Being involved in a lawsuit can be very stressful, emotional, time consuming, and costly. Fortunately for attorneys and their clients, there are ways to work around these obstacles. Some attorneys may agree to work at no charge for their party which can relieve financial burden. Clients may also seek out some sort of funding through a lawsuit loan for example. Good attorneys that are highly qualified can charge high fees for their services. The average cost of an attorney can range from state to state and from case to case. Here is at an average cost of an attorney for a personal injury or worker's compensation claim.

Attorney fees are the amount if costs a client for legal representation. Attorneys can charge these fees in a number of different ways depending on their type of practice or what case they take on. If you are in the process of hiring an attorney, you should always set up a contract ahead of time so there is no question of how the fees are assessed. Most attorneys have contracts for you to sign that clarify how they expect payment. The most common fees are: flat fees, billable hours, contingent fees, pro bono, or retainer fees.

If an attorney accepts a case at no charge then he is working pro bono, or for free. A retainer fee generally means you pay for a certain amount of hours and once those hours are worked, additional hours are billed per hour. Contingent fees are when a lawyer accepts a portion, or percentage, of the case in the event it is won. If the case is not won, then the lawyer does not accept any payment, also known as no win no fee. It is not uncommon for some lawsuits to draft up agreements that the loser pays the attorney's fees for all parties involved.

Typically, a lot of worker's compensation and personal injury claims are paid with contingent fees if the injured person hires representation. The state of Illinois set up a maximum amount that a lawyer can be paid with a contingent fee. In Illinois, the amount that can be charged by your lawyer is 20% of the personal injury recovery. Most workers' compensation contingent fees are 33% of the personal injury claim recovery. If you are unsure of contingent fees or need to seek legal advice, you can contact an attorney in the state of Illinois such as a Chicago workers compensation attorney .

It is best to hire an attorney from the state where the lawsuit is occurring. The law can vary from state to state and you need accurate and knowledgeable representation. Always have an agreed upon fee and sign a contract to ensure accurate payment.