Legal Question in Personal Injury in Ohio

Legal expenses/fees

Basics: My wife was in an accident that was not her fault. Our car is totaled and she has medical expenses that will end up in the $2000-$3000 range. We are having difficulties with the other driver's insurance company and wish to consult a lawyer.

Question: If we hire a lawyer on a contigency fee. Will the value of the car be considered as part of the lawyer fees. Example: If the cars value is 10000 and medical expenses/pain suffering is 5000 will the contigency fee be based on the total $15000 or the $5000 dollars in no car related fees?


Asked on 8/19/03, 9:57 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys
Willard Hanner Hanner Law Firm

Re: Legal expenses/fees

A contingency fee is negotiable. If you would wish to retain my firm, for example, we would not charge for property damage, only personal injury.

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Answered on 8/20/03, 6:09 am
Robert Guehl Guehl Law Offices

Re: Legal expenses/fees

Typically the property damage claim is settled separate from the personal injury portion of the claim, and therefore not included in the computation of the attorney fees.

You should know that insurance companies are discouraging unrepresented claimants from securing legal counsel. What they don't tell you (taken from Allstate's Claim Manual) is that unrepresented claimants in soft tissue cases generally recover 2 to 3 times LESS than claimants represented by legal counsel.

Good luck on your claim.

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Answered on 8/20/03, 9:44 am
Timothy Hess T. Hess & Associates, LLC

Re: Legal expenses/fees

Most personal injury attorneys will not take money from the property damage portion of your claim. I have never done it and if you would like to discuss your case further, please feel free to contact me.

216-241-1214

--Tim Hess

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Answered on 8/21/03, 2:31 pm


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