The lawyer only gets paid when you win your case. Many attorneys will take contingency cases, but not all of them do. Contingency cases often require extensive work and no payment at all. Also, some attorneys are not financially prepared to take on such a case. Rather, they need a steady flow of paying clients to cover their expenses. You can use online attorney referral services to find a lawyer who will take your case on a contingency basis.

This billing arrangement allows the lawyer to take a percentage of the compensation you win. This arrangement works out to be less expensive than paying an hourly rate for your lawyer. Instead of paying a lump sum for a legal case, you only pay your lawyer if you win. A contingency fee ensures that the two parties are aligned. A lawyer may charge a higher hourly rate if it takes a long time to win compensation, but the lawyer will receive their fee only if you win.

Another benefit of contingency fee litigation is the certainty of a lower risk for you. You can hire an attorney with the knowledge that you won't owe them anything if you lose. In exchange, the attorney will take one-third of your gross award, which is often much higher than your claim. The risk of not getting paid is worth the risk because it gives you an opportunity to file your claim. This type of arrangement is extremely popular and provides a low-risk path to legal services.

A contingency fee agreement also allows you to choose the right attorney for your case. Most attorneys take contingency fee cases. The terms of this agreement can differ depending on the type of case you have. In a typical auto or workers' compensation case, the lawyer will take a percentage of the settlement and then receive the rest. If the case does not result in a cash settlement, no lawyer fees will be owed.