CONTINGENCY FEES -
     NO FEE UNLESS YOU WIN

We represent clients on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee is a fee basedpon a percentage of the amount we recover for you. If nothing is recovered, there is no attorney fee, regardless of the amount of time spent on your case.

The contingency fee will usually not include amounts we recover for you for wages due under your contract of employment for the period you were employed, or any bonus that may be payable. Further, the contingency fee does not include amounts recovered for maintenance, medical cure, or other immediately due benefits to be paid to you during any period of recovery. Typically, we will agree to obtain these benefits for you as part of our fee agreement, without charge, as long as you are represented by us.

The contingency fee is calculated based on the amount we recover for you for general damages, which includes compensation for pain and suffering, loss of earnings and earnings capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, and other amounts for future compensable injury paid as a part of settlement.

The amount of the contingency fee is subject to negotiation. The fee is always calculated as a percentage of the general damages identified above, and can vary from one-third, in the case of claims resolved without suit and litigation, to a maximum of 40% for matters subject to litigation, suit or trial.

There may be costs associated with filing and pursuing a claim. However, we will advance expenses and costs reasonably related to pursuit of the claim, but costs are required to be paid back at the time of settlement from the settlement. Costs may include the costs and expense of obtaining medical records, long distance, copying of documents and, in the case of claims filed in court, the costs of process service, legal messenger, court reporters and depositions, expert fees, medical records and trial-related expenses. All costs are reviewed for approval in advance. We have the resources to advance very substantial costs, if necessary, in appropriate cases, without any outside financing. We regularly advance costs of $30,000 to $40,000, and have the ability to advance costs of $100,000 or more. At no time do we require that our clients advance to us any monies for any purpose.

Costs do not include, nor are we permitted to make advances for purely personal needs or the personal living expenses of a claimant. In appropriate cases, we will prepare and issue letters for a client's use, allowing for reimbursement to persons owed monies, including living expenses, where persons other than us have advanced funds or made loans to clients for personal or other living expenses. However, such letters must clearly state that we are not guaranteeing or assuring how much, if any, will be received or paid at settlement, and we do not, as part of our written agreement, represent any person other than the client / claimant.

While every case is different, and there is no assurance that a case, once accepted, will result in a favorable settlement, in most circumstances, cases are resolved favorably to the client / claimant, and the net amount received to the client, after deduction for expenses and the contingency fee, justifies retaining an attorney under a contingency fee agreement.

In most cases, a client may transfer to a different attorney representative, without being bound to a contingency fee. In appropriate cases, we can assist in transferring a file or case without any charge. If a new client transfers a file or case to us, we will take responsibility for contacting a prior attorney or representative and obtaining transfer of the file.

Contingency fees offer a claimant the opportunity to pursue a claim without running the risk of having to pay substantial attorney's fees in the event the claim is lost or there is no recovery.