Injured At Work In Decatur But Can’t Afford A Lawyer? Guess What – You Can!
Decatur workers who have been injured on the job and can no longer work may be surprised to learn that they may have options to secure legal counsel. When injured workers think about hiring a lawyer, they may immediately think about the high cost of legal fees and are deterred by thoughts of owing money to a lawyer on top of the financial struggles they are currently facing. However, not all lawyers charge by the billable hour, and not all lawyers require a heft retainer fee in advance. In fact, there are several ways that lawyers get paid, and some retainer agreements require no payment up-front and no out-of-pocket legal fees. It is important for Decatur workers who have been injured on the job and who are interested in hiring a Decatur workers’ compensation attorney what types of fee arrangements there are in the legal world, and what types of fee agreements exist in the workers’ compensation world. Even if you don’t have money to pay a lawyer up front, you may be able to secure great representation for your Decatur workers’ compensation case.
Types of Fee Agreements in Legal Cases
In general, there are several different ways that lawyers typically charge fees. The first is a flat-rate fee. Under this arrangement, a lawyer charges a flat-rate for all work done on a case, regardless of the number of hours that the lawyer works on the case. A flat-fee agreement may require the client to pay costs separately, or they may be included. The second common type of fee agreement is an hourly fee agreement. In this arrangement, the lawyer typically charges a retainer fee and hourly for work done on the case. Finally, lawyers also can charge their clients a “contingency fee” which means that the lawyer only gets paid if the client ultimately settles or wins their case. Lawyers often will take costs off of the top of the settlement or award, and then a percentage of the settlement amount or award. It is important to discuss the fee arrangement with a lawyer up-front, so that you are certain of the fee arrangement and there are no surprises.
Common Fee Arrangements in Workers’ Compensation Cases
In workers’ compensation cases, workers’ compensation lawyers typically charge a contingency fee, and only get paid if the client settles their workers’ compensation case or is granted their workers’ compensation benefits. Importantly, in Decatur, and in Georgia, workers’ compensation lawyers can charge only up to 25% of the money benefits that the injured worker client receives, or of the settlement amount, if the client settles their case. This means that no matter how many hours a Decatur workers’ compensation lawyer puts into an injured workers’ workers’ compensation case, they can only charge 25%.
Decatur Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
If you have been injured on the job and are unable to work, the experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyers at the O’Connell Law Firm are here to help. The O’Connell Law Firm’s experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyers offer a free and confidential consultation, and they work on a contingency basis, which means they only get paid if you settle or win your case. Contact the lawyers at the O’Connell Law Firm and chat with a lawyer about your rights to workers’ compensation in Decatur for free.
