One of the primary reasons that individuals who have suffered a personal injury do not contact an attorney immediately is that they think there will be a fee for the initial visit. While some attorneys who do not focus on personal injury law will charge a minimal initial visit fee, attorneys who do focus on personal injury law understand the problems associated with recovering from an injury. This is especially true for those who have been seriously injured in an accident, often being left disabled.
Personal injury lawyers realize that the priority for the injured victim should be on physical rehabilitation. Of course, insurance companies are often involved and the injured parties who are still physically capable normally begin the communication process by contacting the particular respondent insurance company first. For the insurance adjuster, the first contact with the claimant is a general fishing expedition for the claims adjuster to determine if the injured claimant will be retaining an attorney. And, many times the insurance provider representative will discourage hiring an attorney because of the potential expense. At the Lamber Goodnow law team, together we our co-counsel firms, we understand this tactic, and it is a major reason why we take personal injuries strictly on a contingency fee basis and never charge an injured victim for an initial case evaluation.
Free Evaluation: Our No-Fee Promise
Our “No-Fee Promise” guarantee is based on the premise of access to justice. Indeed, there would be little justice attained if an injured accident victim had to pay an attorney for consulting with them concerning a potential claim. A free evaluation can be more than just discussing the material case facts of how your injury occurred. An initial consultation could also include a more in-depth analysis of the official police report and medical documentation when you have it available. It is very important to always take all documentation you can gather when going to an initial legal consultation. Information is power, and information is vital in winning a maximum settlement when people are injured through little or no fault of their own.
Understanding Contingency Fees
Contingency fee arrangements are very effective in personal injury lawsuits because nothing is owed to your legal representative until a financial recovery settlement is reached or a case is won in a jury trial. This is standard with many legal professionals who focus on fighting for the little person against a major conglomerate such as a big box insurance company and other multiple negligent parties. The possibility of revenue streams other than a typical single insurance company is something few injured victims understand, especially regarding premises liability and auto accident claims. Contingency fees are determined by prior agreement between the injured plaintiff, and the legal counselor fees are based on a percentage of the amount won in settlement or trial. This means that your attorney does not get paid unless you get paid, and it also serves as solid incentive for your legal representative to leave no stone unturned when evaluating your case for maximum damage recovery.
The Value of Aggressive and Comprehensive Representation
At the Lamber Goodnow Chicago injury team, together with our partner firms, we are diligent when investigating your accident case. When discussing your case initially your attorney cannot access as much information as after being retained. Once we have been officially hired as your legal representative, we immediately begin conducting our own investigation. This process includes talking to police and medical professionals as well as evaluating every potential negligent party for damage compensation. Insurance companies regularly fight all claims to some degree, and many high value claims are fought intensely. This is especially true when there are multiple negligent litigants because it also means negotiating with multiple insurance companies that will be attempting to deflect fault or deny a claim unreasonably. Retaining the Lamber Goodnow team and their partner firms on a free evaluation and contingency fee arrangement means that you will have your own personal professional negotiation team ensuring that all of your rights to legal financial recovery are respected and enforced, even when it takes going to trial.
The Lamber Goodnow legal team, together with our co-counsel firms are well-versed in all personal injury law matters. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers never charge a fee, unless we win your case. Get a risk free consultation today.