you understand the personal injury claims process and how we can help you get the financial recovery you need and deserve.