More often than not, those who need a lawyer are the people who can least afford such a service. For a personal injury case like a vehicle accident, it can be tempting to accept whatever the insurance company can provide as a settlement offer than go through the legal process with an empty pocket. However, you don’t have to take this journey alone. A vehicle accident lawyer can still help you, even if you’re in a tight financial situation.
In this article, you will learn how you can afford to hire a lawyer to handle a vehicular accident case, so you can obtain fair compensation for any damages incurred.
Work With A Reputable Law Firm.
If you have a personal injury case, related to a car accident or workers compensation, most private law firms usually work on a contingency basis. The payment to the lawyer is contingent upon obtaining some form of recovery once you win the case. Law firms have the best resources available to pursue your case at a minimal or even zero amount, provided that your case has a solid chance of being successful.
In short, you can access legal counsel or work with a private lawyer even without paying significant up-front fees. You won’t pay anything out-of-pocket. Sometimes, only the filing fee or service charge is paid by the client.
Check the following benefits of hiring a lawyer from a trusted law firm:
- You will be properly represented by an expert lawyer backed up by an established firm, without paying an upfront fee.
- Benefit from the law firm’s strong connections that can influence the outcome of your case. Lawyers from reliable firms know the local laws or ins and outs of vehicle accident cases in the area.
- Freely talk about your financial concerns, because lawyers of the firm are ready to back you until you repay them at a certain agreed percentage, or part of your reward.
Court-Appointed Attorneys.
As per the Miranda warning that you’ve probably heard police officers say on movies, every citizen has the right to a lawyer. If you cannot afford to hire one, the government will provide you a lawyer, called a public defender or attorney appointed by the court. This fundamental right extends from filing a claim to defending the client in a fair court trial.
Court-appointed lawyers can handle any type of case, such as personal injury, vehicle accident cases, workers compensation, wrongful death, and criminal cases. While public defenders are often perceived as less concerned and less skilled than private lawyers, they actually do everything to help their clients, given their workload, limited time, and budget.
Pro Bono Representation.
Some lawyers volunteer their time in helping people in need, which is known as ‘pro bono’ representation or free legal assistance. Pro bono representation is your best option if you don’t have the financial resources to hire a private lawyer but still prefer the expertise of a private attorney than a public defender, who might already have many things on their plate. This option is possible through the help of a legal aid society.
Here are the important things you need to know about seeking pro bono representation:
- Pro Bono Legal Clinics: You might find a pro bono legal clinic that offers free legal advice and helps in filling out forms, such as a personal injury claim for a vehicular accident.
- Legal Aid: For actual court representation, a legal aid society can help. Lawyers who work with legal aid societies are paid by charitable organizations or volunteers who can represent clients in court or other legal proceedings. A pro bono lawyer can give you free legal advice with the same level of expertise as lawyers in private practice. They often come from private law firms too.
- Requirements: Not everyone is eligible for pro bono representation. If you want to take advantage of pro bono representation, you need to meet certain requirements, usually around parameters like income. Once you win the case, you might not get the expected amount of compensation that you would when working with a private lawyer. The money will help pay for the next qualified person who also needs pro bono or free legal representation.
Conclusion.
Now you know that there are many ways you can afford to hire a vehicle accident lawyer. One of the best ways is to find a private law firm that offers a contingency arrangement. This way, you don’t have to pay upfront; only after your settlement or reward has been received.
Other options include seeking the help of a public defender or court appointed lawyer. If you’re eligible, you can take advantage of pro bono or free representation through a legal aid society in your area.
