How Do Accident Lawyers Get You Money?

How Do Accident Lawyers Get You Money?

Accident lawyers usually don’t pay injury claims out of their own pocket. The money in an injury claim typically comes from an insurance company or another party who may owe damages. A lawyer helps guide that process and explains how fees and case costs work. This guide walks through where the money may come from, how a claim moves, and how a settlement is paid out. If you’re reading this for an injured family member, you’re not alone in asking these questions.

Where the Money in an Injury Claim May Come From

Money in many injury claims may come from the liability insurance of the person found at fault. Liability insurance pays damages the insured person owes to others, up to the policy limits.

Policy limits matter because a policy pays only up to its stated amount. Some drivers and riders also carry uninsured motorist coverage. Georgia’s uninsured motorist statute, O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11, addresses coverage that auto liability policies may provide for bodily injury caused by an uninsured motor vehicle’s owner or operator. An insured may be able to reject or select different coverage in writing. How it applies depends on the policy and the facts of your case, so consult a lawyer about your own situation. The insured chooses the limits. Whether that coverage applies to you turns on your policy and the details of the crash.

For a wider look at motorcycle crashes, read our motorcycle accident guide. A lawyer can explain which coverage may apply to your situation.

The Stages a Claim Typically Moves Through

A typical claim moves from gathering proof, to a written demand, to negotiation, and sometimes to a lawsuit. Each stage can take a different amount of time, and no standard timeline fits every case.

Early on, people often collect the crash report, photos, witness names, and records of medical care. Medical records document the care a person received.

Next, a written demand describes the injuries and losses the injured person claims. Negotiation may follow, and it may lead to a settlement. If the claim doesn’t resolve, a lawsuit may be filed. Lawsuits follow their own timing rules, so ask a lawyer how those rules may apply to you.

Georgia also uses a fault-sharing rule. Georgia’s apportionment statute, O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 (Quynn v. Hulsey, 310 Ga. 473 (2020)), may reduce damages in proportion to an injured person’s share of fault. How it applies depends on the facts of each case, and exceptions may apply, so consult a lawyer about your own situation. A person who is 50 percent or more responsible is not entitled to damages under that section (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33; Quynn v. Hulsey, 310 Ga. 473 (2020)). Exceptions may apply, so ask a lawyer how this rule may fit your case.

What an Accident Lawyer Does During the Process

A lawyer may organize records, request reports, talk with the insurance company for the client, prepare the demand, and file a lawsuit if needed. These are tasks, not promised results. The lawyer’s job is to explain your options and act within the written fee agreement.

You can help by keeping copies of everything you receive. Note the date and name of every call you make or take. Share new medical bills and letters as they arrive, so nothing gets lost.

Peter F. Jaraysi is the lawyer responsible for this page’s content. Our team includes support staff, including assistants and office staff, who help with day-to-day case work on a file.

How Accident Lawyers Are Paid

Lawyers’ fees and case costs are set out in a written fee agreement, so that agreement is the place to check the terms. Read it carefully before you sign anything.

The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.

Case costs and expenses are handled in the written agreement too. Ask the lawyer to explain in writing which case costs you may be responsible for and how they’re billed. Ask how costs are handled if the claim doesn’t produce a payment.

Fee terms can differ from one agreement to the next. Bring your questions to your first conversation and ask for the answers in writing.

How a Settlement Payment Is Paid Out

A settlement usually ends with a signed release and a settlement statement that shows how the money is divided. The steps depend on the agreement and the parties involved.

A settlement release is a document where the injured person agrees to end the claim in exchange for the agreed payment. Read it line by line before you sign. Ask what the release covers and what it ends.

A settlement statement lists the payment and any deductions. Deductions may include medical liens, health plan reimbursement claims, case costs, and attorney fees. Some providers treat patients under a letter of protection, which is a promise to be paid from a settlement or judgment. Depending on the facts of your case, O.C.G.A. § 51-12-1.1 may bear on whether that letter, itemized charges, and any sale of the provider’s accounts below invoice price are relevant and discoverable. Consult a lawyer about your own situation. The same section limits medical expenses to the reasonable value of medically necessary care, and the trier of fact decides that amount.

To see how the numbers add up in your case, ask for a line-by-line statement before you sign. Review each deduction and ask questions about any line you don’t understand. Ask a lawyer how these rules may apply to your situation.

Questions to Ask Before You Decide Who Handles Your Claim

Start by asking how the written fee agreement describes fees and case costs. Then ask a few practical questions before you choose.

• Who will communicate with me, and how often will I get updates?
• Which support staff may be involved in my file?
• Is the lawyer licensed to practice in Georgia? Slam Dunk Attorney is based in Duluth, Georgia.
• How will case costs be handled if the claim does not produce a payment?

Write down each answer. Compare the answers with the fee agreement. Pay attention to whether the answers are clear, and ask again when they aren’t.

Talking Through Your Situation With Slam Dunk Attorney

If you’re still weighing your options, our team can talk through your situation with you. You may be reading this after a motorcycle crash left you or someone you love hurt. You may be juggling medical appointments, time off work, and a stack of insurance letters. Or you may be trying to help a family member who can’t manage a claim alone.

How do accident lawyers get you money?

Money usually comes from an insurance company or another party who may owe damages. A lawyer can help with negotiation and, if needed, with a lawsuit.

Do I pay my lawyer out of pocket?

Fees and case costs are set out in the written fee agreement. Review it, and ask your questions, before you sign.

What is a settlement release?

A settlement release is a signed document that ends the claim in exchange for the agreed payment. Read it carefully before you sign.

When you’re ready, reach out through our contact page to talk through the facts of your situation. You don’t have to decide anything on the spot.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Peter F. Jaraysi is the lawyer responsible for this page’s content. Slam Dunk Attorney is a personal injury practice based in Duluth, Georgia.