Contingency Fee Lawyer in Pennsylvania

After a serious accident, you may be facing mounting medical bills, lost income, property damage, and uncertainty about your future. The last thing that you should have to worry about is whether you can afford to hire a lawyer. At Metzger Wickersham, we believe that every injury victim deserves access to experienced legal representation, regardless of their current financial situation. That is why we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. In simple terms, with a contingency fee agreement, you pay nothing upfront, and we only collect attorney fees if we successfully recover money for you through a settlement or verdict at trial. If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys are here to help. During a free consultation, we will review your case and explain how contingency fee representation works. Reach out to our law firm today to schedule an appointment with a Pennsylvania contingency fee attorney.  

What Is a Contingency Fee?

When you hire an attorney, there are several possible fee arrangements:

• Hourly Rate: With an hourly fee agreement, a lawyer charges a set hourly rate and keeps track of their time, usually in 6-minute increments. Typically, you will pay a retainer at the start of your case, which is like a deposit. The hourly fees will be deducted from your retainer as your lawyer works on your case.
• Flat Fee: For some types of cases, an attorney will charge a set or flat fee. This type of fee agreement is more common in cases where the work is more standardized, such as an uncontested divorce, a DUI case, estate planning, or real estate closings. The legal services covered by the flat fee will be spelled out in the fee agreement.
• Contingency Fee: With a contingency fee arrangement, the attorney’s fee is contingent (depends) on them successfully recovering compensation for the client. Instead of paying hourly legal fees or a large retainer, the lawyer receives an agreed-upon percentage of the settlement or court award if the case is successful. A typical contingency fee ranges from 30 to 40%, although this percentage could be different based on your agreement. The contingency fee must still be reasonable. If there is no recovery, there is generally no attorney fee.

Contingency fee agreements are commonly used in personal injury cases because they allow injured individuals to pursue justice without having to pay legal fees. This is particularly important because many injury victims are already dealing with expenses from the accident. For many Pennsylvanians, contingency fees make it possible to obtain experienced legal representation that might otherwise be out of reach financially.  

How Does a Contingency Fee Work?

Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. The process of hiring a contingency fee lawyer in Pennsylvania is straightforward:

Free Consultation

Your case begins with a free consultation. During this meeting, an attorney will evaluate the facts of your accident, discuss potential legal claims, and answer your questions. There is no obligation to hire our firm after this consultation.

Agreement

If we believe that you have a valid claim and you decide to move forward with our law firm, we will enter into a written contingency fee agreement that explains:

• How attorney fees are calculated
• How costs are handled
• Your rights and responsibilities
• The terms of our representation

Everything is explained clearly before any work begins. We are happy to answer any questions about the agreement.

We Build and Pursue Your Case

Our legal team begins investigating your claim by:

• Collecting accident reports
• Gathering medical records
• Interviewing witnesses
• Reviewing insurance policies
• Consulting experts when necessary
• Negotiating with insurance companies

Because our fee depends on the success of your case, our interests are aligned with yours. We are motivated to pursue the maximum compensation available.

We Recover Compensation

If your case settles or results in a favorable verdict at trial, attorney fees and approved case expenses are deducted according to the terms of the contingency fee agreement. You then receive the remaining compensation after medical bills and any liens are paid. If there is no recovery, you generally do not owe attorney fees.  

Why Do Personal Injury Lawyers Use Contingency Fees?

Contingency fees help to level the playing field between injury victims and large insurance companies. Insurance carriers often have substantial financial resources and legal teams dedicated to minimizing claims. Many accident victims cannot afford to pay hundreds of dollars per hour for legal representation while they are recovering from injuries and unable to work. The contingency fee system allows individuals to pursue legitimate personal injury claims without paying attorney fees upfront. As a result, people can seek compensation for their injuries regardless of their current financial circumstances. This type of fee agreement also demonstrates a law firm’s confidence in the cases it accepts. Since attorneys only get paid when they recover compensation, they generally invest significant time and resources into claims that they believe have merit.  

What Types of Cases Are Handled on a Contingency Fee Basis?

At Metzger Wickersham, we handle a range of personal injury matters with a contingency fee agreement, including:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Bus accidents
• Catastrophic injuries
• Slip and fall injuries
• Premises liability claims
• Dog bite cases
• Construction accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse and neglect
• Dangerous and defective products
• Wrongful death

Every case is unique and is evaluated on an individual basis. Our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys can explain whether contingency fee representation is available for your specific situation.

Are There Any Upfront Costs?

One of the biggest benefits of contingency fee representation is that clients typically do not have to pay attorney fees before their case is resolved. They also typically do not have to pay other costs associated with litigation. Personal injury cases often require paying various expenses, such as:

• Court filing fees
• Medical record request fees
• Deposition costs
• Expert witness fees
• Accident reconstruction analysis
• Investigation expenses

Personal injury firms usually advance these costs while the case is pending. When your case has concluded, these costs are typically reimbursed from your settlement or trial verdict. The specific handling of costs should always be discussed and outlined in your written fee agreement.

Benefits of Hiring a Pennsylvania Contingency Fee Lawyer

There are many reasons why working with a contingency fee attorney simply makes sense if you have been hurt in an accident. This includes:

• Financial Accessibility: The most obvious advantage is that you can obtain legal representation without paying large retainers or hourly fees. This is especially important after serious accidents that leave victims facing medical expenses and lost income.
• Reduced Financial Risk: When a lawyer works on a contingency, the financial risk associated with pursuing a claim is significantly reduced. You do not have to worry about paying legal fees every month while your case progresses.
• Aligned Interests: Because the attorney’s fee is tied to the outcome of your case, both the client and the attorney share the same goal: obtaining the best possible result.
• Access to Resources: Complex personal injury claims often require expert witnesses, investigators, and extensive evidence gathering. Contingency fee representation allows injury victims to access these resources without having to fund them personally at the outset of the case.

If you have been hurt in an accident, a Pennsylvania contingency fee lawyer can help you get justice while you focus on your health and recovery. You will only pay their attorney fee if they recover money for you.  

Why Choose Metzger Wickersham?

For decades, Metzger Wickersham has represented injured Pennsylvanians and their families in a wide range of personal injury matters. We understand the financial strain that follows a serious accident. That is why we strive to make experienced legal representation accessible through contingency fee arrangements. When you work with our firm, you can expect:

• A free initial consultation
• No upfront attorney fees
• Clear communication about fees and costs
• Thorough case preparation
• Aggressive negotiation with insurance companies
• Trial-ready representation when necessary to protect your rights
• Dedicated advocacy focused on maximizing your recovery

Our goal is simple: we help you pursue the compensation that you deserve while eliminating financial barriers to quality legal representation.  

Reach Out to Talk to a Pennsylvania Contingency Fee Attorney

If you were injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, do not let concerns about legal fees prevent you from exploring your options. Our law firm offers free consultations and contingency fee representation for accident victims in Pennsylvania. You won’t have to worry about paying an hourly fee or coming up with the money for a retainer. Instead, you can focus on getting better. Metzger Wickersham is dedicated to helping injured Pennsylvanians get the money that they deserve for their losses. We will take on the big insurance companies to help you get every penny that you are entitled to under the law, and we won’t charge a fee unless we get money for you. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation, give us a call at 717-912-9501 or fill out our online contact form.