How Much Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge in Kona and Kamuela?

If you have been injured by another person’s negligence, it is understandable if your finances are at the forefront of your mind. Unexpected medical bills can overwhelm the budgets of most families, and that says nothing of the prospect of missing work due to injury. All this may have you asking, How much do personal injury lawyers charge in Kona and Kamuela?

Given the financial strain that can come with a personal injury case, it is understandable if you are concerned about the cost of hiring a personal injury attorney. The good news is that many injury lawyers operate in something known as a contingency basis.

With a contingency fee, you will only owe legal fees if your attorney is successful in recovering compensation on your behalf. The attorneys of Olsen & Sons could serve as your advocate during the personal injury claims process while bearing any risk related to your claim.

Understanding Contingency Fees in Hawaii

A contingency fee agreement is a common method of establishing payment for an attorney that handles a personal injury case. This type of setup allows you to avoid paying any upfront legal fees when you hire an attorney. Instead, your attorney would collect their fee as a set percentage of any amount they recover on your behalf. This allows you to pursue you case without carrying the risk of paying an attorney for a claim they are unable to collect on.

This type of payment arrangement is valuable, especially for anyone that lacks the assets to pay an attorney upfront. Contingency fee agreements ensure that anyone can pursue a personal injury claim regardless of their financial situation.

There is no uniform percentage when it comes to contingency fees. While fees between 30 and 40 percent are common, each attorney is ultimately responsible for setting their own fee. Understanding the percentage your attorney will take is important.

Sliding Scale Options

Some attorneys do not rely on a single contingency fee when they take on personal injury cases. There is another option known as a “sliding scale” that is used in some situations. The sliding scale provides a varying contingency rate depending on how much work an attorney puts into a case. For example, an attorney could charge one rate for writing a demand letter. The rate could increase if the attorney is required to filed the lawsuit and proceed through litigation. Finally, a higher rate might apply if an attorney takes the case to trial.

The Importance of Clarity

It is vital for both you and your attorney to have a clear understanding of the legal fees in your case. This is true when your attorney is working on a contingency basis, as it will directly impact the percentage of your settlement they will keep for their fee.

Thankfully, the vast majority of attorneys that operate on a contingency basis offer free initial consultations. Your initial consultation is an opportunity for you to ask any questions about an attorney’s contingency fee. This could include learning the specific percentage the attorney will keep if they recover compensation on your behalf. It is important to address these issues early on in the process to avoid misunderstandings once the settlement check arrives.

Costs and Other Fees

If you’re asking how much do personal injury lawyers charge in Kona and Kamuela, there are some important details that you should discuss with a prospective attorney before you hire them. While most injury attorney will handle their attorney fees on a contingent basis, the approach to court costs and other expenses could vary from one attorney to another. It is important to understand an attorney’s policy regarding these other fees up front, as it could determine if you must cover these expenses on your own. Some common expenses include:

Filing fees
Postage
Expert witness expenses
Police report copying fees
Transcription costs

Some attorneys will require you to cover your own expenses. This means that while you will not pay anything upfront in the way of legal fees, you could be required to pay out of pocket for your other expenses.

Not all attorneys will require to pay these costs up front. Some attorneys will keep track of these expenses and subtract them from the settlement. This approach still means you would pay these expenses, but only if your case is successful.