Sometimes it happens that you need an attorney for an incident that happened in Texas, but you don’t have a lot of money to pay for their services. Yet the situation won’t come to a good resolution unless you’ve got a lawyer working on your behalf. Before you decide to go through the legal proceedings on your own, you may be able to find help from one of the many contingency attorneys in Texas. An attorney that works on contingency doesn’t ask for money up front and takes a percentage of the settlement as payment. Here’s how a contingency attorney can help you with your legal problem.
How Does a Lawyer Work on Contingency?
Lawyers who work on contingency do so because they feel there’s a strong chance of winning the case on your behalf. Contingency attorneys in Texas make this decision based on the information you provide them during the consultation. They listen to the details of the case, ask questions, and if they feel there’s a strong possibility that the legal situation will resolve in your favor, they’ll take the case. You may be asked to pay for filing fees and other miscellaneous fees along the way, but you won’t have to pay a retainer to the lawyer. Instead, the lawyer agrees to represent you in exchange for a percentage of the final amount offered for settlement.
Does a Lawyer Get Paid if the Case is Lost?
No, the lawyer will not get paid if they lose the case. As previously mentioned, you may be asked to pay for the filing fees, but the attorney will not ask for any other form of payment. The contingency agreement you enter into with the attorney will state what money you are expected to put out and the fact that the lawyer will not pursue you for payment for services rendered.
What Kind of Cases Will a Lawyer Take on Contingency?
You may be familiar with personal injury attorneys who accept clients, then work on contingency for payment. However, contingency attorneys in Texas take on cases for legal actions that include:
- Landlord/tenant disputes
- Employment discrimination
- Medical malpractice
- Sexual harassment
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) violations
These are some of the more common types of cases that a lawyer will take on a contingency basis. Some types of cases cannot be taken on contingency such as divorce or criminal proceedings as there is no potential for a financial award.
A lawyer that takes a case based on a contingency fee has a strong motivation to get the most money on behalf of the client. If they’re not successful, they don’t get paid for their time. You have nothing to lose by talking to an attorney about taking your case based on getting a percentage of the settlement.
