People get hurt every day. There are dozens of types of personal injury cases. Some involve minor injuries. Others can be catastrophic. It really depends on the situation.
When people get hurt in any sort of accident, they’re scared and frustrated. They don’t know where to turn. They know they should call a personal injury attorney in Greenville, but they’re afraid they can’t afford it.
One mistake people make is thinking it’s expensive to hire a personal injury attorney in South Carolina. Contrary to public opinion, you can meet with a personal injury lawyer for free. Once your attorney reviews your case and hears your story, they’ll decide whether they want to accept your case.
You’ve seen enough commercials on late night television to know that personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation. They want to give their potential clients a chance to sit down with an experienced lawyer. They can ask any questions they may have and see what their case may be worth.
After the free consultation, both the lawyer and the accident victim will have a decision to make. Will the attorney accept your case? And, do you want to retain the attorney?
You’ll Have to Sign a Retainer Agreement
If you decide you want the attorney to handle your case, you’ll be asked to sign a retainer agreement. This agreement is essentially the contract between you and your lawyer. The agreement includes all important terms, such as:
- The services the lawyer will provide
- What percentage the lawyer’s contingency fee will be
- How the lawyer is paid
- Whether or not the attorney will advance the costs related to your suit
The most important term, obviously, is your attorney’s contingency fee. In a personal injury case, you don’t pay your attorney anything upfront. In fact, your attorney will actually advance all the fees and costs related to your case.
When you do settle or win your case, your attorney will be entitled to a certain percentage. Usually, this percentage is anywhere from 33-40%. Your lawyer’s fee will come off the top of your settlement.
So, if you settle for $100,000, and your attorney’s fee is 40%, he’ll get $40,000. He’ll take his $40,000 right away. After he takes his fee, you’ll have to pay any medical bills and outstanding debts related to your case. Once this is done, the rest is yours.
Can You Switch Lawyers in the Middle of Your Case?
Although it’s not usually a good idea, you can switch lawyers midway through your personal injury case. You should think really hard before doing this. Your attorney has worked hard on your case. They also know your case inside and out. You don’t want to hand it over to a new attorney unless you have to.
There are a few reasons why you may want to switch to a different personal injury attorney in Greenville, including:
- Your attorney isn’t returning your calls and emails
- You don’t feel your attorney is working on your case the way they should
- Your case isn’t progressing the way you think it should
- Your attorney gets sick and can’t continue to work on your case
- You move and want to be near an attorney who lives closer
Your retainer agreement will give you the right to change attorneys. You can’t be forced to stick with one attorney. However, if your case gets beyond a certain point, you may not be able to do this. The judge may say he doesn’t want to delay the case by changing counsel. And, your original attorney may feel they’re entitled to attorney fees if they’ve done a substantial amount of work on your case.
If you do switch lawyers, your original attorney may demand that you reimburse them for any costs and expenses they advanced for your case. They may file a lien against your lawsuit to ensure they’re paid back.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Greenville, South Carolina Today
If you’ve suffered a personal injury, contact a personal injury attorney in Greenville today. You may be afraid of the costs involved. Don’t worry about this. Your lawyer will offer you a free initial consultation. They’ll also accept your case on a contingency basis.
You need to focus on recovering from your injuries. Let an experienced injury lawyer handle the legal side of things for you. The defendant will have a lawyer working for them and so should you.
