HOW IS
MY LAWYER PAID? WHAT IF I CAN'T AFFORD
A LAWYER?
Unlike
most other lawyers, personal injury
(accident) lawyers frequently work on a
"contingency basis". What that
means is that the lawyer gets paid only if he
or she collects money for you. If the lawyer
is successful, a percentage of the settlement
will go to the lawyer as a fee. On most
accident cases, the percentage will equal
one-third (33%) of the net settlement or
judgment.
HOW
LONG DO I HAVE TO BRING A CASE?
The law
gives various time limits within which to
bring a case. These are referred to as
"Statutes of Limitations". For most
negligence lawsuits, the law requires that a
case be brought within three (3) years from
the date of occurrence. Statutes of
limitations can be extended or
"tolled" under certain
circumstances as when the injured party is
under a "disability", such as
infancy. Some statues of limitations are very
short. For example, a claim against a
municipality must normally be made within 90
days of the date of occurrence. A word of
advice, CONTACT A LAWYER IMMEDIATELY AFTER
YOU'VE BEEN INJURED OR AS SOON AS YOU FEEL
YOU HAVE A POTENTIAL CASE.
WHAT IF
I AM UNHAPPY WITH MY LAWYER? CAN I
CHANGE? WHAT WILL IT COST?
You are
the client (employer) and your lawyer
(employee) works for you. If you are
dissatisfied with your lawyer, you have an
absolute right to hire a new one. Changing
lawyers does not increase the fee you pay.
Remember you only pay an attorney's fee when
the case is won. Your prior attorney will
generally be entitled to payment for services
rendered up to the time of dismissal. Payment
will be made from the fee earned at the
conclusion of the case. The lawyers will
usually work out an arrangement whereby the
fee is split.
I SPOKE
WITH A LAWYER WHO DIDN'T THINK I HAD A
CASE. SHOULD I GET A SECOND OPINION?
Absolutely!
Not all lawyers will see a potential case in
the same way. You might have spoken to a
lawyer not fully familiar with the type of
case you are presenting or your case is not
"big enough" for the firm you have
contacted. If the first lawyer you contact
rejects your case, always seek a second, or
even third, opinion.
I WAS
INJURED BUT I FEEL PARTLY AT FAULT. CAN
I STILL SUE?
Yes.
Under Washington’s "comparative
negligence" rules, you may still have a
good case even though you may have
contributed to the accident. The facts are
very important. A lawyer my find, after
investigating the circumstances of your
accident, that there was a party unknown to
you that caused the accident.
IT
DOESN'T APPEAR THAT MY INJURIES ARE SERIOUS
ENOUGH FOR A LAWSUIT. SHOULD I SPEAK
WITH A LAWYER ANYWAY?
Yes. An
experienced personal injury lawyer is
generally in a better position than you to
evaluate your injury. Some injuries that at
first appear to be minor can result in
serious permanent damage. As most lawyers
offer a free consultation, it doesn't cost
you anything to get a lawyer's opinion.
CAN A
LAWYER TELL ME WHAT MY CASE IS WORTH?
Every
case is different and predicting the outcome
of a particular case is almost impossible. A
lawyer can give you a "general"
idea of the value of your case based on prior
similar injuries, court decisions and
appeals. Be very suspicious of any attorney
who tells you what your case is worth or
"what I can get for you".
AN
ADJUSTOR FROM AN INSURANCE COMPANY WANTS TO
SETTLE WITH ME AND SAYS I DON'T NEED A
LAWYER. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Adjusters
who work for insurance companies, no matter
how sympathetic they may seen, have one goal
and only one goal in mind when they offer to
settle your case... to do it in the least
amount of money possible. What may sound like
a fair or even great offer to you could be
woefully inadequate compared to a similar
case settled through a lawyer. Studies have
shown accident victims recover more money
through the use of a lawyer even after taking
into account the attorney's fee. Always
consult with a lawyer before accepting any
offer made to you by an adjuster.
Our firm consist of three
lawyers, Peter W. Mogren, Ronald E.
Glessner, and Ruth A. Roti. Our
emphasis is in family law, wills and
probate, and personal injury.
Please click on the topics above for
details about these areas of practice,
including divorce, legal separation,
property division, child support, spousal
maintenance, parenting plans,
modifications, paternity, adoption,
wills, Community Property Agreements,
Durable Power of Attorney, and probate.
Our firm is conveniently located
in Renton, King County, Washington, just
off the freeway at the intersection of
I-405 and I-167. Our attorneys
represent clients throughout the State of
Washington, including the communities of
Renton, Kent, Tukwila, Seattle, Bellevue,
Auburn, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Des
Moines, Burien, SeaTac, Enumclaw and most
of south King County.
The free information contained
in these pages is not
intended to be legal advice, and does not
create an attorney-client relationship.
You should always consult with an
attorney before taking any action.
