How Much Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge?
When you are injured and looking for help in the form of a personal injury claim, the last thing you want to think about it how much will it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer to fight your battle for you. Most personal injury lawyers charge a contingency fee that ranges anywhere from 25-40%. A contingency fee means that there is no up front cost and that you only pay after your case is settled, using a small portion of the settlement amount to cover your attorney fees. In this way, you can focus on recovery and let your lawyer do all they can without having to worry about the cost.
On this Page:
- Example Of How The Cost For A Personal Injury Lawyer Works
- The Basics of Contingency Fees
- Court Fees and Other Expenses
- Should You Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Personal Injury Lawyer Fees Ontario
When you have been involved in an accident, whether it be a slip or fall, a motorcycle accident, a car accident, if it has been caused due to the negligence of someone else you are entitled to seek compensation for your injuries and other costs incurred. When trying to decide whether to move forward with a personal injury claim, one of the things you will typically consider is what sort of costs might be involved. If you are dealing with medical bills for things like rehabilitation, are unable to work so are dealing with a loss of wages, or if you have suffered serious loss of property, you don’t want to have to think about extra costs such as lawyers fees. Many people actually refrain from moving forward with their claim because they are concerned about how much it costs to hire a personal injury lawyer in Ontario, or wherever their area may be.
At Himpro we are dedicated to fighting for our clients and doing all we can to serve them, and we never want finances or the worry of payment to keep someone from seeking the compensation and justice they deserve. The general maximum contingency fee charged for personal injury legal services is 30% of your total settlement amount you have been awarded. With that being said, after your initial consultation, your lawyer will confirm the exact contingency fee rate with you, and explain how the fee structure and other financial aspect related to your particular matter works.
When you hire Himpro you can rest assured that:
- You only pay if we win your case
- We get paid a percentage of the total proceeds
- No out-of-pocket expenses required
- No hidden fees
If you have been injured in an accident, we invite you to contact our team to discuss your options and to help determine the best course of action. Contact one of our Ontario personal injury offices online today.
Key Aspects of Personal Injury Lawyer Fees
-
Contingency Fee Model:
You pay legal fees only if your case is successful (no compensation, no legal fee). -
Typical Fee Percentage:
For most standard personal injury cases, lawyers commonly charge between 25% and 33% of the total award. -
Disbursements:
These are case-related expenses (e.g., medical records, expert witness fees, court filing fees) that are usually fronted by the law firm and reimbursed from your settlement, separate from the percentage fee. -
Free Initial Consultation:
Most personal injury lawyers in Ontario offer a free case evaluation so you can understand potential fees and case strength before you commit. -
Fee Transparency Requirement:
Ontario lawyers must provide a standard written contingency fee agreement outlining the fee percentage and who pays for disbursements before you sign, per Law Society of Ontario rules.
Common Fee Ranges by Case Type
- Minor Cases / Simple Claims: ~10% – 20%
Straightforward claims with limited medical treatment and clear liability. - Standard Personal Injury / Car Accident Claims: ~25% – 35%
Typical range for most motor vehicle accident injury cases. - Complex or Catastrophic Injury Cases: ~35% – 40%+
Severe injuries with long-term care, multiple experts, or lengthy litigation. - Medical Malpractice or High-Risk Cases: Up to 40%+
Cases requiring extensive expert evidence and courtroom time may be at the higher end of the contingency scale.
What You Typically Do Not Pay
If a lawyer does not win your case, you usually do not owe legal fees, but you may still be responsible for reimbursing disbursements if your agreement specifies it.
Example Of How Much Lawyers Take from Settlements in Ontario.
So, how much do accident lawyers charge? Well, rather than charging an hourly fee, most personal injury lawyers charge a contingency fee. This means that you won’t get a bill for your lawyer until the case is settled. The costs for the lawyer’s time, any investigations that need to be conducted, court costs and more are all tallied once a settlement has been reached.
Contingency Fee Example
If you were involved in a car accident, and you ended up with a final settlement of $175,000 and your car accident attorney has a contingency fee is 30%, you will take home $122,500.00, and your attorney will get $52,500.00.
Sometimes, a contingency fee is referred to as a no-win, no fee payment structure. That is because the law firm won’t receive any payment from you unless they win your case. This gives your law firm extra incentive to do all they can to win your case and get you the best possible settlement.
The Basics of Contingency Fees
While some accident lawyers will ask you to pay a retainer upfront before they start working on your case, most personal injury lawyers’ cost is determined by charging you on a contingency basis. It is very rare for a personal injury lawyer to charge on an hourly basis, which is good news if you don’t have a lot of extra money.
Contingency fees can be of huge benefit to the client because a lawyer who charges using this fee structure doesn’t take payment until the case is over. Even better, you must win your case in order for them to take anything.
What Percentage Do Lawyers Take in Personal Injury Cases?
We are often asked how much will it cost to hire our personal injury law firm, or what percentage will be taken out of the final settlement. All lawyers are different and depend on the specialty of the lawyer and the location, but contingency fees usually range from 25-40% of your net settlement, after expenses are taken out. Most lawyers charge around 33%, at Himpro our maximum contingency fee charged is 30%.
When looking to hire a personal injury lawyer, there are three important questions to ask when determining the amount you can expect to pay for their services.
- Do you work on a contingency fee or hourly retainer payment structure?
- What percentage of a contingency fee do you charge.
- Are extra costs related to the case required to be paid up front or taken out of the settlement?
It is always best to ask these questions up front to have a clear expectation of what you can expect from your settlement.
Court Fees and Other Expenses
It is important to note that there can be other costs associated with your personal injury claim on top of the lawyer’s fees. Court fees and other litigation expenses may also be included in your legal bill. Court filing fees, the expense of delivering subpoenas and summons, and the cost of getting police reports, medical records, and other documents may be charged. You may also be responsible for expert witness and reporter fees.
It can be quite common when you work with a smaller law firm that these extra costs are required to be paid up front and out of pocket. When this is the case, and you cannot pay, it is possible that your case will be held up until they are taken care of.
If you work with a larger firm, these fees are more likely to be deducted from your settlement. You will want to make sure that the contingency percentage taken for the lawyer’s fees is taken from the net settlement amount that is left after these expenses have been subtracted, as opposed to before. You should ensure that this is part of your contract upfront.
It is possible for other fee structures will be employed, such as a lawyer who takes an initial retainer to begin the case and a contingency fee at its conclusion. It is always best to ask the lawyer you are considering hiring for a clear understanding of their payment structure, so expectations are clear.
Settling Before You File a Lawsuit
Depending on what stage your case is in, fee limits can change. After your injury, your lawyer will send a demand letter to the responsible party explaining your injuries and demanding payment.
If your case is strong, the responsible party will usually make a counteroffer which will then be negotiated until a settlement is reached. If a settlement occurs prior to filing a lawsuit, the lawyer usually cannot take over 33% of the settlement.
Settling After You File a Lawsuit
If the party responsible for your issues does not take the negotiations process seriously, or doesn’t answer the demand letter, you will have to file a lawsuit. In some provinces where the settlement happens after you file a lawsuit, it’s important to understand that depending on the lawyer you hire, they can receive up to 40% of the total.
Sometimes people don’t want to accept a pre-lawsuit settlement offer, but it’s important to remember that personal injury lawsuits get more expensive as they progress. Make sure you understand the potential cost of your case.
Getting Your Settlement Check
Settlement checks are usually sent to lawyers so they can make sure they get paid for their services. Once they receive the check, they will get in touch with you and tell you about the costs, fees and expenses that will be deducted from your check.
If there are any charges you disagree with, you can dispute them. The lawyer must leave this amount in a trust account until the fee issues are settled. If you have questions for your lawyer about fees, it’s best to ask them upfront during your consultation. This way, you can ensure that you’re comfortable with the fee structure and that you fully understand how it will work.
Should You Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you are unsure whether you should hire a personal injury lawyer, it’s a good idea to think about how serious the injuries are. If you have serious injuries, hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area is usually the best way to move forward. If you have been involved in a minor fender bender, or you’ve had a slip on ice that led to only minor injuries, it may be fine for you to represent yourself or await a settlement from an insurance company.
If you’ve been in an accident and are thinking about hiring a lawyer, get in touch with our personal injury lawyers for a consultation or download our personal injury recovery kit to get an overview of your legal rights and answer any more questions you might have about injury lawyer fees.
