Each year many people suffer personal injuries due to the actions or negligence of someone else. These injuries can leave you facing exorbitant medical bills, loss of earnings and a lifetime of pain and suffering.
In most cases, if this happens to you, you can hold someone responsible and seek compensation from them. Yet, they are unlikely to hand over money freely. It can be a particular problem when taking on a large company or someone wealthy.
A defendant may use their wealth and position to put you off
If you file a compensation claim against the rich and powerful, they will tell their lawyers to deal with it. Their job is to dissuade you from filing a claim. They will tell you that you have little or no chance of winning against them because you do not have the financial resources to enter a legal battle with them.
The outcome of any legal contest is never guaranteed. If you have to pay an attorney up front then lose the claim, you could lose a lot of money. Aside from your attorney’s fees, the court may order you to pay the defendant’s legal fees, which could soon leave you broke. The opposing legal team is banking on you being too afraid to risk this. They aim to scare you into letting their client off the hook.
A contingency fee alleviates this issue. It avoids you needing the cash available to pay an attorney up front. It avoids you having to pay them if you lose. An attorney who works for a contingency fee agrees to represent you in a personal injury claim on the condition that you only pay if they win the case for you. Thus, you can take on the rich and powerful without fear.
