Understanding “No Fee Unless We Win”
You've seen it on every injury lawyer's billboard, mine included: "No fee unless we win." It sounds almost too good to be true, so let me pull back the curtain and explain exactly what it means, in plain Eastgate English.
It's Called a Contingency Fee
The fancy term is a contingency fee. It means my payment is contingent — it depends — on getting you money. If I don't recover anything for you, you don't owe me an attorney's fee. Zero. We shake hands and part friends.
If I do win or settle your case, my fee comes as a percentage of the recovery, agreed in writing before we ever start. So instead of paying a lawyer by the hour while you're already hurting and out of work, you pay only out of the money I actually win for you.
Why I Work This Way
Two reasons. First, it lets regular Eastgate folks afford a lawyer when they need one most — you don't need a fat retainer to walk into my office. Second, it keeps my incentives lined up with yours. I only get paid if you get paid, so you can bet I'm fighting for every dollar.
What About Costs?
Honest moment: "fee" and "costs" aren't quite the same thing. There can be out-of-pocket costs in a case — filing fees, medical records, an expert's time. I'll always walk you through how those work before we begin, so nothing's a surprise. No fine print, no gotchas.
Have questions about whether your case is a fit? That conversation is free too. Give me a ring.
2 Responses to “Understanding No Fee Unless We Win”
Dale R. — August 10, 2015
Clearest explanation I've read. Most lawyers won't tell you this straight.
Bob Loblaw — August 11, 2015
Appreciate it, Dale. Straight talk is the whole business.
Leave a Reply