Contingency fee calculator
A settlement figure and a client's take-home figure sit far apart. Enter the numbers below to see how a gross settlement divides between the attorney fee, case costs, medical liens, and the amount that reaches the client.
The total amount the insurer or defendant agrees to pay.
One third is common before a lawsuit is filed. The rate often steps up to 40 percent once a case is filed or reaches trial.
Fee agreements differ on this point, and the difference is real money. Check which method the retainer specifies.
Filing fees, records, depositions, expert witnesses, investigation, and postage.
Treatment billed on a lien, plus health insurer or Medicare reimbursement claims.
Providers and insurers frequently accept less than the billed amount. Reductions of 25 to 50 percent are ordinary, and this line is where an experienced attorney returns the most value to a client.
This tool provides an estimate for planning purposes. Final figures appear on the settlement statement your attorney prepares, and fee terms come from your signed agreement.
Does the attorney fee come out before or after case costs?
Fee agreements differ on this point, and the difference is real money. Some calculate the percentage on the gross settlement and deduct costs afterward. Others deduct costs first and apply the percentage to what remains, which leaves the client with more. The retainer agreement identifies which amount the percentage applies to.
What is a medical lien on a settlement?
Hospitals, treating providers, health insurers, and Medicare can assert a claim against settlement proceeds for treatment connected to the injury. Those claims are paid out of the settlement before the client receives the balance, which is why the billed medical total belongs in any honest estimate.
Can medical liens be reduced?
Liens regularly settle for less than the billed amount. Reductions between 25 and 50 percent are ordinary, and statutory claims such as Medicare follow their own reduction formulas. This line is where experienced representation returns the most value to a client, and it moves the final number more than the fee percentage does.
MyLegalWin publishes this calculator as general information. The results are estimates based on the figures entered and carry no guarantee of any outcome. MyLegalWin is not a law firm and provides no legal advice. For advice about a specific matter, consult a licensed attorney in your state.