How to Hire A Lawyer If You Don't Have Money - Adamson Ahdoot

California Legal Blog

What to Do If You Don’t Have Money to Hire A Lawyer

August 16, 2023 Alan Ahdoot
Home » Blog » What to Do If You Don’t Have Money to Hire A Lawyer

Access to justice varies with financial means, leaving some unable to afford competent lawyers. Many even forgo fighting their cases due to limited funds. However, the truth remains that without a skilled lawyer to represent us, our chances of winning a case diminish, no matter how strong our desire to defend ourselves for the right reasons. But, what to do if you don’t have the money to hire a lawyer?

Read on to find out what you can do to pursue your legal case for free, along with some possible alternatives if you can’t afford a lawyer.

What Does Contingency Mean?

Contingency refers to the uncertainty of a future event. In legal terms, contingency pertains to a binding contract or agreement that won’t take effect until such desired results, specifically a successful case representation. 

For a personal injury case, attorneys will not ask you to pay first to represent you. There will be an evaluation to discuss everything in detail. During the initial consultation, you can talk about the recovery, settlement, and possible compensation for your case. You can decide if you will hire an attorney for a contingency agreement wherein fees are canceled under certain conditions.

What is a Lawyer Contingency Fee?

Contingency in legal matters involves a contract that only takes effect upon successful case representation. For personal injury cases, attorneys won’t ask for upfront payment. During an evaluation, you can discuss recovery, settlement, and compensation options, deciding if a contingency agreement with fee cancellation under certain conditions is suitable.

In a contingency agreement, the lawyer only receives payment after successfully representing the client. For personal injury cases, lawyers usually get 20% to 50% of the recovery amount.

Are There Any Fees to Work With Adamson Ahdoot?

Working with a personal injury lawyer at Adamson Ahdoot will not cost a penny until recovery. Our services are always based on a contingency fee agreement, which means there are no out-of-pocket costs. We don’t charge a flat fee or hourly rate and only pay ourselves once there is a recovery for you. Even if there’s no recovery, we still won’t charge anything.

Once the case reaches a settlement or compensation, we will then charge 33% to 45% of the recovery amount. In rare cases, our fees are higher for those that need to go to litigation. But as long as the case is not yet resolved, we won’t charge anything until the at-fault party settles the final recovery amount. If you’ve been in an accident, our lawyers are here to review your case for free.

How to Hire a Lawyer With No Money?

If you can’t pay for a lawyer, there are still other options, especially if you’re dealing with a personal injury case. Some attorneys who ask for payment offer installation plans with clients. You will pay a certain amount every month until you’ve completed the total payment.

a lawyer and her client smiling at each other
Both parties in a personal injury case are entitled to get free legal services with contingent fees from the recovery amount.

Possible Alternatives If You Don’t Have Money to Hire a Lawyer

Depending on your specific personal injury case, you may be eligible to get free legal advice and assistance. Here are some alternatives you can try if you can’t afford to hire a lawyer:

Seek Free Lawyer Consultations

Many lawyers offer free consultations online or via phone call. Oftentimes, these lawyers will schedule a video conference for at least 15 minutes to discuss your case. Here, you can get a better sense of what you’re going to deal with. You may also get some guidance for free, or at least some general legal advice on how you can navigate the complexities of your case.

Look for Legal Aid Societies

If you can’t find lawyers who don’t charge fees, you can look for legal aid societies to help you instead. Legal aid societies are nonprofit organizations that offer free legal services to low-income individuals. However, you need to provide proof of financial need, such as a certification of zero income, a federal income tax form, or an employer statement, among others.

Contact Your County or State Bar Association

In many states and counties, free legal services and consultations are available for your personal injury case. For example, the State Bar of California provides assistance to those who can’t afford a lawyer. They collaborate with legal aid groups to help low-income individuals, including seniors, people with disabilities, and the homeless.

Go to Small Claims Court

You may also consider going to a small claims court. This simpler and more cost-effective process handles disputes up to $10,000. Parties can represent themselves, and lawyers are optional. Note that winning parties can’t collect attorney’s fees from the losing party in small claims cases. Additionally, the court has more relaxed rules of evidence and procedures compared to regular justice courts.

Seek Accessible Legal Services at Adamson Ahdoot

Seeking affordable legal services for your personal injury case? Adamson Ahdoot offers no upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs. Our priority is ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve. With a track record of handling various cases and serving diverse clients, we put you first.

Call us at (800) 310-1606 today to schedule your free consultation with a premier injury attorney. We also offer free consultations available in both English and Spanish.

Client-First Approach

Above all else, our clients come first. We go above and beyond to obtain the highest level of compensation possible.

Meet Our Attorneys

Multi-Focus Law Firm

Adamson Ahdoot has successfully executed a plethora of personal injury cases.

Cases We Handle

Get in touch with our firm

Our team can better advise you on your legal options once we receive any available evidence about the incident.

Take Action Now
Victims of California wildfires: We are here to help.Click herefor assistance.