How Much Does a Personal Injury Attorney Cost?

There are generally two methods by which personal injury attorneys calculate a contingency fee. The first method is when your attorney takes their 33% fee off the entire settlement and then subtracts their disbursements, i.e., costs your attorney covered during the representation, from the remaining balance. These costs can include the following:

• Payment for medical records
• Payment for expert witness testimony
• Payment to investigators
• Payment of any court costs and New York State filing fees
• Payment for mailings and copies
• Payment for travel expenses

Under the first method of calculation, if you recover $100,000 for your injuries, your attorney will take $33,333 and you will have $66,666 remaining. At this point, the attorney will then deduct his costs, for example of $10,000 from the remaining $66,666, meaning that you will recover approximately $56,666 in total.

The second method of calculation leaves a bit more meat on the bone for you, but it will cost you money up front. Under the second method of calculation, you pay your costs over the course of the litigation and they are subtracted from your overall recovery. For example, if you recover $100,000 but have paid $10,000 in costs, your attorney will take his 33% fee from the remaining $90,000, which means his fee will be $30,000. Accordingly, you will recover $60,000 under this method.