After you’ve been injured in an accident, you are most likely overwhelmed with taking care of yourself while also managing unforeseen bills and damages. When it comes to retaining an attorney to file your personal injury claim, you’re probably wondering how much you can expect from your settlement after the attorney’s fees are taken out. This is an important question to ask and one we can help answer!
Setting Up a Consultation
A consultation is an opportunity to speak one-on-one with an attorney about your specific car, motorcycle, or truck accident and your personal injury claim. Generally, the initial consultation is free, so use this time to your advantage and ask questions about your accident’s details and how that particular attorney handles such matters. Keep in mind that all consultations at The Hammack Law Firm are absolutely free and no obligation!
Attorneys are professionals, so their legal advice is invaluable when it comes to your car accident and personal injury claim. Most likely, the attorney will discuss the details of the incident with you to understand the damages you have suffered—including lost income, a damaged car, medical bills, and more. Once the attorney has gathered the necessary information, they will be able to determine if they can take on your claim and go after the “guilty party” for a settlement!
Retaining the Right Attorney
Finding the right attorney to ensure you receive the highest settlement possible can feel like a stressful task. Law firms specializing in personal injury are the best place to start, as these attorneys are more equipped to handle your claim.
Personal injury lawyers can have varying degrees of experience, so you don’t want to assume they have a good amount of knowledge and skills just because they are willing to handle your claim. Learn what types of personal injury claims they have taken before and how many of those they have settled successfully. You want to ensure that whoever you choose really will get you the best settlement possible.
Contingency Fees and Settlement Percentages
As you learn more about personal injury lawyers, you might begin to hear about something called a contingency fee. This is a standard practice for most personal injury lawyers. But what is it exactly?
A contingency fee means the attorney only gets paid if they are successful in helping you win a settlement. The amount of this fee is an agreed-upon percentage of the total payment of your claim.
The percentage taken from your settlement will differ from attorney to attorney, but most often, the range is between 30% to 40%. Before agreeing to retain an attorney, it’s important to understand the specific percentage they will get from your settlement and any other fees they will expect.
For example: If your attorney’s fee is 30% of the overall settlement, and you get $5,000 from the other party’s insurance after settling the claim, the amount you will have in your pocket in the end is $3,500—this is after paying the $1,500 paying for attorneys fees.
Are you worried about making less money from your accident claim if you use a lawyer because you will have to pay the attorney’s fee? Read our blog about why you will most likely STILL get more than you would without an attorney.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the best personal injury attorney has your interest at heart, and their job is to secure a settlement that covers all the damages you suffered.
Located in Greenville, SC, we at the Hammack Law Firm have extensive experience in personal injury claims and understand that you need someone on your side to navigate the settlement you need. Our experienced team of lawyers in the Upstate of South Carolina will handle your claim, so all you need to focus on is recovering.
Call us today at 864 326-3333! We would love to talk with you and learn more about how we can help.
With over 25 years of legal experience, Paul Hammack provides his clients with a level of trial expertise and strategic insight rarely found in personal injury litigation. Having spent the first eight years of his career working within major insurance defense firms across Georgia and South Carolina, Paul gained an intimate understanding of the “other side’s” playbook. This insurance industry background serves as a unique differentiator for his clients; he knows exactly how insurance carriers evaluate risk and what motivates them to pay top dollar for a claim.
In 2008, Paul founded Hammack Law Firm to move away from the “plaintiff mill” model and focus on building personal relationships with those he represents. As a seasoned litigator, he has tried dozens of first-chair cases to verdict, specializing in high-stakes litigation involving catastrophic injuries and complex truck accidents. His dual-state practice allows him to provide aggressive representation across both South Carolina and Georgia, ensuring victims of negligence receive the maximum financial compensation possible regardless of which side of the state line the accident occurred.
Paul’s commitment to excellence is reflected in his record of significant achievements, including a $10 million tractor-trailer wrongful death settlement and a $3.9 million moped-versus-truck recovery. His credentials and bar admissions in both South Carolina and Georgia underscore his deep roots in the regional legal community. Beyond the courtroom, Paul is a dedicated advocate for his local community, contributing his time and resources to organizations such as the United Way, Red Cross, and Hands On Greenville, all while working to make South Carolina a safer place for everyone.
