At Horst Shewmaker, we are a team of experienced personal injury attorneys dedicated to helping people across Georgia get the compensation they deserve. We focus on personal injury cases like car accidents, truck accidents, and wrongful death, and we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay us unless we win for you. Our goal is simple: fight for our clients and handle every case with honesty, skill, and care. When you work with us, you get straight answers and real help.
If you are thinking about hiring a personal injury lawyer in Georgia, you may wonder, “Do attorneys charge 33% on cases only if they win”? Most personal injury attorneys use contingency fee agreements, which means they get paid only if they recover compensation for you. But not all costs are always covered by the contingency fee, and understanding what you may owe is important before signing a fee agreement.
In this blog, we explain how contingency fees work, what costs may apply to your case, and why working with an experienced Alpharetta personal injury attorney can help you understand attorney fees and protect your rights when seeking compensation.
What Is a Contingency Fee?
Understanding how attorney fees work is important before hiring a personal injury lawyer. Below is a clear explanation of contingency fees, how they apply to personal injury cases in Georgia, and what clients should expect.
Definition of a Contingency Fee
A contingency fee is a payment arrangement where a personal injury attorney gets paid only if they win the case. The attorney’s payment is a percentage of the final settlement or court award. This means clients do not pay attorney fees upfront. If the attorney does not win compensation, the client owes no legal fees.
How the Contingency Fee Percentage Works
Most personal injury lawyers in Georgia charge a 33% contingency fee, which means they receive one-third of the gross settlement. In some personal injury cases, especially if a case goes to trial, the contingency fee percentage may increase, sometimes up to 40%. The exact percentage should be stated clearly in the contingency fee agreement signed by the client.
Why Personal Injury Lawyers Use Contingency Fees
A contingency fee basis allows injury victims to get legal representation without paying costs upfront. This helps people who cannot afford hourly fees or flat fees. The lawyer takes on the financial risk of the case, so clients can focus on recovery. Personal injury lawyers work hard to win because they only get paid if they recover compensation for the client.
What Is Covered by a Contingency Fee?
A contingency fee pays for the attorney’s services, including handling negotiations with insurance companies, filing lawsuits, and going to court if necessary. However, clients should understand that some additional fees, such as court filing fees, expert witness fees, medical record fees, and other expenses, may be deducted from the final settlement amount. These out of pocket expenses are separate from the attorney’s 33% fee unless otherwise stated in the fee agreement.
Contingency Fees in Georgia Personal Injury Cases
In Georgia, most personal injury attorneys use contingency fee arrangements for car accident claims, slip and fall cases, medical malpractice, and other injury claims. This makes quality legal representation available to people who cannot pay hourly rates. A clear fee agreement ensures both the client and the law firm understand how lawyer fees work if the case settles or goes to trial.
Do Attorneys Charge 33% on Cases Only If They Win?
Many people ask if personal injury lawyers charge 33% only when they win a case. The short answer is yes. Below is a simple breakdown of how this works in personal injury cases in Georgia.
The 33% Contingency Fee Depends on Winning the Case
Personal injury attorneys in Georgia usually work on a contingency fee basis. This means they only get paid if they win the case through a settlement or court award. If the lawyer does not win compensation, the client does not pay attorney fees. This arrangement reduces financial risk for injury victims and allows them to pursue a personal injury claim without paying costs upfront.
What Counts as Winning the Case?
Winning a case means the client gets money through either a final settlement with insurance companies or a court award after trial. Once money is recovered, the attorney takes their agreed contingency fee percentage, usually 33%, from the gross settlement. If there is no recovery, clients do not owe lawyer fees for the attorney’s work.
When Are Attorney Fees Paid?
Attorney fees under a contingency fee agreement are paid at the end of the case, after the client wins compensation. The personal injury lawyer will deduct their percentage before the client receives the remaining funds. This process is agreed to in writing as part of the fee agreement, so clients know exactly how attorney fees will be handled when the case settles.
Are There Exceptions to the “No Win, No Fee” Rule?
In most contingency fee agreements, if the case does not win, clients do not pay attorney fees. However, some out of pocket expenses—such as medical record fees, court filing fees, and expert witness fees—may still need to be repaid, depending on the fee structure outlined in the agreement. Clients should review these details in their fee agreement to avoid surprises.
Why the 33% Fee Makes Legal Representation Possible
By charging a contingency fee, personal injury attorneys help injury victims get access to legal services without worrying about hourly billing or flat fees. The 33% fee ensures the lawyer is motivated to win the injury claim and recover the highest possible settlement or court award. This payment arrangement gives clients a fair chance to fight insurance companies and recover compensation without upfront legal fees.
How Horst Shewmaker Handles Contingency Fees in Georgia Personal Injury Cases
At Horst Shewmaker, we use contingency fee agreements to help injury victims get legal representation without upfront attorney fees. Below is an overview of how our fee structure works in personal injury cases across Georgia.
No Upfront Costs for Legal Representation
Our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means clients pay nothing upfront for attorney’s services. We advance the costs needed to handle the case, including court filing fees, medical record fees, and expert witness fees. If the case does not win, clients do not pay us for our work.
Standard Contingency Fee Percentage
Horst Shewmaker usually charges a 33% contingency fee on personal injury cases that settle before trial. If the case requires a lawsuit or goes to court, the contingency fee percentage may increase, as agreed in writing. This fee agreement makes sure clients understand exactly how attorney fees are calculated from the final settlement amount or court award.
Clear Agreement on Case-Related Expenses
We are upfront about other costs that may apply to a personal injury claim. These include medical record fees, expert witness fees, and court filing fees. While we often pay these out of pocket expenses as the case progresses, they are reimbursed from the final settlement if the case wins. Clients are told about these costs during the free consultation and before signing the fee agreement.
Focus on Maximum Compensation for Clients
Our injury lawyers focus on winning the highest possible settlement or court award for clients. Since we only get paid if we win, we are motivated to handle cases with care and skill. We negotiate with insurance companies and, when needed, take cases to trial. Our goal is to help clients recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Free Consultation to Review Fee Agreements
Horst Shewmaker offers a free consultation to explain our contingency fee arrangements and answer questions about attorney fees, legal services, and case expenses. We believe every client should understand how personal injury lawyers work and what costs are involved before moving forward.
Contact an Experienced Alpharetta Personal Injury Lawyer Today!
If you have questions about contingency fees, personal injury attorney fees, or what costs might apply to your case, our team at Horst Shewmaker is here to help. We know that dealing with an injury is stressful enough without worrying about how to pay for legal representation. That’s why we offer a free consultation to explain how our fee agreements work, what expenses may be involved, and how we handle your case from start to finish.
Contact us at (404) 400-1175 for a free case consultation today!
