WHAT IS A “CONTINGENCY
FEE”?
By Chad Snow, Founding
Partner/Attorney
A
lot of potential clients that we meet with are reluctant to hire an attorney to
represent them in their claim because they do not have money to pay their bills,
let alone an attorney. For this reason, most Arizona work comp attorneys
are paid by what is called a “contingency fee”. Simply put, the
attorney’s fee is “contingent” upon his securing a certain type of
compensation. If that compensation is not secured, then no fee is
paid.
At
Snow, Carpio, and Weekley, almost all of our cases are taken on a “contingency”
basis. A percentage of certain compensation is charged as a fee, with no
requirement to pay an up-front retainer.
On
cases that are already accepted, where we will be doing informal advocacy such
as changing doctors, assuring the correct payment of compensation, or other
administrative tasks, we usually charge a very reduced percentage of any
temporary compensation that the injured worker receives, typically 5-10%.
In
cases that require the attorney to go to court and litigate, the fee may be
20-25% of the temporary compensation.
In
cases that results in permanent compensation or settlement, our fee is usually
20-25% depending on the length of the representation and the amount of legal
work performed.
Our
firm was built on the realization that our clients’ compensation is sacred to
them and needed to help them survive a very difficult time in their
lives. We try and be extremely fair in setting fees for the quality work
we do.
