Auto accidents are a significant matter for all parties involved. When the accident involves a commercial truck, however, which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, it brings a whole new level of danger to the situation. Truck accidents can not only leave severe physical injuries that last long after the accident occurs, but they can also leave a devastating emotional and mental impact. That is why if you find yourself in the misfortune of being involved in this kind of accident, you need to get in contact with an experienced truck accident attorney.
Many individuals have concerns when considering the potential cost of hiring a truck accident attorney and what percentage of the payout will go to them. These concerns are valid. Generally, truck accident lawyers will earn between 33 – 40% of the settlement amount. With Broadwing Legal, you don’t have to wonder if you are in the best hands! We have a flat rate of 32%, we believe that you should not not pay excessive amounts for an attorney after a serious injury.
What is the Standard Contingency Fee for an Attorney?
The typical attorney fees for personal injury cases come from a contingency fee. As mentioned above, the standard contingency fee for a settlement can be anywhere from 33% to 40%. This means that the lawyer only gets paid if you win your case.
But along the way, you may incur fees for expenses like an expert witness testimony or accident reconstruction. The attorney usually covers these expenses during the case, but then once you win, these expenses would be paid out from the settlement. Therefore, if the case is not won, you could potentially have to pay those fees out of pocket. This is not the case for every law firm. At Broadwing Legal you never pay back those expenses unless we make a recovery on your behalf. Here is a brief list of other costs and expenses that could be deducted from your share of the settlement.
- Filing Fees
- Medical Records
- Police Reports
- Depositions
- Trial Exhibits
These are not all of the expenses that may stack up during a case. It is important that whomever you select to represent your case, they should lay out all of their expenses up front and cover what other expenses might take away from your final settlement amount.
Here is a simple settlement breakdown example to give you an idea of how the percentages could work. If you win a settlement where the payout is $100,000 and the contingency fee for your lawyer is one-third of the settlement, the lawyer would take home $33,000, expenses may be $8,000 and you would take the remaining $59,000.
These standard lawyer fees are not set in stone as you may be able to draw up what is called a “sliding scale agreement” depending on your lawyer. A “sliding scale agreement” defines that the contingency fee percentage would vary depending on what stage your case gets resolved. This could mean that the earlier your case gets settled, the closer the lawyer’s payout would be to the original 33% mark. However, if the case is settled after it goes to court, the fee could rise to 40% and in some cases, 50%. This is not a standard practice of every firm, so we recommend that you ask what their policies are regarding a “sliding scale” if that route fits your needs. It should be noted that a sliding scale agreement is not a practice that Broadwing performs, but we wanted to mention it as it is something many other firms do.
Broadwing Legal: Handle Your Case With Confidence
Here at Broadwing Legal, we understand the severity of truck accidents, and if you want to proceed with confidence, we are the partner for you. Many lawyers don’t understand the subtle differences between car and truck accidents, but Broadwing Legal is well-versed in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations, so we’ve got you covered. The big insurance companies have a lot of money that they will use to try and bury your case. It would be best to have someone who has your back, even after a settlement is reached.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a trucking accident, contact us anytime to schedule a free consultation. We are available to help 24/7!
