If you listen to the radio, drive past billboards, or watch television, you will likely see advertisements for car accident lawyers in your area. Some of these advertisements feature lawyers who paint a picture that they intimidate and make threats to insurance companies when policyholders bring claims. While it is good to have a lawyer willing to be a strong advocate for you, it is better to have one who knows the car accident laws in Texas well.
You may also see or hear in these commercials that you will not have to pay anything upfront. This is true, as car accident lawyers do not require any fees when they take on and work on your case. These lawyers work on a “contingency fee basis.”
A contingency fee basis means that when a plaintiff is given an award or settlement, their lawyer receives an agreed-upon percentage. The amount your lawyer will be paid will be agreed upon in your retainer agreement when the lawyer takes on your case.
It is likely in your best interest to hire an experienced Austin car accident lawyer. While you are not legally required to hire a lawyer to bring your case before the court, attempting to handle complex legal proceedings by yourself is not a good idea. The main question you should ask yourself is not whether you can afford to hire a lawyer but, rather, whether you can afford not to hire a lawyer. This statement will make more sense after the article below.
Why Do Attorneys Agree To Take on Cases for Free Upfront?
When an advertisement says that it will not cost anything upfront to hire a lawyer, it does not mean that the lawyer will provide your entire legal services for free. These lawyers’ goals are to win your case or reach a settlement agreement.
Once either of these events occurs, they will then receive a percentage of whatever amount you are awarded. A typical contingency fee is 33% for awards for cases that do not go to trial. If your case cannot be settled, or if you refuse to settle, this amount may increase. Most cases won’t make it to court, and even those that make it to court won’t always make it to trial. It will depend on the facts of your case, your goals, and your attorney’s legal advice.
The reason for the difference in percentages is that going to trial requires significantly more time and resources for a case. To go to trial for you, an attorney will likely have to decline taking on other clients or cases in order to ensure that your case is getting the attention it needs for you to win. The only method that can help lawyers recoup the losses they may have from turning down other work is to increase the contingency fee on your case.
Going to trial is extremely costly, so you should keep an open mind if you are extended any settlement offers. However, in some instances going to trial might be in your best interest.
A good personal injury lawyer should help you understand your legal options throughout your case and should not keep you in the dark about how your case is progressing. Under a contingency fee arrangement, your lawyer is incentivized to increase the value of your claim – but what that will look like will hinge on the facts specific to your case.
How Long Do I Have To Bring a Car Accident Claim in Texas?
According to Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003, a personal injury lawsuit resulting from a vehicle accident must be filed within two years of the date of the crash. This statute of limitations also applies to car accidents with no injuries. If a victim of an accident dies, the rule changes slightly. For a wrongful death claim, the family or victim’s representative has two years from the date of death to file their claim.
If your loved one was involved in a fatal accident, schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Austin wrongful death attorneys at FVF Law today.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Austin, TX
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Austin and need legal help, contact our Austin personal injury lawyers at FVF Law to schedule a free consultation with our team.
FVF Law Firm – Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers
3101 Bee Caves Rd #301, Austin, TX 78746, United States
(512) 982-9328
