If you decide to hire a lawyer to bring a wrongful death case, there will probably be some cost involved. These issues typically require many hours of research, keen attention to detail and significant experience to secure the best possible outcome. However, there could also be some factors that reduce the financial burden on you and your family.
Both individual law firms and the state recognize the importance of you securing a just level of compensation. They want to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions and create a safer, fairer society.
Paying for costs
North Carolina law gives you the option to pay reasonable and necessary costs using funds from the estate. This is in line with the way the state views wrongful death cases — as a way of compelling responsible parties to make you whole again to the greatest extent possible.
When you receive compensation, one of the first steps is to repay these costs. However, the law does not allow the estate to pay for attorneys’ fees.
Paying for attorneys
Your next question is probably something along these lines: How do personal injury lawyers make money if the estate cannot pay them? The answer lies in the contingency fee system.
After a devastating loss — and in the context of a legal restriction against the estate paying for an attorney — you probably do not have excess funds for professional fees. The solution for many situations is payment upon successful recovery. The law firm collects a percentage of the settlement or court award, per the terms of your attorney-client agreement.
Tragic accidents that result in death are not common. However, there are many rules and laws regarding them. In addition, although contingency is a professional norm, different personal injury lawyers may offer different types of payment options. All these and more factors will probably have an effect on your legal and financial strategy.