Attorney Fees
Affording an attorney is a major concern for many people needing legal representation for a Social Security Disability (SSD) Insurance benefits claim or personal injury case. We believe money should not prevent you from getting the legal help you need. The Paul Baker Law Office offers a free consultation to discuss your case and then handles most cases at no upfront cost to you.
In most SSD claims, the lawyer’s fees will be a percentage of the back benefits you receive. In a personal injury case, our fees are usually based on a percentage of the compensation we recover for you. The fees are subtracted from your award, meaning you never pay us out of your pocket. If we can’t recover compensation on your behalf, we don’t get paid.
If you need assistance with an SSD claim or personal injury matter, it is in your best interest to get help from a lawyer as soon as possible. Do not let money concerns prevent you from contacting the Paul Baker Law Office.
Our firm is ready to provide dedicated assistance with your issue and fight to help you achieve the most favorable outcome to your case. It all starts with a claim review that is absolutely free, confidential, and without further obligations.
Call us or fill out an online contact form to have one of our experienced lawyers review your case and answer all of your legal questions during a free consultation.
How SSD Lawyers Get Paid
The Social Security Administration (SSA) notes that “every person has the right to be represented by an attorney or other representative while pursuing a claim or other rights under titles II, XVI, and XVIII of the Social Security Act.” Before representing you, the claimant, in any proceeding before the SSA, your lawyer must seek approval from the SSA before charging or collecting any fees for services provided. The SSA typically authorizes a fee agreement to be made between you and your lawyer.
A fee agreement is a written statement signed by you and your lawyer and specifies the fee the lawyer intends to charge and expects you as the claimant to pay for services provided in pursuing your benefit rights in any proceedings before the SSA. The lawyer must submit this fee agreement before the date of the first determination or decision made on your claim by the SSA in your favor.
The SSA outlines the specific conditions that must be satisfied before a lawyer can obtain approval to charge and collect a fee under the fee agreement process. Normally, the SSA approved fee is 25% of your back benefits or $6,000, whichever is less. This fee is set by federal law, but ultimately if you do not win your case, there is no fee.
How Personal Injury Lawyers Get Paid
In a personal injury case, the Paul Baker Law Office will represent you on a contingency fee basis. Similar to our SSD fee agreements, there is no charge to you unless you receive a monetary award.
In a contingency fee agreement, the lawyer agrees to accept only a fixed percentage of the amount recovered. Additionally, the law firm covers all of the upfront costs related to the expenses that can arise in pursuing your personal injury action and bill you at the conclusion of your case. These expenses typically include the costs associated with gathering records and other forms of evidence, obtaining expert witnesses and transcripts from depositions and all court fees.
A contingency fee arrangement means that your lawyer’s interests are the same as yours – maximizing the compensation your recover on your claim. The lawyer benefits when you benefit and to the same degree.
You can be assured that the Paul Baker Law Office will vigorously fight to help you recover all of the compensation you are entitled because, in the end, we don’t get paid unless you do.
Contact a Barbourville SSD Lawyer Today
Some people think that they can handle their SSD or personal injury claim all alone. Insurance companies love to encourage this line of thinking. Some adjusters may even tell you that not hiring a lawyer will let you keep more money for yourself.
Do not fall for these types of tactics. The truth is that a person who has legal representation usually has a far better chance of obtaining a favorable outcome in an SSD or personal injury claim.
SSD fee agreements and personal injury contingency fee agreements allow you to have an experienced lawyer handle your case at absolutely no cost to you until you obtain a financial award. Even then, you won’t have to pay the fee out of your pocket. These types of fee agreements remove any of the money concerns you may have about your claim and instead allow you to focus on your health and your life.
Do you need help with an SSD claim or personal injury matter in Kentucky? You need to talk to a knowledgeable and experienced attorney as soon as possible.
The Paul Baker Law Office represents clients in Barbourville and the areas in Kentucky. You can have one of our lawyers provide an honest and thorough evaluation of your case when you call us or contact us online to take advantage of a free consultation.
