QUESTION
I want to withdraw from an accident case. Do I need to pay anything to lawyer?
Asked on Apr 19th, 2013 on Personal Injury - Michigan
16 ANSWERS
Ronald A. Steinberg
The lawyer is entitled to be paid for the time invested and to be reimbursed for the expenses incurred.
Answered on Apr 25th, 2013 at 9:49 PM
That depends on what the contract says. If you are going to another lawyer, the current lawyer would work out a deal to get some compensation for work done.
Answered on Apr 23rd, 2013 at 9:57 PM
Car/Auto Accident Attorney serving Hacienda Heights, CA
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Gary Lee Platt
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The answer depends on a lot of information which is not included. Does "withdraw" mean from a claim you made for your own damages, or from a pending lawsuit for your own damages? If you have an attorney already, you can fire him/her and drop the lawsuit if there is one, however, you might still owe your attorney something depending on your agreement with the attorney. For example, if your attorney filed a lawsuit for you and incurred costs in doing so, you may owe him/her for the filing fee, and other fees which the attorney may have advanced for you.
Answered on Apr 23rd, 2013 at 8:36 PM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Portland, OR
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Kaplan Law, LLC
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You may need to pay for his time if you quit.
Answered on Apr 23rd, 2013 at 2:30 AM
Take a look at your fee agreement. Typically, if a client withdraws they will owe the attorney for the fees for the time invested. They may also file a lien on your case if you want to try to pursue it yourself or with a different lawyer. You will definitely owe for any hard dollar costs the attorney has paid on your behalf. You don't say why you are doing this. I would recommend a meeting with your attorney to talk about it and settle what you owe.
Answered on Apr 23rd, 2013 at 2:16 AM
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Anderson, SC
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The David F. Stoddard Law Firm
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It depends on your fee agreement. In some agreements, you must compensate the lawyer for the work the lawyer has done.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 11:59 PM
Monica Cecilia Castillo-Barraza
The answer is in the Retainer Agreement with your lawyer. Look to your paperwork.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 11:55 PM
Brain Injury Attorney serving Baton Rouge, LA
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The Lucky Law Firm, PLC
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It will depend on the type of agreement that you have with the attorney. Most accident cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. Depending on your agreement with your attorney, you may owe costs back to the attorney or the attorney may just file a lien with the insurance company to be paid costs and fees from any settlement.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 11:53 PM
Thomas Edward Gates
You need to look at the Contingency Agreement you signed. Generally, you must pay the attorney for his unpaid fees. You are already responsible for costs.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 11:45 PM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Charlotte, NC
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Paul Whitfield and Associates P.A.
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Withdraw? You mean drop the matter or do you mean fire your lawyer? you can do either. and whether you owe him anything depends on what contract you have with him. Review your contract. It may or may not refer to a situation where you fire him without cause.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 11:23 PM
Family Law Attorney serving Bluffton, SC
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Peacock Law Group of the Lowcountry, LLC
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In South Carolina, that will depend on the contract which you executed with the lawyer. I do hereby clearly advise against any reliance on this information as advice or the application of it to a specific situation without a more thorough consultation with counsel.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 11:22 PM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Denver, CO
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Law Offices of Bradley S. Freedberg
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Did your lawyer do any work for you? if so, you probably owe some money unless he dropped the ball in some way.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 10:18 PM
I assume you are speaking about your lawyer. He is entitled to reasonable value for the services he rendered at the conclusion of the case.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 10:15 PM
Edwin K. Niles
You should review the retainer agreement, a copy of which you should have. I doubt that you owe anything toward his fee, but you may be required to reimburse the lawyer for any costs advanced.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 10:06 PM
Auto Attorney serving Bloomfield Hills, MI
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Gregory M. Janks, P.C.
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You should read the Retainer Agreement that you more than likely signed when you retained counsel. That Agreement controls what you would owe the lawyer, if anything. Most such Agreements indicate the lawyer has a lien on any recovery for their costs and fees and that if you fire the lawyer the still have the lien, but that the fees may be based on work done vs. a %. Typically the lawyer will wait until you settle, hire other counsel to settle/get a verdict, before asserting the lien; however, if you are simply dropping the case, they probably would want to get paid now. Again, it is the terms of the written agreement that control. Also you are free to negotiate with the lawyer, and they with you, to reach a reasonable accord re: any costs and fees.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 10:06 PM
Appellate Attorney serving Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
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Musilli Brennan Associates, PLLC
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It will depend on your retainer agreement.
Answered on Apr 22nd, 2013 at 10:00 PM