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How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?

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At Suerken Law, nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee: the consultation is free, and you pay no attorney's fee unless we win money for you.

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Contingency, in plain terms

You pay nothing up front. We are paid a percentage of what we recover for you, and only if we recover. No recovery, no attorney's fee. Texas requires a contingency agreement to be in writing, and you should read the whole thing before signing — with any firm.

The distinction that matters: fees versus case costs

These are two different things and conflating them is how people end up surprised at the end.

The attorney's fee is the percentage for legal work. Case costs are money spent moving the case forward: medical records, filing fees, deposition transcripts, court reporters, expert witnesses, accident reconstruction, mediation. In a case that gets litigated these can be significant.

The question to ask — of us and of anyone else you interview — is whether costs are deducted before or after the fee is calculated, because the order changes what lands in your pocket. Ask for it in writing, and ask what happens to costs if the case is lost.

Read these parts of any agreement

The percentage, and whether it increases if the case is filed or tried — a tiered structure is common and legitimate, but you should know the tiers. Who advances case costs. Whether costs come off the top or after the fee. What you owe if you terminate the agreement partway. Whether the firm can settle without your consent — it cannot; settlement authority is yours.

And whether medical liens and health-insurance subrogation come out of your share. Often they do, which is why the check you receive is smaller than the settlement figure. A good lawyer negotiates those liens down; that work is a real part of the value.

Why the structure exists

A serious injury case can take a year or more and cost real money to develop. Almost nobody can fund that hourly against an insurer that can. Contingency puts the risk on the firm, which also means we are selective — we take cases we believe in, and our interests and yours point the same direction.

What "free consultation" should mean

A real conversation about whether you have a case, what it depends on, what the deadlines are, and what is likely to happen — with no obligation and no pressure to sign on the call. If you leave a consultation knowing less than when you started, that tells you something.

What to do

Your next steps

First

Have the consultation

Free, no obligation. You should come away knowing your deadlines and what the case turns on.

Before signing

Ask how costs are handled

Before or after the fee is calculated, who advances them, and what happens if the case is lost.

Before signing

Check the tiers

Ask whether the percentage rises if suit is filed or the case is tried, and read the whole agreement.

At the end

Expect lien negotiation

Medical liens and subrogation usually come out of your share. Getting them reduced is real money.

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If someone else's negligence put you here, we take it from here

¿Lastimado en un accidente? Hablemos — en español.

La consulta es gratis y confidencial. No paga nada a menos que ganemos su caso. Jimmy contesta personalmente, hoy mismo.

Accidents Suck. Lawyer Up.

Every day you wait, evidence disappears and the insurer gets ahead. One free call. Straight answers about your case — in English or Spanish. If you need a fighter, you'll have one. If you don't, I'll tell you that too.

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