Personal Injury Lawyer Cost: Fees and Case Costs Explained

Last updated: October 16, 2026

You’re home with a brace on your leg and a hospital bill on the counter. A friend says you should talk to a lawyer. Your first thought is simple: you can’t afford one, not with work on hold.

Here’s how personal injury lawyer cost really works in Washington, for any kind of injury case: car crashes, falls, dog bites, and more. For most cases, you don’t pay a lawyer out of your own pocket. The lawyer is paid from the money they win for you, under a written agreement you sign first.

The short answer: Most injury lawyers charge nothing up front. They take a share of the money they recover, and if there’s no recovery, there’s no fee. Case costs, like records and experts, are separate. Washington requires the agreement to be in writing and to say how fees and costs work, including what you owe if you lose.

Doctor fits a walking boot on a patient's injured leg

How does a personal injury lawyer get paid?

Most injury lawyers work on a contingency fee. We call it No Win, No Fee. You pay nothing to start, and there are no hourly bills while the case is open. When the case settles or a jury decides it, the lawyer takes a share of the recovery. If there’s no recovery, the lawyer gets no fee.

You hire the lawyer. You pay nothing to start. No retainer.
The lawyer builds the case. No hourly bills while it’s open.
The case resolves. It settles, or a jury decides it.
The fee is paid. A share of the recovery goes to the lawyer. No recovery, no fee.

No Washington law sets one percentage. Each lawyer sets it and writes it into the agreement, and some charge more if the case goes to trial. Our own rate is in our written agreement. We go over it with you at your free case review, before you decide anything.

Why do injury lawyers work on contingency?

Because most hurt people can’t pay by the hour. They’re often out of work, with medical bills stacking up. A contingency fee opens the door to help when money is tightest. It also lines up your goals with your lawyer’s, since the lawyer only gets paid if you do. If the case is lost, the lawyer worked for free.

That risk is why lawyers look closely at a case before they take it. It’s also why a good lawyer will tell you when a case isn’t worth bringing.

What must your fee agreement include?

In Washington, a contingency fee agreement must be in writing and signed by you. It must state the percentage for settlement, trial, and appeal. It must list the case costs that come out of the recovery, say whether they come out before or after the fee, and tell you about any costs you’d owe even if you lose.

If a lawyer won’t put the fee in writing, walk away. In Washington, the agreement has to be written and signed by you. (RPC 1.5(c))

We walk through each item, with a worked example, in car accident lawyer fees in Washington State. The same rules apply to every kind of injury case.

What comes out of a personal injury settlement?

The lawyer’s fee isn’t the only thing. Case costs come out too, like records, filing fees, and experts. Unpaid medical bills may be paid from your share. And a health plan or insurer that paid your bills may ask to be paid back. Your final written statement shows every amount, so nothing is hidden.

Item	What it is	When it’s paid
Lawyer’s fee	A share of the recovery, set in your agreement	At the end, from the recovery
Case costs	Records, filing fees, experts, depositions	Often paid by the firm as the case goes, then paid back from the recovery
Medical bills	Treatment that hasn’t been paid yet	From your share, if still owed
Liens and pay-backs	A health plan or insurer that paid your bills asks to be paid back	From your share, often after the lawyer asks for a reduction

Every case is different. Your agreement and your final written statement show the exact amounts (RPC 1.5(c)(2)–(3)).

A claim that settles early may need only records and reports. A trial may need doctors and other experts to testify, and those costs can be large. With us, if we don’t win, you owe nothing. Not even the case costs. See how personal injury settlements are paid out.

Who checks that a fee is fair?

Washington has several safeguards. The lawyer rules say every fee must be reasonable, and a contingency agreement must be in writing. At the end, you get a written statement showing the math. And in a tort case like an injury claim, you can ask a court to decide if a fee is reasonable within 45 days of the final bill.

Safeguard	What it does	Source
Reasonable fee rule	Bars unreasonable fees. Looks at the work, the result, and the usual fee in the area.	RPC 1.5(a)
Written agreement	Must be signed by you and list the percentages and costs	RPC 1.5(c)(1)–(2)
Final statement	Shows the outcome and how your share was figured	RPC 1.5(c)(3)
Court review	A court can decide if a fee is reasonable. Ask within 45 days of the final bill.	RCW 4.24.005

Checked October 2026. Most people never need the court step, because a clear agreement prevents most fee problems.

What makes the cost go up or down?

The fee is a share of the recovery, so the dollar amount moves with the case. How far the case goes matters, since some agreements use a higher share for trial. So do the number of experts, the order in which costs are figured, and any medical liens. Shared blame matters too, because it lowers the recovery itself.

How far the case goes. Some agreements use a higher share for trial than for settlement.
How many experts are needed. Serious injuries often need doctors to explain the future.
How costs are figured. Costs taken out before the fee can leave you a bit more.
Medical liens. Large unpaid bills or pay-back claims come out of your share.
Who’s at fault. If you share some blame, your recovery goes down by your share (RCW 4.22.005).

What does the math look like?

Here’s a simple example of personal injury lawyer cost on a $60,000 settlement. The numbers are made up to show how the pieces fit, and they aren’t from a real case or our fee. The fee, the case costs, and an unpaid medical bill come out first. What’s left goes to you, with a written statement.

Example only: $60,000 settlement

Settlement$60,000

−

One-third fee$20,000

−

Case costs$2,000

−

Unpaid medical bill$5,000

You receive$33,000

Example only. Costs come out after the fee here. Your own agreement says which order applies.

Two things can change that last number a lot. Your lawyer may get the medical bill or lien reduced. And finding all the insurance that applies can raise the settlement itself.

Does the cost change by type of case?

The fee works the same way across injury cases. It’s a share of what you recover, and only if you win. What changes is the work, the case costs, and how long it takes. A case that needs more experts, or goes to trial, usually has higher costs. Ask your lawyer what they expect in your case.

Type of case	What usually takes extra work
Car crash	Often settles with the insurer. Costs are usually records, reports, and sometimes a doctor’s opinion.
Slip and fall	You have to show the owner knew, or should have known, about the danger. That can mean digging for video and records.
Truck crash	More parties and more records. These cases often need crash experts.
Wrongful death	Often needs experts to show what the family lost, now and in the future.

General guide. The work in any one case depends on its facts.

Family comforts a senior woman in a hospital bed

How long until you get paid?

The fee is paid when the case ends, so timing matters to you. Simple claims can settle in a few months. Serious injuries take longer, because you should usually finish treatment first. Until then, no one knows the full cost of your injury. Settling too early can cost you more than any lawyer’s fee.

Once you sign a release, the claim is closed for good. Read how long a settlement takes.

Is a personal injury lawyer worth the cost?

Often, yes, when you’re hurt. Skipping the fee can look like a way to keep more money, and sometimes it is. But the insurer has adjusters and lawyers whose job is to pay you as little as possible. On the other hand, a small claim with no injury may not need a lawyer at all.

Without help, people often:

Take the first offer before they know how hurt they are
Miss losses like future treatment or lost earning power
Give a recorded statement that gets used against them
Miss coverage they had, like their own PIP or MedPay
Run out of time. In Washington, you usually have three years to file an injury lawsuit (RCW 4.16.080).

Read when to hire a personal injury lawyer.

What do you get for the fee?

The fee covers the whole case, start to finish. Your lawyer looks into the facts, gathers your medical records, and finds every policy that might pay. The lawyer deals with the adjusters, writes the demand, and negotiates. If the insurer won’t be fair, the lawyer files suit and takes the case to trial.

Finding witnesses, reports, and video
Gathering your medical records and bills
Dealing with the adjusters, so you don’t have to
Filing a lawsuit and going to trial if needed
Working down liens so more money reaches you

See what a personal injury lawyer does for the full list.

What should you ask about cost before you sign?

Ask about the money in plain words before anything else. Get the percentage at each stage, the case costs the lawyer expects, and whether you’d owe anything if you lose. Ask who will actually work on your case. A good lawyer answers each question without rushing you, and puts every answer in writing.

What’s your percentage if we settle? If we go to trial? On appeal?
Which case costs do you expect in my case?
Do costs come out before or after your fee?
Do I owe anything if we lose?
Who will actually work on my case?
Will you try to reduce my medical bills and liens?

Bring this list to your first meeting. Read how to prepare for a personal injury consultation and what to expect in a free consultation.

FAQ

Do personal injury lawyers charge for the first meeting?

Many don’t. Ours is free. We call it a free case review, and there’s no pressure to sign.

Do I pay the lawyer if I lose?

With a contingency fee, you don’t owe a fee if there’s no recovery. Ask about case costs too. With us, you owe nothing if we don’t win.

What is the personal injury attorney cost if the case settles fast?

It’s still the share in your agreement. Some agreements use a lower share for early settlement, so ask about each stage.

Is the fee negotiable?

Each lawyer sets their own terms. You can always ask. Whatever you agree to has to be in writing.

What does No Win, No Fee mean?

You pay nothing up front. Our fee comes out of the money we win for you. No hourly bills. No retainer. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. Not even the case costs.

Find out what your case would cost

Worried about personal injury lawyer cost? Call Rich Martin. He has handled more than 2,000 injury cases in 28 years, and he’s taken more than 30 to a jury. He’ll explain the fee in plain words, handle your case himself, and tell you honestly whether you need a lawyer at all.

We help people in Bellevue, Tacoma, and across Washington. Your case review is free. No Win, No Fee. We speak English and Korean.

Call (425) 635-2000 or see how we handle injury cases.

Personal Injury Lawyer Cost: What You Pay and When