What if I Can’t Afford an Attorney?
Bill Allen | June 13, 2024 | Personal Injury
When you have a legal matter, you may wonder whether you can afford an attorney in Gainesville, FL. A personal injury or accident is an example of a legal matter where an experienced attorney can be very helpful.
However, if you have been out of work because of your injuries, you may worry whether you can afford an attorney. Even if you have been working, the medical bills and other expenses may be too much to handle in addition to paying a Gainesville personal injury lawyer.
While some simple personal injury cases may not require hiring a lawyer, most victims benefit from hiring a personal injury attorney. Attorneys protect your legal rights and best interests, working to recover as much money for you as possible. The party who injured you and their insurance company will have attorneys looking out for them. You deserve to be represented as aggressively as they intend to defend themselves.
Options for Injured Victims Who Cannot Afford To Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Most personal injury attorneys accept cases for a contingency fee. Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers fall into this category. If we don’t win compensation for your case, there are no attorney’s fees, guaranteed.
You might also qualify for Legal Aid through The Florida Bar. Legal services offices handle civil cases, which include personal injury cases like car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and dog bites. Legal Aid offers qualified individuals access to legal services they might not be able to afford otherwise.
What Is a Contingency Fee for a Personal Injury Case?
A contingency fee is a payment agreement between a client and an attorney. The client agrees to pay the attorney a percentage of what the attorney recovers for their personal injury case. The lawyer does not get paid unless and until they win the case.
With a contingency fee, no money is paid upfront to hire a personal injury attorney. Therefore, you can afford to hire our law firm regardless of your financial situation. If you’ve been hurt at work, involved in a traffic accident, or injured in another way by someone, you can have the benefits of having skilled legal representation.
Before signing a contingency fee agreement, read the entire agreement to ensure you understand the fees. The contingency fee may increase if your case goes to trial. You also need to discuss how the costs of the case are paid.
In most cases, the attorneys pay the costs of the case as they arise. These costs can include postage, copy fees, filing fees, deposition costs, fees for expert witnesses, and trial preparation costs. The law firm is then reimbursed from the money the attorney recovers for your case.
Why Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Gainesville, FL?
Even if you are unsure whether you can afford an attorney, it is wise to consult with one. Our attorneys offer free consultations, so talking to us about your case costs nothing.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer has many benefits. Your attorney handles all matters related to your personal injury case. A personal injury lawyer helps you by:
- Investigating how you were injured and gather evidence to prove the other party is at fault
- Working with expert witnesses in several fields to strengthen your case
- Determining how much your case is worth by carefully documenting and analyzing your economic and non-economic damages
- Calculate the deadline to file claims and monitor the Florida statute of limitations for your case
- Filing insurance claims and handling the insurance company for you
- Defending you against claims that you contributed to the cause of the accident (i.e., contributory fault), which could lower the value of your claim
- Negotiating fair insurance settlements
- Representing you at trial, if necessary
The insurance adjuster for the other party is not on your side. Their job is to protect the insurance company from liability. Therefore, they will try to deny or undervalue your claim.
A personal injury lawyer protects you from these tactics. If you don’t think you can afford an attorney for an accident case, the truth is that you can. Talk with a Gainesville personal injury lawyer before deciding how to handle your injury claim.
Contact Our Gainesville Personal Injury Law Firm in North Central Florida
If you need legal assistance, contact the Gainesville personal injury lawyers at Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We have three convenient locations in North Central Florida:
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Gainesville office
2550 SW 76th St #150
Gainesville, FL 32608
(877) 255-3652
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Downtown Gainesville
621 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL 32601
(866) 928-6292
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers – Ocala Office
112 S Pine Ave
Ocala, FL 34471
(352) 351-3258