Searcy Denney’s Fee Promise: No Recovery, You Owe Us Nothing
In nearly every type of case, including personal injury claims, we agree to work for you on a contingent fee basis. This means that our fee is an agreed-upon portion of the amount of money you recover, and our fee is contingent upon making a recovery for you: That is, we will not get paid any fees unless you win your case.
Under the rules set forth by the Florida Bar, fees charged by personal injury lawyers are carefully regulated. We must have a written fee agreement with you from the beginning of our attorney-client relationship, and this agreement must set forth clearly what percentage of your recovery we will receive.
Here are some important elements of a contingent fee arrangement:
The amount of the contingent fee you pay can be affected by a number of factors: The stage at which we take on your case, the type of case you have, and whether we must initiate collection or appellate work after a trial.
Separate and unrelated to the contingent fee, ultimately you are responsible for the costs of handling your case. Most often, these costs are handled in the same way as our contingent fee – you owe us nothing unless we make a recovery for you. Costs typically include things such as court filing fees, expenses paid to witnesses, travel costs, and similar expenses associated with proving your case successfully. If we are successful in recovering monies for you, these costs will be deducted from your recovery.
The Florida Bar Rules of Professional Conduct provide for certain limitations on fees in contingency cases. Most of these rules are included in a “Statement of Client’s Rights” that we provide to prospective clients. These rules apply, for example, to vehicle crashes and defective product claims. Medical malpractice cases are governed by both the Florida Bar Rules and Florida Statutes. If you have asked us to assume representation of you in a medical negligence case, we will provide you with written details of these rules and laws.
You should discuss with your attorney all of the details of your contingent fee arrangement, including limitations that apply in Florida, if any, and costs and expenses that you must pay. We encourage prospective clients to ask EVERY question that occurs to you; no question is too small or insignificant. It is essential that you understand EVERY aspect of our arrangement with you related to fees and costs.
The Searcy Denney Difference
When we conclude your case favorably, we will give you an itemized statement of costs, expenses, and fees. We will review these fees and costs with you in detail, because we want to make sure that you have a clear understanding of our financial relationship. You and all of the attorneys who represented you are required to sign this statement.
The $6.2 billion in settlements and verdicts noted on this website and recovery amounts indicated on our Cases & Results page represent gross verdicts and settlements obtained on behalf of clients over the last 45 years, without adjustment for fees, costs, or medical liens. In some cases, verdicts were amended or appealed, or were not fully recoverable due to the insolvency of defendants.
The accounts of recent trials, verdicts and settlements contained in this website are intended to illustrate the experience of the firm in a variety of litigation areas. Each case is unique, and the results in one case do not necessarily indicate the quality or value of any other case. Omitting clients’ names and/or defendants’ names are the result of requests for anonymity.