How to Pay for a Lawyer With No Money

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers | July 3, 2025 | Personal Injury

If you need a lawyer but don’t have the money to pay upfront, you’re not alone—and you still have options. In personal injury cases, you can often hire a skilled attorney without any upfront cost. Many lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if they win your case.

You don’t have to let finances stop you from getting the legal help you need. Keep reading to learn how you can retain a personal injury lawyer even with no money in hand.

Legal Services Are Often a Necessity, Not a Luxury

People who need legal advice often forgo hiring an attorney due to the high cost of legal services. However, hiring a personal injury lawyer generally results in a larger settlement. Therefore, there is a rising demand for affordable legal help. However, the question remains, “How do people with no money pay for attorneys?”

What to Know About Upfront Payments and Retainer Fees

Do you have to pay a lawyer upfront? Not necessarily. Some legal cases do not require you to pay for a lawyer’s fees upfront. Instead, you pay the attorney after you receive money for the case. Retainer fees are paid when you hire a law firm or attorney. The amount of the retainer fee depends on many factors, including the type of case, the attorney’s experience, and the geographic location of the firm.

Personal injury cases are an example of legal cases that may not require you to pay a retainer fee. These attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. Other types of cases often require a retainer fee, such as cases involving criminal, family, business, estate, and tax law.

Attorneys may offer a free consultation, depending on the law firm. It benefits individuals to request a free consultation to discuss options early in their case. During a free consultation, you learn about your legal options and discuss attorneys’ fees and payment arrangements.

Understanding Contingency Fees in Personal Injury Cases

A contingency fee is a form of payment for legal services that does not require an upfront payment. The attorney agrees to represent the client, and the client agrees to pay the attorney a percentage of the money recovered in their case.

Contingency fees are used in all types of personal injury cases, including:

The average contingency fee in a personal injury case is between 25% and 33%, but that varies. Many factors determine the contingency fee for a specific case, including the type and complexity of the case. The lawyer’s education and success rate, the geographical location of the law firm, and the anticipated duration of the case are also factors in determining the cost of hiring an attorney.

How Does a Contingency Fee Work?

You and the attorney agree on the contingency fee. In many cases, the percentage of the contingency fee may increase if a lawsuit is filed and the case goes to trial. Taking a case to trial involves much more time and expense than negotiating a settlement. Therefore, it requires the attorney to spend a greater amount of time and money in pursuing the case.

When a personal injury attorney recovers money for the client in a settlement or jury verdict, the attorney deducts the agreed-upon contingency fee from the amount. Therefore, the client does not pay any money out of their pocket. All fees and expenses are deducted from the recovery for economic and non-economic damages. In the event the attorney loses the case, the client does not pay any attorneys’ fees.

Rules for Contingency Fees in California

Contingency fees cannot be charged in criminal cases or most family law cases. The retainer agreement between the attorney and the client must be in writing when the lawyer expects fees and costs to exceed $1,000.

Before signing a contingency fee agreement and retainer agreement, ensure that the agreement includes:

The percentage for a contingency fee, how the fee is calculated, and under what circumstances the contingency fee may increase
The services included in the contingency fee
Other services the client may be charged for by the attorney, such as related matters not specified in the fee agreement
Costs that are not covered by the contingency fee and how those costs will be paid by the client, including whether the client must pay the costs if the attorney does not recover money for the case
The contingency fee is negotiable by the attorney and the client

It is rare, but a personal injury lawyer may charge a flat rate or bill services by the hour. If an attorney does not charge a contingency fee, you may want to continue your search for a personal injury lawyer who accepts cases based on a contingency fee.

Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Mission Personal Injury Lawyers Today To Get More Information

If you’ve been injured in San Diego or Chula Vista, please call Mission Personal Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer or contact us online.

We proudly serve San Diego County and throughout California.

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers – San Diego Office
2515 Camino del Rio S Suite 350, San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 777-5555

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers – Chula Vista Office
690 Otay Lakes Rd #130, Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 722-3032

We also serve the state of Texas. For legal assistance, contact our personal injury law office in El Paso today.