Funding Options for Legal Representation

Funding Options for Legal Representation

Personal injury accidents can be financially devastating. Unless you receive economic damages soon, medical bills, lost wages, or the loss of a vehicle can send you deeper and deeper into debt. These hardships are even worse for low-income New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.

Legal services can provide you with assistance in securing compensation. Yet, you might wonder, “Justice at what cost?” Is access to legal help out of your reach?

At Hill & Moin, our family of attorneys wants you to understand your funding options so finances never get in the way of justice.

Fixed Rates

When you pay a fixed rate, the lawyer charges you a set fee for his or her services, regardless of how much time or effort he or she spends. Clients know exactly how much they will owe from the beginning.

However, some lawyers increase their rates if the case becomes more complex than expected. Make sure you read the fine print before signing a fixed-rate contract.

Retainer Fees

A retainer is like a deposit you pay upfront. Lawyers deduct their hourly fees as they work. If the funding runs out before the case ends, you may eventually need to add more money.

Class Action Settlements

In a class action lawsuit, a group of people collectively sue another party. How are they funded? Generally, a provision for legal fees and court costs known as the “common fund” is included in the monetary award.

These lawsuits help New Yorkers when many are affected by the same problem and need assistance. For example, suppose a law firm has 50 clients who were injured by the same medical device failure. Rather than use resources to file 50 separate complaints, the attorneys can resolve all of these claims with the same class action.

Civil Legal Aid

Civil Legal Aid is a free program for low-and middle-income individuals in the United States. The program helps people access basic necessities related to:

• Health care
• Housing
• Government benefits
• Disaster services
• Employment
• Educational services
• Individual safety (e.g., protection from elder abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and harassment)

Volunteer attorneys, law students, and paralegals provide legal services and information. Nonprofit organizations also render civil legal aid to those who need it.

Legal Services Corporation

Less than 20 percent of the civil legal needs of low-income individuals and families in New York are met. For many years, the supporting efforts of organizations like the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) have provided support and advocacy for those in need. The LSC has more than 800 offices across the United States, making it the largest funder of civil legal aid.

The LSC also offers grants to independent nonprofit legal aid programs. Most of these grants are related to legal services, including family procedures, housing, and consumer issues. To qualify for help from the Legal Services Corporation, you must live in a household with an annual income at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty line.

Office for Access to Justice

The Office for Access to Justice expands the availability of legal representation, provides public defense support, and eliminates barriers that exclude people based on economic, demographic, or geographic factors. It also promotes research and federal reforms to improve the integrity, security, and efficiency of legal systems.

In addition to civil legal aid and federal resources, New Yorkers can take advantage of Hill & Moin’s contingency fee arrangement.

Contingency Fee Arrangements

A contingency fee agreement means a percentage of the compensation awarded to the client goes to the lawyer. Therefore, the attorney only gets paid if the client receives a settlement or judgment.

The fee is typically a pre-agreed percentage of the recovery amount. The use of contingency fee agreements is regulated by state laws in the US, and the percentage that lawyers can charge may be capped by law.

At Hill & Moin, our New York attorneys work on a contingency basis because we care about you as if you were part of our own family. By only collecting fees if we win your personal injury case, we can save you upfront funding and focus our attention on obtaining compensation as high as possible for your personal injury.

Start Without Out-of-Pocket Costs

Worrying about how to pay for legal help after an injury can weigh you down with anxiety. However, at our New York law firm, we seek to free our clients from this burden. We serve multiple areas in New York City, including Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx.

Schedule your free consultation today to learn how our contingency arrangement relieves and Personal Injury Recovery SolutionsⓇ can spare you stress. Call (212) 668-6000 today.

Don’t wonder about your rights!