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Can lawyers change their fees?
Anonymous1 views2 answers
My case has been settled. However, the lawyer is saying he has extra costs and will end up having to take half of the settlement and only give me about 1/3 after paying the rest for hospital bills. (Looking back on the contract it said he'd only take 25%.) He just wants me to sign something and write me a check. Something doesn't feel right about this. Is this legal? Am I being outfoxed? What do I do?
In the standard contingency agreement, costs are deducted first, then the agreed percentage for fee is taken. Read your agreement carefully. See what the agreement you signed says about costs.
Your initial fee contract should outline if the attorney can charge for the costs he expended for your case in addition to fees. Generally, the percentage of the fee does not include reimbursement for the costs expended by the law firm, but it must be in your contract. Look for a separate section regarding costs.
Stephenie Fenton is licensed to practice law in Florida. The response herein is not legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship. The response is in the form of legal education and is intended to provide general information about the matter within the question. Oftentimes the question does not include significant and important facts and timelines that, if known, could significantly change the reply and make it unsuitable. Laws vary widely from state to state. Ms. Fenton strongly advises the questioner to confer with an attorney in your state in order to insure proper advice is received. You should rely only on the advice given to you during a personal consultation by a local attorney who is thoroughly familiar with state laws and the area of practice in which your concern lies.
