The Baltimore,
Maryland area product liability lawyers sponsoring this web site
will not charge you for the first consultation. Further, in most
cases you can hire them on a contingency basis, meaning that they
only get paid if and when you win or settle your lawsuit at a percentage
of the settlement. There are four principal methods for compensating
a lawyer, though others may be agreed on. They are: (1) retainer;
(2) contingent fee; (3) specific job; (4) hourly rate. You may discuss
the matter of fees with your lawyer at any time.
Retainer
Basis
Individuals or a business may employ a lawyer on a retainer basis,
a down payment toward the fee for specified legal services. In return
for the retainer the attorney will work for you on any matter for
which you may need his or her services. Additional costs may be
added to the final bill for services involving extra time and effort
on the part of your lawyer. Always request that your lawyer give
you a receipt for the advance on the fee.
Contingent
Fee
A fee arrangement used in product liability as well as many accident
and negligence cases, is called a contingent fee. In this case,
the fee is contingent upon the lawyer obtaining monetary recovery
for you. If no award or settlement is made, compensation may not
be required. If an award is made, the fee will be a percentage of
the recovery. Court costs and out-of-pocket expenses are normally
a responsibility of the client. Costs and expenses of litigation
may be taken from the amount awarded or settled upon.
Specific
Job
One of the most
common methods employed by lawyers for charging fees is for the
specific job (divorce, wills, purchase or sale of property, title
examination, etc.). There are some types of cases in which your
attorney can tell in advance approximately what the charges will
be; in many other instances he or she honestly can't. Thus charges
for a will can range from $50 or less to more than $5,000, depending
upon the complexity of your estate.
Hourly
Rate
Sometimes the lawyer will base his or her charges on a fixed dollar
amount for each hour spent on your behalf. This is called hourly
rate. The hourly rate can vary significantly depending upon the
lawyer. Don't hesitate to ask your lawyer his or her rate and for
an estimate of how many hours will be spent on your case.
If you or
a loved one has been injured by a defective product, the Baltimore
product liability attorneys featured in this site will handle your
case on a contingent fee basis.
