If you think you have a case for a wrongful death suit, then you need the right legal representation. While it's vital to pick an attorney with experience and skills in this kind of case, you'll also need to think about how you pay for their services.

While some people opt to pay their lawyers on a flat fee or chargeable hour basis, others go for a contingency fee option. How does this payment system work and what are the benefits of taking this route?

How Does a Wrongful Death Contingency Fee Work?

If you hire a lawyer on a pure contingency basis, then you don't have any upfront costs. You don't have to pay a retainer or any fees for the work the lawyer does on your case. The lawyer only gets paid if you win the case.

Typically, you'll agree on a percentage fee with the lawyer before you sign up to use them. If you win the case and get a compensation payment, then the lawyer takes the agreed percentage out of the sum of money you are awarded.

So, if you get $100,000, and you've agreed to a 30% contingency fee, you will pay the lawyer $30,000. You keep the rest.

Why Choose a Contingency Fee Model?

Finding the money to pay for a lawyer in a wrongful death case can be hard. These cases are often complex, take a long time and have a lot of expenses. For example, you may need to pay for expert witnesses as well as your lawyer's regular costs.

Even if you agree to pay a flat fee, this could be more than you can afford. If you opt for a contingency fee, then you don't need to worry about how you pay for your legal help.

Contingency lawyers don't usually charge for any of their services unless they win your case. If you don't get any compensation, they don't get paid. If you win, you'll have the money to pay them.

This payment model also ensures that you share risk. A lawyer has to be fairly sure they can win your case. They won't take it on if they think they won't make money from it. They'll work hard to get you as much compensation as possible as this impacts their fee.

To find out more about how contingency fees work and whether this would be a good option for your case, contact a local wrongful death lawyer.