Well, it happened. You were driving down the road in Baltimore or Ocean City, obeying the stop signs and red lights and you were hit by a careless driver. You’ve got some injuries and had to get medical treatment. Your car has suffered damage and you had to take some time off from work.
It looks like you’re going to need an attorney because, although the other driver has insurance, you’re pretty sure that the offer from the insurance company is low and the other side failed to include some items that should have been included in the discussion.
So, you’re looking for expert help in making sure that you are fully compensated for the damages resulting from the accident.
But how much does it cost to talk to a car accident lawyer when you’ve been involved in an auto accident? Nothing. The initial consultation is free.
Legal representation in a Baltimore or Ocean City auto accident case is almost always handled through a contingency fee arrangement. This means that, rather than being charged a fixed hourly rate, your Baltimore car accident lawyer will receive a percentage of the financial settlement you receive.
In Maryland, most car accident cases have a contingency fee arrangement of 33% if the case settles before trial. If the case goes to trial, then the attorney receives 40% of the recovery.
The contingency fees “comes off the top.” This means that the contingency fee percentage is taken from the settlement amount before costs and expenses are deducted.
In addition, you don’t have to leave a deposit with your attorney to cover the costs and expenses associated with your case. This is part of the contingency fee arrangement in Maryland. The law firm pays those expenses and then takes the money for the expenses out of the settlement.
Auto accident expenses include items such as court filing fees, copying costs, court reporter fees for depositions and fees for expert witnesses. In a typical auto accident case, the biggest expenses are for medical records and expert opinions.
Reimbursement for expenses is taken from the settlement proceeds after the lawyer takes out the contingency fee.
It’s important to note that, in a contingency fee arrangement, the lawyer only receives compensation if the client wins the case.
So, when you hire an Ocean City or Baltimore auto accident lawyer on a contingency fee basis and your case settles, your lawyer will take two things — the contingency fee and the costs and expenses incurred in handling your case — out of the settlement before giving you the rest of the money.
And a trip to the office of your auto accident attorney isn’t necessary because these days the meeting can be handled over Zoom.
Maronick Law, LLC is open during the pandemic and will continue to meet your Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Baltimore, Essex, Ocean City, Towson, White Marsh auto accident needs. If you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident, you should talk to a car accident attorney. An Ocean City auto accident lawyer can make sure that you are fully compensated for your injuries and expenses while recovering from the auto accident.
If you have access to Zoom, we can meet with you remotely. The consultation is free. You can contact Thomas Maronick on his cellphone at 202.288.0167, the law office at 410.753.4772 or via the website.