Will I Have to Pay for Any of My Attorney’s Expenses?

Posted Thursday, February 28, 2013 by Chris Thayer

When pursuing a personal injury claim, your Seattle serious injury attorney will expect to be paid for his work, time, experience, and effort. The fee also covers administrative overhead, such as secretaries, office rent, files, and other typical costs of running a law firm. There are also some out-of-pocket expenses that might be incurred specifically because of your case, listed below:

Out-of-Pocket Expenses

• Fees to obtain medical reports from doctors and hospitals. These reports may cost just a few dollars to make copies, or they may cost up to $100 or more if they have to be specially prepared by your physician.

• Copying charges. Insurance companies will demand copies of all your medical bills, reports, police reports, lost wage statements, and other relevant documentation. Your law firm has to pay to make these copies, and this cost might be added onto your final bill for each page.

• Photograph reproduction: If you have photographic evidence you plan to use in your case, having them prepared and enlarged (especially if you plan to use them at trial) will cost a certain amount.• Long-distance calls. If your case requires your Seattle serious injury attorney to make long-distance phone calls, the cost for those calls might be included on your bill.

• Other expert reports: Experts other than your treating physician may be asked to give a statement or testify in your case, and if so, they will charge your attorney a certain fee for their services, which will be included in your attorney bill.

• Litigation costs: The process of filing litigation incurs certain court costs and filing fees, which your attorney might include on your bill.

One thing that’s important to understand is that, while you may have a contingency fee agreement with your Seattle serious injury attorney (meaning their fee is contingent upon winning a settlement or court award), the out-of-pocket costs outlined above will not be contingent upon you winning your case. Your attorney might ask you to reimburse some of these costs as your case moves along prior to the settlement. Attorneys do not usually want to be in the business of financing all their clients’ cases out of their own company’s funds.

Contact UsIf you have been involved in a serious accident, you will need the help of an experienced Seattle serious injury attorney to get the compensation you deserve. Call Chris Thayer at (206) 340-2008.