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What Costs are Involved in Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Colorado?

When you hire a law firm to represent you in a personal injury claim, the firm will handle your claim on a contingency-fee basis. This means that the firm’s ability to collect payment from you is contingent upon a successful outcome – in other words, your attorneys only get paid if they help you obtain a settlement or a verdict at trial.

Assuming your claim is successful, when it is over, you will be responsible for paying all of the costs incurred in the pursuit of your claim. However, in practice, these costs will simply be deducted from your settlement or verdict – so you still will not have to pay anything out of pocket. While specific costs can vary, in most cases, the types of costs incurred in securing just compensation after an accident will include:

1. Court Costs

Any time you file a lawsuit in court, there are costs involved. Filing and administrative fees typically add up to a few hundred dollars, and these fees must be paid at the time of filing.

2. Investigative Costs

In order to win your case, you need evidence. This makes it crucial to conduct a thorough investigation as soon after the accident as possible. Investigators charge fees for their services in examining the accident scene and tracking down other key pieces of information, and they will generally charge for travel and other expenses as well.

3. Expert Witness Fees

If your case goes to trial, you will need to have expert witnesses testify as to the cause, extent and long-term effects of your injuries. Expert witness fees can vary depending upon the expert’s years of experience, the nature of the expert testimony and the amount of time it takes the expert to prepare any reports or other documentary evidence. While these fees can add up, hiring knowledgeable and highly-experienced experts can also be crucial to maximizing your financial recovery.

4. Deposition Costs

A deposition is essentially an interview under oath. Depositions are taken prior to trial, and they are used to determine what potential witnesses will say if asked to testify in court. For hostile witnesses (i.e. the driver who hit you), a deposition can also be a tool for gathering the information needed to discredit the witness’s trial testimony. Deposition costs typically include fees for a stenographer (to transcribe the deposition) and fees for copies of the transcript.

5. Administrative Costs

Administrative costs are costs that your law firm incurs while pursuing your claim. While different law firms have different policies on what expenses they “pass through” to their clients, common administrative costs include:

  • Copying and printing
  • Legal research
  • Postage and shipping
  • Production of trial exhibits
  • Travel

6. Legal Fees

Finally, in addition to these out-of-pocket expenses, you will also need to pay your attorneys’ legal fees. These fees will be calculated as a percentage of your total award. Learn more: What Does it Mean for Our Lawyers to Handle Your Case on a Contingency-Fee Basis?

Discuss Your Personal Injury Claim in Confidence

If you have been injured in an accident in the Denver area and would like to find out if you are entitled to financial compensation, we encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. To speak with an experienced personal injury attorney at Levine Law, call 303-333-8000 or ask, What’s My Case Worth? online today.

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