law

What Happens When a Lawyer Takes Your Case on Contingency

Sometimes it so happens that you need a lawyer in Houston to help pursue a lawsuit against someone who’s wronged you in a way that requires monetary compensation. If you don’t have money, you need a lawyer who works on contingency to take your case. A contingency lawyer in Houston takes on clients with little or no retainer in exchange for a percentage of the financial reward if the case is won. Sometimes known as a “no win, no fee” lawyer, the contingency lawyer takes your case and treats it as if you had a retainer. Here’s a look at how a contingency lawyer operates.

Types of Lawsuits a Contingency Lawyer Takes

A contingency lawyer can take on just about any kind of lawsuit as long as it can be filed in civil court. Criminal cases cannot be paid for through a contingency payment arrangement. The most common types of case taken on a contingency basis include:

  • Personal injury
  • Medical malpractice
  • Landlord/tenant disputes
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Acts violations
  • Discrimination
  • Product liability

How Much Does a Lawyer Take From the Final Award?

The average amount a lawyer takes from the final award is around 33%. Keep in mind that this is an industry average and individual lawyers or law firms are free to structure their fee as they wish. Make sure to discuss the contingency fee with the lawyer before making a decision about representation.

Why a Contingency Lawyer Takes a Percentage of the Final Award

The lawyer is taking on the case with little to no money up front, yet has to pay for operating costs, staff payroll and filing fees related to the case. They take the financial risk because they feel that the odds of success are in your favor and that the monetary award is sufficient to cover their costs.

A Contingency Lawyer Works as Hard as a Lawyer on Retainer

You might feel that your case won’t get as much attention as it should due to the nature of payment. The fact of the matter is, a contingency lawyer in Houston typically has more than one case on a no fee, no win status at any at a given time. The lawyer has incentive to work on your case in a timely manner and give it their attention in order to get paid. Your case gets treated the same as if you had paid a retainer and hourly fee for the work done.

Working with a contingency lawyer in Houston gives you access to legal representation when you need it most and can afford it the least. Your chances of being made whole after an incident or accident are much higher when you have a lawyer working for justice on your behalf.