What does it mean when a law firm advertises that there is “no fee if no recovery?

Answer:

The law firm is advertising that they are taking the case on a “contingency basis.” This means that they will not take a fee if they can’t either get your case settled or win it at trial.

However, it does not necessarily mean that you don’t owe them any money. In most cases, you will still be liable for the “costs” that the firm incurred while pursuing your case. This can include fees for filing the lawsuit, money paid to your doctors to testify as experts, copying costs, mailing costs and the like.