How Much Does It Cost to Hire an 18-Wheeler Truck Attorney?

All you need to know on how much to pay the best injury lawyers, while spending nothing upfront

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO HIRING 18-WHEELER LAWYERS

Usually, there are no up-front costs involved in hiring truck accident lawyers. As a result, retaining an experienced 18-wheeler truck attorney to fight for compensation on your behalf will cost essentially nothing initially. 

Instead, your attorney will work on what is referred to as a contingency fee arrangement. This arrangement means that the attorney will only collect a fee if they make a positive recovery on your claims. 

Essentially, if you don’t win, they don’t get paid either. This works great for you, as you don’t have to worry about paying attorney fees out of pocket, and it also gives your attorney a strong incentive to get you the results you need. 

If you’re not entirely sure what a contingency fee arrangement is and how it works, you’ll find all you need here. In this article, we’ll explain: 

  • What a contingency fee arrangement is and how it works 
  • Why it makes the most to sense for you work with an attorney on this basis 
  • How much bang you can expect for your buck

What is a contingency fee arrangement? 

A contingent fee is one that is only paid when a specific outcome is achieved. In a contingency fee arrangement, a lawyer agrees to only collect a fee when the case is won and a recovery obtained. How much the lawyer collects as their fee is dependent on the outcome of the case. 

The arrangement is commonly used in personal injury cases, and the reason for this is simple. Personal injury cases, like truck accidents, often happen out of the blue. Nobody is prepared for them, financially, psychologically or emotionally. 

As a result, when these accidents happen, handling the significant costs of medical treatment, alongside attorney fees and litigation costs, can be challenging. For clients in this position, the contingency fee arrangement enables easy access to legal representation without undue financial stress. 

Although the arrangement might seem like a high risk for the lawyer, it makes sense for both parties eventually. The arrangement lets you access legal services without having to pay attorney fees upfront, and provides an incentive for the lawyer to seek the highest settlement within the shortest timeframe. 

How does it work? 

In a contingency fee arrangement, the actual amount that your truck accident attorney collects depends on how much they recover for you. The fee is usually calculated as a percentage of the total recovery for the client, often 1/3 or 33% of the recovery. 

For instance, if your lawyer makes a recovery of $100,000 in a truck accident injury claim, they collect about $33,000 off the top while the rest is yours. 

This percentage is just an example though. In practice, truck accident lawyers may collect varying percentages, ranging from 20% to 40%, depending on:

  • The complexity and risk of your case: A case involving a high degree of complexity and risk may require you to pay a higher percentage of the recovery.  
  • Who pays litigation costs: There are usually costs involved in processing personal injury claims, including court and filing fees. Some attorneys may agree to pay these on your behalf. If this is the case, they will be entitled to reimbursement or a higher percentage from the recovery amount. 
  • How litigation costs will be paid: Litigation costs may be paid before the lawyer removes their fee, or after. 
  • Local attorney rules regulating contingency fee arrangements: Some states limit the amount that a lawyer can charge in a contingency fee arrangement. 

Can you just go ahead and settle the case yourself? 

Legally, nothing prevents you from doing this. It’s your claim after all, and you can choose to pursue it by yourself if that’s what you want. However, attempting to settle the case by yourself may be a bad idea as you may: 

  • Miss out on material facts: When a truck accident happens, the circumstances usually involve material facts that will make your claim more valuable. But it can be very easy to miss these if you don’t know what you’re looking for. 
  • Short-change yourself: Trucking companies and their insurers will ordinarily do whatever they can to minimize your claim or deny it outright. If they’re offering you a sum out of hand, you can be sure your claim is worth at least 3 times more. 
  • Lose right to better compensation later: If you do settle the claim by yourself, you will be required to sign documentation that bars your right to further relief. This means even if you discover that you were under-compensated, you lose the right to complain about this. 
  • Miss out on payment entirely: Trucking companies and their insurers are not always known for upstanding conduct. They may decide to use delay tactics to stall your claim and try to avoid paying you. Without expert help, it can be very difficult to combat this. 
  • Lose the benefit of essentially free, game-changing experience: Insurers do not like to deal with lawyers for a very simple reason: you’re likely to recover much more with a truck accident lawyer. If you choose to settle the case by yourself, you lose the benefit of a skilled attorney’s experience. 

Really, to be certain that you have the best shot at recovering the compensation you deserve, you should work with an experienced 18-wheeler truck attorney. 

What will your truck accident lawyers do for you? 

When you choose to work with a truck accident lawyer instead, you stand better chances of making a positive recovery. Under the contingency fee arrangement, you can expect that lawyer to do the following for you: 

  • Free consultation: Most 18-wheeler truck attorneys offer free initial consultations. They will meet with you and, after reviewing your case, advise on if they can help you recover compensation and the next steps for you. 
  • Help you obtain medical treatment: Certain attorneys can help you access medical treatment at far reduced rates or even at no up-front costs. Speak with your attorney to learn if they can do this for you. 
  • Investigate and strengthen your claim: Your truck accident attorney will listen carefully to your case and thoroughly investigate the facts. This will help them identify the true facts and what evidence you need to present a strong claim. 
  • Communicate with the other party and their insurer: Communicating with insurance companies will be tricky if you’re doing it by yourself. This is because they are very experienced and know what to say to trick you and minimize your claim. But your attorney will carry out this communication on your behalf. 
  • Fight on your behalf to obtain a fair recovery: Experienced truck accident attorneys understand how to deal with trucking companies and their insurers. They will fight on your behalf to ensure you receive the maximum amount in compensation that you deserve. 

Let a truck accident lawyer help you recover

Having someone fight exclusively for you after an 18-wheeler truck accident is both reassuring and crucial to your chances of recovery. If you or a loved one suffered injury in a truck accident, contact an experienced truck accident lawyer today. It won’t cost you a dime. 



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