Resources

In California, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee — meaning you pay nothing upfront and nothing unless you win. The standard contingency fee is 33.3% (one-third) of your settlement before a lawsuit is filed, and 40% if your case goes to trial. If you recover nothing, you owe nothing. This is the most important thing to understand: hiring a personal injury lawyer in Orange County costs you $0 out of pocket. How the Contingency Fee Works When Sky Law Group takes your case, we agree on a percentage of your final recovery — not an hourly rate, not a retainer. Here is how the math works in practice: Pre-litigation settlement (most cases): 33.3% of the recovery Post-filing / trial: 40% of the recovery If we do not win: You owe us $0 — zero. Period. Example: If your car accident case settles for $100,000 before a lawsuit is filed, the attorney fee is $33,333. The remaining amount minus any costs goes to you. What About Case Costs? Attorney fees and case costs are two different things. Case costs are expenses incurred to build your case: medical records, expert witnesses, court filing fees, depositions, and investigation costs. At Sky Law Group, we advance all case costs on your behalf. These are deducted from your settlement at the end, typically ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 for standard cases. Why Contingency Fees Exist in California California Business and Professions Code Section 6147 requires that contingency fee agreements be in writing and […]