In Queensland, it is common for personal injury law firms to offer a no-win no-fee costs agreement to their clients when representing their legal rights. The value of a no-win no, fee cost arrangement is that injured people can access expert legal advice they otherwise might not afford.
When people don’t have the money to fund litigation on a pay-as-you-go basis, no-win no, fee agreements allow them to hire a lawyer or solicitor without financial risk. In other words, this arrangement gives them access to justice.
What is a No Win No Fee Legal Agreement?
In a ‘no win ‐ no fee costs’ agreement (also known as a conditional fee agreement), a law firm agrees not to bill any legal fees for their work until they win their case. In other words, the lawyer agrees to assume the financial risk of the ligation matter. They won’t collect any payment for their services if they lose. When they win, the clients pay for the lawyer’s work, usually from their compensation payout.
The Legal Profession Act 2007 defines conditional costs agreements as those that offer payment of some or all of the legal costs conditional on the successful outcome of the matter to which those costs relate.
How Do They Bill Disbursements?
You must know how a law firm bills disbursements before signing a no-win no, fee cost agreement. If they lose, lawyers can generally still recover outlay costs (known as disbursements). These are the expenses of pursuing your claims, such as medical assessments, expert reports, barristers’ charges and court filing fees.
When deciding which Queensland no win no, fee lawyer will represent your case, you must know how they bill disbursements, as these expenses can be up to $ 10,000 (or more for complex claims). Furthermore, some personal injury lawyers will ask you to agree to a disbursement loan, which is often at a high-interest rate.
When you choose Splatt Lawyers for your case, you can have peace of mind knowing we are a 100% No Win No Fee law firm, meaning we fund your disbursement costs until settlement. If you lose, you owe us nothing.
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What Kind of Legal Matters Offer No Win No Fee Cost Agreements
‘No win ‐ no fee costs agreements are frequently offered for personal injury claims where litigation is typically against an insurance company. In Queensland, lawyers can provide this type of legal funding for all legal services except criminal and family law.
Law firms generally only provide no-win, no-fee financing when they know they will be funds to recoup costs, which is why it is used for compensation claims.
Be sure to ask your lawyer before starting work if they will give you a no win, no fee costs agreement.
What if My Lawyer Won’t Sign A No Win No Fee Cost Agreement
There is no legal obligation for a law firm to provide services on a no-win no, fee basis; many lawyers do not offer these favourable terms.
So your best plan is to shop around and see who will offer you a no-win no, fee agreement.
Thankfully, if you have a valid case, Splatt Lawyers will be happy to fund your matter on a 100% No Win No Fee basis, which means you only pay when we win and nothing if you lose. It’s free to know if you qualify – Call 1800 700 125