Understanding contingency fees, case expenses, and the amount you may receive.

After an injury, the cost of hiring a lawyer can feel like one more bill you cannot afford. You may wonder whether you must pay hourly, provide a large deposit, or give up most of a potential settlement.

Many personal injury lawyers use a contingency fee, meaning the attorney’s fee depends on a recovery. The fee is typically calculated as a percentage of money obtained through a settlement or judgment.

There is no single percentage that applies to every Pennsylvania personal injury case. The agreement, the type of claim, and any applicable legal restrictions matter.

At Anzalone & Doyle Trial Lawyers, we believe you should understand the financial terms of representation before deciding how to proceed.

What Is a Contingency Fee?

A contingency fee connects the attorney’s compensation to the outcome described in the fee agreement. Instead of paying for each hour of legal work, the client agrees to a stated share of a recovery.

An agreement might use one percentage throughout the case or different percentages depending on whether the matter settles, reaches trial, or requires an appeal.

Do not assume that a rate you saw online applies to your claim. Ask the attorney to explain the actual proposed terms, including the services covered and what happens if representation ends early.

Is There a Standard Percentage?

You may hear examples involving one-third of a recovery or another percentage. Those examples are not a universal Pennsylvania rate and do not state this firm’s fees.

A proposed arrangement may reflect factors such as:

• The work and investigation the matter requires.
• The complexity of the legal and medical issues.
• The risks involved in pursuing the claim.
• Whether litigation or an appeal is included.
• Special rules that apply to a particular proceeding.For example, workers’ compensation matters have their own fee approval requirements. You should not assume an ordinary personal injury agreement applies to every kind of injury-related case.
  

  What Must the Written Agreement Explain?

  Pennsylvania’s professional conduct rules require a written contingency fee agreement describing how the fee will be determined. It should address the applicable percentages, the expenses deducted from a recovery, and whether those expenses come out before or after the fee is calculated.

  Before signing, ask:

• What percentage applies at each stage?
• Does the percentage change if a lawsuit is filed?
• What expenses could be charged to the case?
• Who advances those expenses?
• What happens to expenses if there is no recovery?
• How are medical repayment claims handled?A clear explanation should help you understand the agreement without having to guess what a phrase means. Keep a copy for your records.
  

  How Are Attorney Fees Different From Case Expenses?

  An attorney’s fee pays for legal services. Case expenses are separate costs involved in developing or pursuing the claim.

  Depending on the matter, expenses may include:

• Court filing and service fees.
• Charges for medical records.
• Expert reviews and reports.
• Depositions and transcripts.
• Investigation and accident reconstruction.
• Trial exhibits or other necessary preparation.

A complicated truck accident case may require different resources than a claim with straightforward evidence. Ask how significant expenses are approved and how you will be kept informed as costs develop.

A statement that an attorney receives no fee without a recovery does not, by itself, explain responsibility for every expense. The written terms should answer that separate question.

What Could the Calculation Look Like?

Consider a purely hypothetical $90,000 recovery with a one-third fee and $6,000 in case expenses. This is a math example, not a proposed fee or predicted result.

If the fee is calculated first, the fee would be $30,000. Subtracting $6,000 in expenses would leave

$54,000 before any medical bills or valid repayment claims.

If expenses are deducted first, the remaining $84,000 would produce a $28,000 fee. That would leave

$56,000 before other obligations.

The difference shows why the order of deductions matters. Your actual agreement and circumstances control the calculation.

Is the Settlement Amount the Amount I Take Home?

Not necessarily. A settlement headline and the client’s final payment are different figures.

Beyond fees and expenses, a case may involve unpaid medical bills or legally enforceable reimbursement claims from entities that paid benefits. Whether a repayment claim is valid, and how much must be paid, requires individual review.

Ask for an estimated breakdown when considering an offer. Some amounts may remain uncertain until records are complete or repayment issues are resolved. At the end of a contingency fee matter, the lawyer must provide a written closing statement showing the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the distribution calculation.

What Should I Compare When Choosing Representation?

Price matters, but it should be considered alongside the attorney’s relevant experience, communication, and plan for the case. A low percentage alone does not tell you what work is included or how expenses are handled.

Look for an attorney who answers financial questions directly, explains possible risks, and gives you time to understand the agreement. Be cautious about promises of a specific recovery before the facts are reviewed.

How Can Anzalone & Doyle Help You Understand the Costs?

A personal injury attorney can explain the proposed fee structure, the investigation your case may require, and the deductions that could affect a recovery.

At Anzalone & Doyle Trial Lawyers, we believe an informed client should understand both the legal process and the financial terms. Your questions about fees deserve the same care as your questions about the accident itself.

Discuss Your Case and Your Fee Questions

If you were injured in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, or anywhere in Northeastern Pennsylvania, uncertainty about legal costs should not keep you from asking for information.

Contact Anzalone & Doyle Trial Lawyers to discuss your situation and learn how fees and expenses would be handled under a proposed representation agreement.