Personal injury attorneys in Ankeny, IA offer free case evaluations during an initial consultation. They also nearly always work on a contingency fee basis, which means that their clients do not have to pay any money for their services until after the case has been resolved. Instead of charging hourly fees, these attorneys accept a percentage of the settlement they negotiate or the court award issued by a jury.
The Right to Legal Representation?
People can sometimes get a little confused about their Constitutional right to an attorney. They feel that if they have been seriously harmed by someone else’s negligence, that they should have the right to free legal representation. In a sense, this may be true, but that legal Constitutional right only applies to criminal cases. Personal injury cases are civil cases. There is no prosecution or risk of losing one’s freedom. These cases are typically settled out of court, although a small percentage proceeds to trial.
Contingency Fees
Contingency fees mean that the payment to the attorney is contingent on what they accomplish for the client. If the insurer refuses to pay a settlement or the jury sides with the defendant instead of the plaintiff, the client does not owe fees for legal representation. The only charges might be for certain expenses noted in the contract, such as fees for transcription of depositions and photocopies of police and court records.
This type of agreement assures clients how dedicated personal injury attorneys in Ankeny, IA are to achieving satisfactory settlements for them. The more money the settlement is worth, the more the attorney receives. If no settlement or court award is achieved, the lawyer has spent a great deal of time on this case for nothing.
Providing Help for People Who Deserve It
Of course, for most of these lawyers, that is not the only reason they do this work. Injury lawyers work to help individuals who deserve financial compensation after being seriously hurt and are getting the run-around from big, wealthy insurance companies. The work of law firms such as Dutton & Drake helps level the playing field. Visit us website for information on this particular organization.
