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!