There are a lot of fees that you’d end up shouldering once you file a personal injury lawsuit– ranging from medical expenses, doctor’s fees, and many more– this would pile up. Though, in case that a defendant was found liable for causing the plaintiff’s injuries, then he’ll be asked for the injured party’s medical expenses, whether he likes it or not.
That said, here are some of the expenses you should familiarize yourself with after filing a personal injury claim.
1. Contingency Fees
In most personal injury cases, a law firm such asPage Law, would ask for a contingency fee. Through this, you’ll have the assurance that the lawyer you’re going to hire has the experience needed to help you with your claim.
Furthermore, in a contingency fee arrangement, the lawyer’s fee will be taken from the final settlement in your case, but can also be from the final verdict at trial.
Some personal injury lawyers also deduct the expenses covered by the lawyer. Thus, the contingency fee usually varies depending on the stage of the case.
2. Medical Expenses
The medical expenses in a personal injury case usually include the medical expenses the victim went through because of the injuries incurred. Wherein, if the defendant is found liable for causing these injuries, then he’ll have to shoulder the medical expenses of the affected party.
Medical expenses usually include, but not limited to past expenses that have been paid before filing the lawsuit. Likewise, future medical costs should be related to the injury for it to be considered reasonable.
Here are some of the common examples of medical expenses in a personal injury lawsuit.
- Diagnostic testing expenses
- Hospital bills
- Surgery Costs
- Costs of prescription medicines
- Therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Pain and suffering management
Considering the expenses mentioned above, we can say that medical expenses can be quite extensive, especially in cases where the injured party must undergo continued treatment. For this reason, it’s very important to document everything thoroughly.
3. Past Loss of Earnings
In some cases, the guilty party would also have to shoulder the net loss of earnings of the person who suffered from personal injury. To qualify for this, the guilty party must be able to provide proof and evidences indicating that he lost some finances due to inability to work.
4. Medical Malpractice Expenses
This kind of fee is different from the general medical expenses used for recovery and to treat the injury. Medical malpractice expenses are brought by the result of unprofessionalism, or just like the name itself, the medical malpractice of the attending physician.
5. Lawyer’s Settlement Check
Usually, a lawyer sends the settlement check. This gives the assurance that your lawyer will receive the fee for the services that he has offered.
Once the lawyer has received his settlement check, he will contact and update you about it. The lawyer should explain the amount the he/she will be deducting this from the check, together with the costs and expenses related to it.
In case that the claimant has decided to dispute certain charges, the lawyer must place the disputed amount in a trust account.