Personal Injury Lawyers are Not Expensive Upfront
September 2025
Personal injury lawyers are not expensive up front. This is a common misconception that hinders an injured person from taking the time to talk to a personal injury attorney. The reason personal injury lawyers are not expensive upfront is the contingency fee.
Instead of charging an hourly rate (which can be hundreds of dollars per hour) or a large upfront retainer, the lawyer agrees to accept a percentage of the final settlement or court award. How it works: the injured person and the lawyer sign a contract that states their fee is a certain percentage of the money they recover for you. If you recover damages: The lawyer takes their agreed-upon percentage from the settlement check. If you do not recover: The lawyer gets nothing for fees but still may seek recovery of the expenses they have fronted in the case. The lawyer's goal is to maximize your recovery because it also maximizes their own fee.
As the case progresses, the personal injury lawyer will front expenses for such items as collision reports, medical records and expert witnesses. The personal injury lawyer would expect to be paid back at the end of the case for the fronted expenses.
If you have been injured, take the time to consult experienced trial counsel. At Herrick & Hart, we are not billboard lawyers. We have earned our reputation through years of practice.