How much will it cost?
We normally represent people using a contingent fee agreement, meaning we only get paid if you do. If you do collect anything, we receive 1/3 of the gross amount, and, we get repaid any money we spent on your case on top of the fee. If you don’t recover anything, we don’t get paid and you don't owe us anything, even if we spent money on your case. The only exception is that sometimes, on cases that require us to consult an expert before we can decide if we are interested in your case, we may ask you to pay some money up front, usually $850, to cover part of that cost.
Click here to see a sample Coffey & Nichols contingent fee contract.
How long will it take?
It is hard to say - some cases can be settled in one year, some more complicated cases can take up to 5 years if there is an appeal involved. Most of our cases are settled or tried within 2-3 years.
How will it turn out?
We can’t know for sure, and, although we would not take your case unless we thought we were making a good investment of our time and money, there are absolutely no guarantees. We will talk with you about what we think the possibilities and probabilities are, based on our view of the facts and the injury, and on our knowledge of what juries have done in the past with cases similar to yours.
How much is it worth?
That depends mostly on the extent of the injury involved. Other factors, like where the case would have to be tried, the degree of negligence of the other party, the extent of insurance, and other variables, also affect the value. We will talk to you about our assessment of the value. It is ultimately only your decision whether to accept a certain amount in settlement, based on our advice.
What will I have to do?
You have to tell the truth to us and every time you testify or talk to your doctors. You have to follow your doctors’ advice and do everything you can to recover from your injury as much as you can. You have to keep us informed about your medical condition, employment status, and residence. You have to give us access to your medical and employment files, and, if there is a lawsuit, you will probably have to give the same access to the opposing lawyers. If there is a lawsuit, you will have to answer a set of written questions, give a deposition, and possibly be evaluated by doctors. If the case does not settle, you will have to attend the trial and testify. You have to be available to us to consult with and give us your decision on critical matters. And you have to be patient, it takes a long time.