Will I have to pay my auto accident attorney a retainer fee up front when I hire him?

Answer:

Usually, no. Just about every personal injury attorney we’ve ever heard of works on a contingency fee. This means that there is no “flat fee” for handling your auto accident case and there is no “hourly rate.” The attorney’s fee is contingent upon him getting some sort of recovery for you. For the most part, personal injury attorneys do not charge a retainer fee up front.

This is not to say that you might not incur costs along the way. In cases that are going to trial, you might have to hire an expert medical doctor to testify on your behalf or hire a toxicologist in a drunk driving case, but the decision to hire these experts is made later on in the process of handling your case – when it is decided that the case is not one that will likely settle before trial.