You Don’t Pay Legal Fees Unless We Win – Is It True?
At Tamming Law, We Don’t Get Paid Unless You Get Paid
LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD
No one has separate bank savings marked “legal fees”. No one. Most people are barely getting by in life financially. When an accident or disability hits, almost no one can afford to pay a lawyer monthly in order to obtain compensation.
That is where we step in.
WHAT ARE CONTINGENCY FEES?
Contingency fees are the legal fees for your legal representation which depend on a favourable outcome in your case. So, yes, it is true that you can have an arrangement where you don’t pay your lawyer’s fees unless they win. A favourable outcome may be an out of court settlement or damages awarded following a court proceeding. If the case is successful, your legal fees would come out of the amount you receive for damages. If the case is not successful, you will not be responsible for your own lawyer’s legal fees; you would only be responsible for your own disbursements, the reimbursable disbursements of the opposing party, and for any costs awarded by the court for the opposing party’s legal fees.
WHAT PERCENTAGE FEE DO YOU CHARGE?
At the end of the day, our firm charges a fee equal to between 25% and 30% of the total amount recovered from the other side.
This fee takes into account several factors, including:
- The likelihood of success
- Complexity of the claim
- Nature of the claim
- Expense and risk of pursuing the claim
- Amount of expected recovery
- Award of costs
- Amount of costs
We are required by our law society to have clients sign a Standard Form Contingency Fee Retainer Agreement and we will ask you to do this as part of opening your file.
WILL THE OTHER SIDE PAY A PORTION OF MY LEGAL BILL?
Yes. As part of any settlement or court award, the other side will have to factor a number into their settlement number which represents a contribution towards your legal fees. Before we settle anything, we let you know how this is factored into the settlement and so you will know just what you get “in your jeans”.
WHAT IS A DISBURSEMENT?
Disbursement costs are charges for non-legal matters for which there is an upfront cost. Clients are usually expected to be responsible for these costs at the close of a case. Examples of disbursement costs include filing fees, document production fees, or other “out-of-pocket” expenses that may be incurred during the course of your claim, including medical legal reports to document the injuries incurred. We almost always pay these ourselves and claim them from the other side at the end of the claim.
WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?
Most people opt for a contingency fee arrangement. This is a good option if your case is particularly strong, or if you may have difficulties paying upfront fees. For this reason, contingency fees are considered a measure which helps grant access to justice for those who wouldn’t normally be able to pursue legal actions.
Alternatively, our firm may be paid by you monthly, on the basis of an hourly rate for work performed that month. Our hourly rate at present is $425 per lawyer and $150 per hour per law clerk. At the end of the claim, a final account would be rendered which would reflect the factors set forth above.
Obtain Your Free Personal Injury Consultation at Tamming Law, Lawyers in Owen Sound.
If you are wondering if you should get a lawyer, contact our law firm in Owen Sound at 1-888-945-5783. At Tamming Law, we offer personal injury claim representation for a lawsuit on a contingency fee basis. If you had a motor vehicle accident, we can also provide legal services assistance with accident benefits claim forms. We can assess your needs at your free consultation. Located in Owen Sound, our lawyers are experienced with a wide variety of personal injury claims.