What other costs will there be in addition to the attorneys’ fees?
The fee for your attorney is based upon our work, time, effort and expertise. The lawyer’s fee also encompasses certain office overhead such as legal asistant time, rent and other built-in costs. However, there are also additional out-of-pocket expenses which are incurred specifically as a result of your case. Some of these expenses include the following:
a. Fees that doctors and hospitals charge for medical reports. Such reports may cost anywhere from a few dollars for simple copies to $100 or more for reports that have to be written or prepared specifically by your doctor or simply if there are many pages of medical records.
b. Photocopy charges. Insurance companies require significant numbers of copies of medical bills, medical reports, police report, witness statements, and lost income information. We have to pay for these photocopies and you will usually be charged a certain amount for each page of copy. However we try and send records electronically in most cases in which case there is no photocopy charge.
c. Postage. Again we try and send all documents electronically so most of the time there aren’t any postage costs.
d. Costs of photographs. Photographs are extremely important in personal injury cases and if we incur expense in having photos obtained or enlarged, you will be responsible for such costs.
e. Reports of experts. Reports from experts other than physicians may be required in your case and, if so, you will have to pay the costs that such experts charge for their reports.
f. Litigation costs. If your case has to proceed to suit or litigation, there will be costs incurred as a result of the filing of such a lawsuit.