While most attorneys will bill you fairly and in accordance with your fee agreement, there are some attorneys who will try to maximize your profits at your expense. Some attorneys bill by the hour for their work, while others quote a fixed rate, a contingency rate, or use upfront commissions. The lawyer then bills you for the additional work hours or may require you to replenish the advance to continue working on the case. Usually, attorneys have to overcome many procedural hurdles before they can file a medical malpractice lawsuit and expect to be compensated for the difficulty of work.
In some cases, you may still have to pay the actual expenses associated with your case, even if your attorney doesn't win or recover compensation for you. For example, an attorney may charge you a fixed fee to create a simple will or to submit the necessary documentation for an unopposed divorce. The cost of speaking with an attorney varies and depends on how each attorney decides to bill their clients. All relationships between professional users and independent attorneys that appear on this website will be governed by the individual letters of commitment provided by each attorney. You should always ask how much your lawyer will charge you in advance so that you can be prepared for the expenses you may incur during your case.
For example, you may have to pay court processing fees or expert fees, although some firms do cover these costs and don't expect any reimbursement if your case doesn't succeed. If your lawyer works on a fixed fee basis, you usually don't have to pay an advance, but you'll only pay part or all of the fees in advance at the time they provide you with the service. The lawyer deposits the advance in a special trust account and deducts the cost of the services from that account as are piling up. A fixed fee is a pre-established total fee for legal services that is usually paid in advance before the lawyer starts working on your case.
However, low-income individuals may be eligible for free or low-cost representation in certain types of civil cases, including cases involving housing, employment, public benefits and restraining orders.
