How Much Does It Cost to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Louisiana?

When you get hurt in any sort of accident, you may need to hire a Louisiana personal injury attorney. Some people are afraid to even call and attorney. They think it’s going to cost an arm and a leg. Sadly, the people who need legal help the most are the ones who don’t think they can afford it. The truth is, for the most part, it doesn’t really cost you anything to file a personal injury lawsuit. Attorneys who do this kind of work offer a free initial consultation. If they think your case has merit, they’ll accept your case. If they don’t think you have a legitimate claim for damages, they’ll tell you.

No injury lawyer wants to waste their time and efforts on a case that has no value. They understand how much time and work goes into a personal injury lawsuit. It can take months or even a year to resolve these claims. It can also cost a lot of money.

The good news is, your personal injury attorney in Louisiana will cover the upfront costs and filing fees. They do this with the expectation of being reimbursed when you settle your case. This means you can meet with an experienced injury lawyer who will handle your case on a contingency basis.

What Kinds of Costs are Involved in Filing a Personal Injury Suit?

When it comes time to file your lawsuit, there are more costs involved than you may think. Sure, there is the obvious filing fee. Generally speaking, it costs about $250 to file a civil suit in Louisiana. This doesn’t include other fees such as service, faxes, and copies.

When you sue someone, you have to make sure they get a copy of the lawsuit. This is called “service.” If you’re lucky, your attorney can serve the defendant using certified mail. However, in certain situations, it’s better to serve the defendant in person. This way they can’t claim they never received the court papers.

Personal service can be rather expensive. It’s certainly a lot more expensive than just sending it certified mail. Your attorney also has to cover costs such as:

  • Faxes
  • Copies
  • Postage
  • Courier service
  • Publication of notice in the newspaper

Once your lawsuit is filed, there are other fees that your Louisiana injury lawyer will have to pay.

What Others Costs Are Involved?

Once your case is filed, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any other costs. Many personal injury cases involve things like motions, mediation and discovery. These things can get expensive.

To file a motion in Louisiana, it costs $150. You also have to pay extra for special attachments and exhibits. These costs add up. The court requires that these fees be paid prior to filing your court papers.

Your attorney is going to advance the costs for these filing fees. They’ll do whatever it takes to win your case. The longer your case goes on, the more expensive it will become.

You may also need to hire experts to testify in your case. You’ll need to cover things like transportation, hourly rates, and investigative fees. These things can become very expensive. Experts tend to charge several hundred dollars per hour for their services.

Again, your lawyer will cover these fees upfront with the expectation that they’ll be reimbursed when you settle your case.

Your Lawyer Will Be Reimbursed for These Costs

When your case is resolved, you’ll either receive a settlement or judgment. If it’s a settlement, you’ll receive the settlement proceeds within thirty (30) days. If you win a court judgment, it could be months or even years before you receive your money.

The first thing comes off the top of your settlement will be a reimbursement of these costs. These have to be repaid before anything else. Your Louisiana injury attorney will provide an accounting of all of these costs before they set aside reimbursement.

Once these costs are paid, your attorney will take their contingency. Most personal injury lawyer receive about a third of your settlement proceeds. The actual percentage can be anywhere from 30-40%. This is how your attorney makes their money.

Contact a Louisiana Injury Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in any sort of accident, you need to contact an injury lawyer in Louisiana. Your attorney will review your case and let you know what it may be worth. They’ll also let you know if your case is worth accepting.

The initial consultation is absolutely free and you pay nothing until you settle your case. So call today and speak with an experienced Louisiana injury attorney.