How is a personal injury lawyer paid in Colorado?

As a general matter, most personal injury lawyers in Colorado- as well as in other states- are paid on a contingency fee basis. This method is also referred to as "no fee no win" and is widely viewed as a good system because it allows a plaintiff to bring a claim without fear that he will lose and be left with a heap of legal bills. 

This contingent fee or no win/no fee basis allows for an attorney to be paid a percentage of the settlement that the plaintiff earns. Under personal injury law in Colorado, a plaintiff who wins his case will be entitled to damages for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

All of these damages may be awarded to a plaintiff by a jury after a plaintiff proves his or her case. If the plaintiff decides to settle outside of court and accept a lump sum or one time cash settlement, then the settlement should take account of these damages as well.  This can add up to a significant amount of money in certain instances, especially if the plaintiff's injuries were severe.

The lawyers payment will be based on a percentage of these total damages. The exact percentage may vary, although 30 percent is fairly common. Some lawyers may also charge a smaller percentage if a case settles than if a case actually goes all the way to trial, since the lawyer has less work to do if the case settles outside of court early on in the process. 

If you believe you have been injured and that you have a personal injury claim, you should consult with a Colorado personal injury lawyer as soon as you can in order to find out if you have a case and if you can work out a payment schedule that is appropriate for you.