How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost in Florida?
The most important thing to understand about the cost of a personal injury attorney in Florida is this: in the overwhelming majority of cases, you pay nothing upfront and nothing out of pocket unless a recovery is made. Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee arrangement — their fee is contingent on winning or settling your case. If there is no recovery, there is no attorney’s fee. That structure exists precisely so cost never becomes a barrier to justice for someone injured through no fault of their own.
For people weighing whether to call an attorney after an accident, the answer is straightforward: a free consultation carries no risk and no cost. You learn about your rights, get a professional evaluation of your case, and decide whether to move forward — all before a single dollar changes hands. At HLM Injury Lawyers, that is exactly how the process works. Eric A. Hernandez and the firm serve clients throughout Coral Springs, Broward County, and South Florida with the same contingency arrangement: the firm only gets paid when you do.
How Contingency Fees Work
A contingency fee is an attorney’s fee calculated as a percentage of the recovery obtained for the client. If the attorney obtains a settlement or a court judgment in your favor, the fee comes out of that recovery — not out of your pocket separately.
If your case resolves in a settlement, the fee is calculated as a percentage of the total settlement. That fee and any advanced costs come out of the proceeds before the remainder is distributed to you. If no recovery is made, you owe no attorney’s fee. This structure aligns the attorney’s financial interests directly with yours: the better the recovery, the better the fee.
The Florida Bar regulates contingency fee arrangements in personal injury cases to protect clients. The specific percentage varies based on the stage at which the case resolves and other factors, and any contingency fee agreement should be in writing so you know exactly what applies to your case.
What Costs Does the Firm Advance?
Beyond the attorney’s fee, personal injury cases involve litigation costs — expenses that must be paid to build and pursue your case. These can include filing fees, deposition costs, medical record retrieval fees, expert witness fees, accident reconstruction costs, court reporter fees, and other expenses incurred in the course of investigation and litigation.
At many personal injury firms, including HLM Injury Lawyers, the firm advances these costs on your behalf. You do not pay them out of pocket as the case proceeds. Instead, they are recovered from the settlement or judgment at the conclusion of the case, similar to how the attorney’s fee is handled.
Understanding the distinction between attorney’s fees and case costs is important. Your contingency fee agreement should address both so you have a complete picture of what will be deducted from any recovery.
Why Cost Should Never Stop You From Calling
The contingency fee system was designed with one specific purpose: to give injured people — regardless of their financial situation — access to experienced legal representation. You do not need to have savings, a retainer, or any resources at all to retain a qualified personal injury attorney. The attorney takes the financial risk; you receive the representation.
This matters because the alternative — handling a personal injury claim on your own — puts you at a serious structural disadvantage. Insurance company adjusters are professionals whose entire job is to evaluate and minimize claims. They are not neutral parties. They have legal teams, claims protocols, and years of settlement data. An unrepresented claimant faces all of that alone.
Represented claimants also tend to recover more than unrepresented ones, even after attorney’s fees — the negotiation expertise and litigation readiness an attorney brings materially affects outcomes.
What to Ask During Your Free Consultation About Fees
When you meet with Eric Hernandez for your free consultation, ask directly about the fee structure that applies to your case. Questions worth asking include:
- What is the contingency fee percentage, and does it change if the case goes to trial?: Contingency fees may vary depending on whether the case resolves before or after a lawsuit is filed, or before or after trial begins.
- How are costs handled?: Ask whether costs are advanced by the firm, when they are deducted, and whether costs are owed if there is no recovery.
- What is included in the engagement?: Understand what the firm will do — investigation, negotiation, litigation if necessary — and how communication works throughout the process.
A good attorney welcomes these questions. Transparency about fees is part of how a trustworthy attorney-client relationship begins.
How HLM Injury Lawyers Can Help
Eric A. Hernandez is a Coral Springs personal injury attorney with more than 25 years of trial experience. He previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and clerked for Chief Justice Charles T. Wells of the Florida Supreme Court. He is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar and handles cases in both English and Spanish.
HLM Injury Lawyers handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis: no fee unless a recovery is made, with case costs advanced by the firm. The free consultation is an opportunity to understand your situation, ask questions about fees and process, and decide whether to move forward — with no obligation.
Call (305) 842-2100 or visit hlminjurylawyers.com today. The firm serves clients in Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate, Tamarac, Pompano Beach, and Broward County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I owe anything if the attorney does not win my case? A: No. Under a standard contingency fee arrangement, you owe no attorney’s fee if there is no recovery. Ask your attorney specifically whether case costs are also waived in a no-recovery outcome — the answer varies by firm and should be addressed in your fee agreement.
Q: What percentage does a personal injury attorney typically charge? A: Contingency fees in Florida personal injury cases are regulated by the Florida Bar, and the percentage depends on factors including when the case resolves. Your attorney will explain the applicable percentage in writing at the start of your representation.
Q: Will the attorney fee reduce my recovery significantly? A: The contingency fee comes out of the recovery, so it does affect your net amount. However, represented claimants typically achieve higher overall recoveries than unrepresented ones, meaning the fee is often offset by the difference in outcomes. Ask your attorney to walk you through what a realistic recovery might look like, net of fees.
Q: Can I switch attorneys if I am unhappy with my current one? A: Generally yes, though the prior attorney may have a lien on the recovery for work already performed. An attorney can help you understand the implications of a substitution in your specific case.
Contact HLM Injury Lawyers — Free Consultation
Cost should never be the reason you do not call. At HLM Injury Lawyers, there is no upfront cost, no fee unless we recover, and the first consultation is completely free. Call (305) 842-2100 today or visit hlminjurylawyers.com to schedule your consultation with Eric Hernandez. Get the information you need — at no risk.
HLM Injury Lawyers 3301 N. University Dr., Suite 100 Coral Springs, FL 33065 (305) 842-2100 hlminjurylawyers.com