Medical malpractice attorneys in California can charge contingency fees. This means that if
they don’t win any money for their client, they don’t get
paid at all!
California Business & Professions Code section 6146 provides that any
lawsuit alleging that a health care provider’s professional negligence
resulted in injury to a patient attorney’s fee for services may
not exceed the following amounts: 40 percent of the first $50,000 recovered
33 and one-third percent of the next $50,000 recovered 25 percent of the
next $500,000 recovered, and 15 percent of any recovered amount over $600,000.
This may be more beneficial to you than simply paying an hourly rate for
legal services. Your lawyer will charge you a specific percentage of the
personal injury settlement or award amount.
Some attorneys in the state of California take contingency fee cases and
others do not.
While many people have heard of contingency fee legal representation, they
may not know exactly what it means or how it works.
While many people have heard of contingency fee legal representation, they
may not know exactly what it means or how it works. Contingency fees are
a type of alternative billing method in which the attorney charges a percentage
of the settlement or award amount that the client receives from their
case. This is different from an hourly rate because there is no set cost
to the client. The fee is only paid if the attorney wins the case, meaning
you do not pay anything until your case has been successfully resolved;
however, if your case does not yield any money due to your injuries or
damages being too small, then neither will you be required to pay any
fees to the lawyer whatsoever.
California Business & Professions Code section 6146 provides that any
lawsuit alleging that a health care provider’s professional negligence
resulted in injury to a patient attorney’s fee for services may
not exceed the following amounts: 40 percent of the first $50,000 recovered
33 and one-third percent of the next $50,000 recovered 25 percent of the
next $500,000 recovered, and 15 percent of any recovered amount over $600,000.
Our medical practice lawyers will take your case on a contingency fee.
This means that the client does not pay us until the case is resolved,
and he or she does not owe any money unless we win.
If we settle the case for $500K and we have a contingency fee agreement
set forth above, then you would only have to pay $136K.
This may be more beneficial to you than simply paying an hourly rate for
legal services.
Obtaining a lawyer on a contingency fee is often the preferred choice for
many people. This may be more beneficial to you than simply paying an
hourly rate for legal services.
- You will know exactly what you are paying for legal services. If your case
is successful, the lawyer will take a percentage of your award or settlement.
- You will have an idea of how much your case is worth. If your case goes
before a jury and they award you $500,000, then the attorney would receive
$136K of that amount as payment for his or her services. Your portion
would be $364K.
- You can choose a lawyer that you feel comfortable with instead of just
one available at any given moment.
Your lawyer will charge you a specific percentage of the personal injury
settlement or award amount.
If no settlement or verdict occurs at all in your lawsuit, meaning no money
was paid to you as a result of the case, then you owe nothing. Our firm
doesn't even charge you court costs associated with filing and serving
papers related to the case. If we don't prevail, we charge you nothing.
The client will only owe the attorney fees if a successful settlement is made.
When you know that the attorney will not get paid if they do not win anything
for you, it is much easier to trust them and have faith in their work.
If a lawyer charges a flat fee or an hourly rate, then you have no idea
how much time they are spending on your case and whether any of it efficiently
being done to further your objectives. With contingency fees, clients
know that the lawyer is working efficiently in order to win the case.
Additionally, without a contingency fee, most clients would not be able
to afford to pay a great attorney like Scott D. Hughes by the hour. Contingency
fees can be a great way to afford legal services when injured in an accident
or diagnosed with an illness that requires extensive medical treatment
and care over an extended period of time.
It is important to always read every document that you are asked to sign
with your medical malpractice attorney in California.
It is important to always read every document that you are asked to sign
with your medical malpractice attorney in California. You should ask questions
and make sure that you understand what the document says, what it means,
and how it will affect your case. If a lawyer asks you to agree to something
that does not feel right, it is okay for you to say no.
It is also important for clients to understand that lawyers who work on
a contingency fee basis must have a written fee agreement with their client.
If the attorney in California does not offer a written fee agreement for
a contingency fee in a medical malpractice case, you should know that
he or she is violating the law.
California Medical Malpractice Attorney Scott D. Hughes does charge contingency fees
When you hire our firm for a medical malpractice case, you do not pay any
upfront costs for services. Instead, the attorney will be paid by taking
a percentage of the money that they help you recover from your medical
practice claim.
Call Orange County Medical Malpractice Lawyer Scott D. Hughes Today
We hope that we have been able to answer some of your questions about contingency
fees and legal representation in California. If you would like more information
or have any additional questions, please
contact us today!