How Much Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge?

When you have sustained injuries in an accident caused by someone else, getting help from a personal injury attorney in Tampa, Florida, is highly recommended. Having expert legal representation does make a huge difference in the outcome of your case. However, it is understandable you will want to know how much personal injury lawyers charge when considering hiring a lawyer.

What Factors Into Personal Injury Attorney’s Fees?

There are several factors that personal injury attorneys in Tampa, Florida, use when calculating their fees, including:

• Case difficulty: Personal injury attorneys consider the complexity and difficulty of a case when determining their fees. More complex cases may require additional time, resources, and expertise to achieve a successful outcome.
• The amount of research involved: Attorneys and their legal teams can spend significant time conducting research into similar cases, relevant laws, medical records, and other important details related to the case. The level of research needed for your case can impact your attorney’s fees.
• Experience and knowledge of the attorney: Personal injury attorneys with more experience and specialized knowledge in handling personal injury cases may charge higher fees due to their expertise in handling more complex cases and maximizing monetary compensation for their clients
• Costs related to the case: There are several other costs related to the case that can affect how much an attorney charges, such as:
  • Court fees: Attorneys may need to cover court filing fees, administrative costs, or other expenses associated with litigating a personal injury case
  • Mailing fees: Communication with clients or sending necessary documents through the mail can be an additional cost included in the overall fees
  • Expert witnesses: In some cases, expert testimony is needed, like a medical expert or accident reconstructionist. Attorneys have to pay for expert witness services, which are usually charged to the client as part of their fees.

Most Personal Injury Attorneys Use a Contingency Fee Structure

Most Tampa, Florida, personal injury attorneys use a contingency fee structure when representing clients in personal injury claim cases. A contingency fee structure is a payment arrangement in which attorney’s fees are contingent on successfully resolving the client’s case and reaching a settlement or favorable verdict should the case proceed to trial.

The client does not have to pay any upfront legal fees or related costs to the attorney under a contingency fee agreement. Instead, the attorney collects their fees and related costs only after the case is resolved successfully.

Should the lawyer not be able to achieve a successful outcome, the client does not owe the attorney anything. Most attorneys will collect a percentage of the settlement or amount awarded in court as their fee. Depending on the agreement, related costs may or may not be a part of their fee. If they are not, the client pays those on top of the attorney’s fees out of their settlement or awarded amount.

Florida Bar Rule 4-1.5

The Florida Bar Rule 4-1.5 establishes guidelines for contingency fee structures that personal injury attorneys in Florida can use when representing clients. The rule outlines different percentages that attorneys are allowed to charge based on the amount of recovery obtained in a case, both before and during litigation.

Pre-Suit:

• Attorneys can charge 33 ⅓ percent of any recovery up to $1 million
• For any portion of the recovery between $1 million and $2 million, attorneys can charge 30%
• Any portion exceeding $2 million allows attorneys to charge 20%

If the defendants in the case admit liability for their actions, then the contingency fees are slightly different:

• 33 ⅓ percent for any recovery up to $1 million
• 20% for any portion of the recovery between $1 million and $2 million
• 15% for any recovery over $2 million

In Litigation:

• Attorneys can charge 40% of any recovery up to $1 million
• For any portion of the recovery between $1 million and $2 million, attorneys can charge 30%
• Any portion exceeding $2 million allows attorneys to charge an additional 20%

It is essential for clients to understand these guidelines when entering into contingency fee agreements in Florida.

Some Personal Injury Attorneys Charge an Hourly Rate

While contingency fee arrangements are common in personal injury cases in Tampa, Florida, some attorneys may opt to charge an hourly rate for their services. When an hourly rate is charged:

• The client is billed based on the amount of time the attorney spends working on the case
• Hourly rates usually vary between $250 to $500 per hour, depending on the attorney’s experience, expertise, and location
• Clients are typically billed monthly or at specific intervals for the work performed by the attorney

Personal injury attorneys who charge hourly rates may also require an upfront retainer, which is an advance payment deposited into a trust account and later deducted as fees are incurred. Hourly rate fees can give clients more control over how much they pay since fees are tied directly to the time spent on their case. However, for more complex cases, fees could well exceed the percentages allowed for contingency fee structures.

Get a Free Consultation from Jack Berstein, Injury Attorneys, in Tampa Today

Take the first step to ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve after being injured by another’s negligence. Schedule a free consultation with Jack Berstein, Injury Attorneys, in Tampa to find out your legal rights and options. We work hard on your behalf to reach a successful outcome, allowing you to focus on recovery and healing.

Sources: 

FLA. STAT. § 92.213.

Personal Injury Law FAQs. (2023).

R. Regul. FL. Bar 4-1.5. (2024).

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