A personal injury lawyer will cost you nothing. Now that doesn’t mean that injury lawyers do not get paid. However, personal injury lawyers handle cases on a contingency fee basis. This means they are only entitled to legal fee if the case results in a settlement or verdict. In NY, a personal injury lawyer is entitled to a 1/3 of the total recovery. Thus, if your lawyer can secure a settlement that is acceptable to you or wins your case at trial, the lawyer is entitled to 33.33% of the recovery. A personal injury lawyer will also pay all of the expenses associated with pursuing the case so that you don’t have to pay anything out of your own pocket. Expenses include filing fees, costs for transcripts as well as expert fees. However, at the end of the case, your personal injury lawyer will also be entitled to be paid back all expenses along with a 33.33% legal fee. All legal fees and expenses are taken directly out of the settlement or trial verdict and you never have to pay anything out of your own pocket.
