Slip and fall lawyer cost: no fee unless you win

Nothing to pay up front

You were hurt in a fall on someone else's property, and the bills are already coming. Here is the slip and fall lawyer cost: nothing up front. The lawyer charges a contingency fee, a share of what they recover, and nothing if there is no recovery.

Start with a free case review with us. It costs you nothing, and you are not bound to hire anyone. Under contingency, the lawyer carries most of the risk and is not paid for their time if the case is lost.

What your fee agreement says

The share is often one-third of the recovery. It can be higher if the case goes to trial. The national ethics rule requires a written agreement that you sign, and it must say whether costs come out before or after the fee.

Read three things before you sign. Look at the percentage and the order of costs. Then look at what happens if you change lawyers.

States that cap the fee

Michigan limits the fee to one-third of the amount recovered in injury cases. A Michigan slip and fall lawyer cannot charge more under that rule.

New Jersey caps it at one-third of the first $750,000. Florida sets the standard top at one-third of a recovery up to $1 million. A Florida slip and fall lawyer works within that limit.

The slip and fall lawyer cost on $30,000

Say Linda settles for $30,000 and owes $4,000 to her health plan for the fall. Costs were $1,500, and her one-third fee comes out before costs. The fee is $10,000, and Linda receives $14,500.

If costs come out first, the fee is a third of $28,500, or $9,500. Then Linda receives $15,000. The order written in your agreement changes the size of your check.

Case costs and medical repayments

Costs are what the case spends apart from the lawyer's time. They include court filing fees, medical record copies, expert doctors and depositions. A simple claim costs a few hundred dollars, and a trial can cost thousands.

Health insurers, Medicare and hospitals that paid for your care often have a right to repayment. A good lawyer works to negotiate those medical liens down. Every dollar saved there stays in your slip and fall settlement.