After being involved in an 18-wheeler accident, many injury victims find themselves facing mounting medical bills and other expenses. They may be having difficulty finding a way to meet their regular expenses due to the time they are forced to take off work.
Accepting the first offer of a settlement check can be very tempting, but what if that offer isn’t enough? If you are already falling behind financially, you may wonder if you can afford an attorney and how much a truck accident lawyer will cost.
If you are considering whether you can recover the true value of the losses you suffered from a truck accident, an attorney may be able to offer the help you need. A personal injury attorney generally does not charge upfront, and the benefit of having legal representation will often outweigh the cost.
What Is a Contingency Fee?
Most personal injury lawyers who represent injury victims in truck accident cases will charge on a contingency fee basis. This means that no payment is collected for the attorney’s services until the case is resolved either through a settlement agreement or a court award.
The attorney’s fees are agreed upon upfront, and can be anywhere between 33 ⅓
to 40% of the financial compensation you collect. The percentage the attorney charges will likely depend on the complexity of the case.
When a lawyer accepts a case on a contingency, it means that the lawyer is taking on all the risk and will not collect anything if the case is lost. This is the common payment arrangement for a majority of personal injury lawyers. It allows the already cash-strapped injury victim access to legal representation without adding further financial burden.
What Is the Difference Between Contingency and Hourly?
Some lawyers may agree to take your case on an hourly basis. This means you pay for every hour the attorney spends on your case, including phone calls, filings, depositions, negotiations, and everything else that is necessary to attend to the legal details of the case. In a truck accident case, you are likely to be better off with a contingency fee.
It should be noted that in a contingency arrangement, your lawyer takes on all the expenses for the duration of the case. This can include paying filing fees, expert witness fees, court fees, and other associated costs.
Some attorneys will take their percentage before those fees are deducted from your payment, but some will not. It’s important to inquire about how these kinds of expenses will be handled and get them in writing upfront.
Is Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer Really Worth It?
It’s easy to debate whether the cost of a lawyer is worth the expense, but it’s important to know what the lawyer actually does for your case before you make a judgment call. One of the most important things to consider is that when you have a lawyer on a contingency basis, they are motivated to maximize your financial recovery of truck accident damages as much as possible.
Some of the other benefits that can justify the cost of an attorney for your truck accident case include:
A Truck Accident Lawyer Provides Defense Against Insurance Company Tactics
The insurance adjusters are very strategic no matter how sympathetic they may seem. They are under great pressure to reduce the amounts of payouts in order to preserve the profit margins of the companies who employ them.
They can engage you in small talk and make you feel comfortable, but they are after information. They can use anything you say against you in order to deflect liability and even to deny your claim.
It’s important to know that you are not required to submit any recorded statements or sign anything. Doing so could put your case at risk. It’s better to let an attorney handle all these communications for you, or at least ask for their opinion on a settlement offer before you agree to anything.
Legal Knowledge and Experience Can Save You From Costly Mistakes
The careful collection and presentation of the right evidence will make or break your negligence claim. Attorneys have the experience to know what questions to ask and to anticipate what questions may be coming from the defense.
It’s very common for a big trucking company or insurance company to have a large and well-funded legal team. They will be working to reduce the liability to their respective companies from the moment they learn about the accident. Facing these attorneys in court can be challenging.
You may find that the opposing counsel has dug up incriminating evidence that places liability squarely back on you. Having skilled legal representation protects your rights and can defend you against any false allegations of fault.
Attorneys Keep Track of Deadlines and Paperwork
When you miss a legal deadline or file a form that has not been correctly filled out, you can experience costly delays or risk your claim entirely. Further, insurance companies can often try to delay proceedings by asking claimants to fill out mountains of unnecessary paperwork.
Having a lawyer to guide you through this can prevent you from having the hassle of playing this game. Attorneys know what needs to be submitted and what does not. They can save you a headache.
A Lawyer Will Deal With All the Communications
Truck accident cases can become complicated quickly, especially when multiple defendants are involved. The emails and phone calls can be difficult to keep track of, and injury victims are frequently in pain and fatigued, with little energy to handle all the communication details required in such cases.
Having an attorney to conduct these communications on your behalf can remove the stress from you while ensuring that it is all handled properly.
A Truck Accident Lawyer Can Identify All Sources of Liability Involved
Multiple causes can lead to a truck accident. If you aren’t able to conduct a complete investigation into every potential source to determine liability, you may find yourself unable to collect the full compensation you need and deserve.
The resources your attorney has can make this type of comprehensive investigation possible. Everything from the maintenance of the truck to the traffic camera footage to the toxicology reports of the drivers is much easier to obtain with the help of a lawyer.
If you still doubt that the cost of hiring a truck accident lawyer is worth it, consider this: You may think the driver is to blame, but an attorney may learn that the tire company manufactured a defective tire that caused your accident.
A single owner/operator truck driver may not have the financial resources to cover the serious injuries and the pain and suffering you endured. If the tire manufacturer is held partially liable, they will.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Today at No Cost
It can seem more practical to represent yourself, but the risk to your case could be bigger than you think. You run the risk of costing yourself significant money, energy, and lost time.
When you see the real cost of the damages and injuries you have suffered after a truck slams into your vehicle, the settlement you may have been offered earlier can seem like an insult. The real question is, how much will it cost if I don’t hire a truck accident lawyer?
It costs you nothing to reach out to the attorneys at the Buzbee Law Firm to learn more about how we can help, the potential outcomes, and what it will cost you to engage the services of a truck accident lawyer. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
