English 
Spanish Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, where a portion of their client’s settlement pays for their attorney’s fees. The percentage a lawyer withdraws depends on your case’s contractual obligations, and they’ll explain that arrangement at the beginning of your partnership.
There shouldn’t be any surprises when it comes to your lawyer’s fee arrangement. That’s one of the things we pride ourselves on at KJT Law Group. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency-fee-basis. You can consult with our team about your injury case today.
Details About Contingency-Fee Arrangements
When you hire a lawyer from our personal injury team, you won’t have to pay anything upfront. You won’t have to pay ongoing fees, retainers, or by-the-service rates. And if, for some reason, your lawyer doesn’t recover a settlement or verdict payout for you, you won’t pay anything at all.
For many clients, a contingency-fee-based arrangement is ideal because:
- They don’t incur any immediate legal expenses that could contribute to any financial hardships they already have. For instance, if you’re dealing with the aftermath of a serious car accident, you may feel stretched thin when it comes to money matters. Hiring a lawyer on contingency doesn’t add to that stress.
- There’s little risk in the arrangement. You don’t pay your lawyer for their time and efforts if your case doesn’t yield compensation.
- Their lawyer has an invested stake in the case’s outcome. After all, if the case doesn’t succeed, there’s no compensation from which a lawyer can draw their fees.
There could be other reasons why a contingency-fee arrangement appeals to you. Again, at the beginning of your partnership with a personal injury lawyer, they can explain their payment methods and what it means for your case.
You Get All of These Legal Services Without Paying Anything Upfront
You deserve fair compensation after suffering injuries due to another party’s negligence. With a contingency-fee arrangement, your lawyer can manage your case’s many obligations, including:
Determining Your Losses’ Value
As we’ll explain later on this page, you can secure both economic and non-economic damages in the aftermath of a personal injury. Your economic losses include your financial losses, and your non-economic damages refer to the accident’s effect on your life.
To calculate your financial damages, your lawyer will add up your receipts, bills, and other documents. Matters change when it comes to your non-economic damages, as these don’t come with price tags or receipts. Here, your lawyer assesses your situation, injury’s severity, and economic losses to learn what constitutes a fair settlement value.
Gathering Evidence to Support Your Injury Claim or Lawsuit
As an injured claimant, you must have evidence to assert your right to damages. A lawyer can serve as an investigator and gather the information needed to support your case. This information can include:
- The police report
- Accident reconstruction data
- Photos of the accident scene
- Videos of the accident, such as dashcam or security camera footage
- Black box data
- Your medical treatment records
- Testimony from eyewitnesses and third-party field consultants
Proving Negligence
With the information your lawyer finds, they must prove the other party’s negligence. This involves validating these four factors:
- The other party owed you a duty of care. This means the law expected them to act in a reasonable manner that wouldn’t endanger others.
- The other party acted recklessly. For instance, a motorist who speeds violates their duty of care because they risk injuring others.
- The other party caused your accident and injuries.
- As a result of getting injured, you have various losses, including medical bills and pain and suffering.
Negotiating With the Liable Insurer
Many personal injury claimants recover compensation through negotiated settlements. However, this involves more than asking the liable insurer for more money. It involves:
- Understanding your damages’ value
- Protecting you from bad faith insurance practices
- Reviewing the liable policy
- Learning how your accident happened
- Consulting with experts on your damages’ value
How long negotiations take depend on many factors, including the insurer’s willingness to settle.
Filing a Lawsuit Against the At-Fault Party
With a lawyer, filing a lawsuit doesn’t have to feel intimidating. That’s because they can handle everything, such as:
- Taking depositions
- Looking for contradictions in witnesses’ testimony
- Filing your case and its paperwork
- Arguing for financial justice in court
- Assisting with jury selection
- Cross-examining witnesses
Your legal team may take on obligations not listed here. Their services depend on the nature of your accident and the details of your case.
What Damages Can I Get for a California Personal Injury Case?
Depending on the nature of your personal injury case, your lawyer could secure:
- Medical expenses, including future expenses (like ones for physical therapy)
- Property expenses (such as repairing a damaged vehicle)
- Lost wages and lost wage-earning ability
- Disability and disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Mental suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Loss of consortium
You can also recover damages if you lost a loved one. In that situation, compensable losses could include pre-death pain and suffering, final healthcare expenses, and funeral costs.
You Have a Limited Time to Seek Damages Through Litigation
CCP § 335.1 restricts how long you have to file a lawsuit after suffering an injury in California. Generally, you have two years from the date of your accident or loved one’s passing to seek damages. Failure to comply with this deadline could invalidate your right to compensation.
While you may have concerns about affording a lawyer, you can put those worries aside with a contingency fee arrangement. In addition to building your case, your lawyer can comply with all state-mandated deadlines––all at no upfront cost.
Learn More About What Percentage Lawyers Take for Personal Injury in California
To learn more about contingency-fee-based arrangements, feel free to consult with KJT Law Group today. During your free consultation, we can discuss multiple aspects of your case, including what damages you want to recover. Call now at to get started.
