More Cash For Your Crash

Reed & Mansfield Car Collision Fees & Gross Settlements

Most law firms charge a contingency fee of 1/3 for a car crash case if settled before suit is filed and a fee of 40% or 45% if the case is resolved after filing suit or a trial. In reality, if most motor vehicle personal injury cases settle without a trial if liability is uncontested, and these are the majority of cases that personal injury lawyers accept. The reasons most of these cases settle without trial include: 1) In some cases the injury claim is worth more than, or close to the amount of all available insurance, so the insurance company or companies soon offer to pay out their policy limits to avoid the plaintiff getting a larger judgment that might give rise to an expensive bad faith claim against the insurance company or companies. 2) Trials are expensive and once pre-trial discovery is done, both sides have a pretty good idea of the case's value. Of course, there are still times when a plaintiff has to go to trial to get what the case is worth. 

At Reed & Mansfield, if you are not at fault for a motor vehicle injury, (you were a passenger; you were rear-ended; you have a favorable police report, or for some other reason liability is not disputed), we charge only a 25% contingency fee and that will NOT increase if we have to file suit on your case or go to trial. This means that the net amount you receive from a settlement will be larger because the attorney fee is less.

IN ADDITION: WE WILL NOT TAKE A LARGER FEE THAN WHAT YOU NET AFTER OUR FEES AND COSTS AND PAYMENT OF MEDICAL LIENS, SO ON RARE OCCASIONS WE HAVE TO CUT EVEN OUR 25% TO HONOR THIS PROMISE.

HOWEVER, IN OTHER PERSONAL INJURY CASES, SUCH AS A MOTOR VEHICLE CASE WHERE LIABILITY IS DISPUTED, OR A PRODUCTS LIABILITY CASE OR A SLIP AND FALL, WE CHARGE 1/3 IF SETTLED WITHOUT FILING SUIT OR 40% IF WE HAVE TO FILE SUIT. 

Clients received a bigger percentage of the gross settlement in the more serious injury cases. Most clients, having smaller cases, received a lesser percentage of their gross settlements. Still we challenge any other car accident or personal injury law firm to show such a large return to their clients. Many firms think a good settlement is one third to the client (33.33%), one third to themselves, and one third to the lien holders.