A lot of people think that it costs thousands of dollars to hire an auto accident lawyer in Houston, Texas. Then, because they don’t think they can afford to hire a lawyer, they try to handle their case themselves. Months later, they shake their head when they lose their case. They wonder what they could’ve done differently. They second-guess their decision to not hire an experienced lawyer.
Car accident lawyers in Houston hear it all the time. People come into their office and ask if their lawyer can reopen their case. They lost to the insurance company and think they can get a do-over. While you can certainly appeal most cases, there’s no guarantee that you can do this. And, the damage may already be done. The case is almost always heard by the same judge who decided your first case. There may not be much a skilled car accident lawyer in Houston can do to help you.
This is why it’s wise to think about hiring a lawyer from day one. It costs nothing to do this. Yes, your lawyer will get a percentage of your settlement should you win or settle your case. But that’s to be expected. Lawyers can’t work for free. Nobody can. However, if you don’t win, your lawyer gets nothing. They’re taking a risk on you. If your case isn’t strong enough or if there’s information you didn’t give your attorney up front, they can be blindsided later on. Theoretically, they could put hundreds of hours of work into a case and walk away with nothing. Or, they could work a case for twenty hours and settle it for a quarter of a million dollars. It all depends on the facts of the case.
Either way, you never really want to handle your car accident case by yourself. You need to call and schedule your initial consultation right away.
How Much of Your Settlement Does Your Car Accident Lawyer Take?
One of the first questions clients ask their car accident lawyer is how much of their settlement they’ll take. The answer is simple. If your attorney doesn’t need to take your case to trial, your attorney will get about one-third of your settlement or judgment. If they do have to take your case to trial, they’ll get about 40%.
This sounds like a lot of money. However, consider the situation described above. It’s better to keep 66% of something as opposed to all of nothing. If you handle your case all by yourself, you may get nothing. It’s better to have a skilled attorney there to handle your case. They’ll prepare the evidence to prove the other driver was at fault. They’ll hire experts to show just how bad your injuries were. They’ll negotiate with the insurance adjuster to try to settle your claim.
These are things that you just can’t do by yourself. And, if you do, they certainly won’t be done effectively. You need someone who knows the law there to make sure your claim is handled properly.
What Happens if You Lose Your Case?
Another question a lot of clients ask is – what happens if they lose their case? If, for some reason, the judge doesn’t see things your way, how is your Houston car accident lawyer paid? The simple answer is that they’re not.
If you don’t win or settle your case, your attorney gets nothing. This may seem a bit unfair. And, for some attorney, they may feel the same way. However, it’s the risk that your lawyer takes. This is why they’re careful about which cases they’ll handle. If you don’t have a realistic shot of winning your lawsuit, no lawyer is going to want to touch your case. Nobody wants to waste their time. They also don’t want to waste their resources.
Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Lawyer in Houston, Texas Right Away
If you’re injured in a motor vehicle accident in Houston, you need to call an experienced Houston injury lawyer. They can review your case and let you know what it may be worth. And the good news is that your attorney won’t cost you anything upfront.
Call today and schedule your initial consultation. It is absolutely free. You get the chance to have an experienced attorney answer any questions you may have. You can also have the peace of mind knowing you’ll have a skilled Houston car accident attorney by your side throughout the whole case.