How Can I Afford to Pay for a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Simply put, a personal injury lawyer gives you the best chance to obtain the compensation you need and deserve.

Being unsure of how you can afford to pay for a personal injury lawsuit is a difficult situation. It is not fun to be hurt by someone else’s actions. The emotional strain of any injury is significant. The strain can be even worse after a traumatic event caused by someone else. After accounting for medical care costs, the strain of a personal injury can become much worse. 

After paying your medical bills, your pocketbook may be hurting already. You may have even missed time at work due to the injury, which worsens any financial pain. The thought of paying a lawyer to help you get the compensation you deserve can be daunting. 

You are entitled to compensation from the person who caused your injury. Obtaining proper compensation, however, can itself seem like a difficult and expensive task. While it may seem scary, getting adequate compensation with a lawyer’s help is doable, smart, and doesn’t need to cause more stress in your life. In most cases, a South Carolina personal injury lawyer will offer their services in a way that is affordable to all injured parties. Many lawyers also provide free consultations.

What is a Contingency Fee?

One way personal injury lawyers ensure their services are accessible to all is through contingency fees. A contingency fee is a fee charged by a lawyer that depends (or is contingent) on whether the lawyer wins the case and gets you compensation. In other words, if your lawyer does not get you compensation, you do not owe them any money. Most often, a contingency fee is a fixed percentage of a final settlement. 

Contingency fees help relieve a lot of the stress surrounding filing a personal injury lawsuit. First, the stress associated with how you will pay for a lawyer is taken care of straight away. On top of that, knowing that your lawyer is working based on a contingency fee should bolster your confidence that your lawyer is doing everything they can to win your case. After all, they will only get paid if they are successful with your claim.

Would I Have More Money Left Over if I Pursue the Claim Myself?

People often wonder if they would be better off financially if they represented themself in their personal injury claim. Most of the time, the answer is “no,” you will not have more money left over if you pursue a personal injury claim yourself. Of course, after settling the claim, you will not have to pay a contingency fee to a lawyer if you represent yourself. However, there are hidden costs in representing yourself that can easily exceed the price of a lawyer.

If you represent yourself, the final amount of compensation you receive may be substantially less than it would be if a lawyer were representing you. First, you do not have the experience that a personal injury lawyer has. Without prior experience with court filings, you might miss a procedural deadline or other key detail that completely derails your compensation.

Aside from procedural mistakes that can jeopardize your compensation claim entirely, you might make mistakes in calculating the total cost of compensation you deserve unless you are a personal injury lawyer yourself. For example, you may not know how to put a value on your pain and suffering or how best to document it.

Finally, the opposing party’s legal counsel can exploit your lack of experience in negotiations. Nobody wants to be taken advantage of. Sadly, many injured parties that represent themselves in the claims process are taken advantage of by the opposing party.

How Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Help?

Hiring a personal injury lawyer may seem daunting, but it does not have to be this way. Thanks to contingency fees and free consultations, personal injury lawyers are accessible to everyone. 

A personal injury lawyer will help you by being your advocate. Your lawyer will listen to your story to understand the pain and suffering you have experienced. Your lawyer will have a general idea of what future costs, pain, and suffering your specific injury may cause, thanks to their experience in the field. Your lawyer’s understanding of your injury and prior experience with personal injury claims helps ensure there are no nasty surprises in store for you.

Simply put, a personal injury lawyer gives you the best chance to obtain the compensation you need and deserve. Thankfully, hiring a personal injury is affordable for everyone.