If you’ve been injured and you’re worried about how to afford a lawyer, here’s the short answer: you don’t pay anything unless we win your case.
At Jordan Law, every personal injury case is handled on a contingency fee basis. No retainer. No hourly billing. No upfront costs of any kind. We invest our own money in your case — investigation, expert witnesses, medical records, accident reconstruction, litigation costs — and we only get paid if we recover compensation for you.
This isn’t a promotional gimmick. It’s how personal injury law works, and it exists for a good reason: so that people who’ve been hurt by someone else’s negligence can access the legal system regardless of their financial situation.
But most people have never hired a lawyer before, and the financial structure can feel confusing. Here’s how contingency fees actually work, what to watch for, and why the arrangement benefits you more than you might think.
What Is a Contingency Fee?
A contingency fee means your attorney’s fee is contingent — dependent — on the outcome of your case. If we recover money for you through a settlement or verdict, our fee is a percentage of that recovery. If we don’t recover anything, you owe us nothing for attorney fees.
This is fundamentally different from how most lawyers bill. Corporate attorneys, family law attorneys, and criminal defense lawyers typically charge by the hour — $300, $400, $500 or more per hour, with a retainer of thousands of dollars due before they even start working. That model makes sense for those practice areas, but it would be completely inaccessible for someone who just got out of the hospital after a car accident and can’t work.
Contingency fees solve that problem. You get experienced trial lawyers working on your case from day one, and the financial risk shifts from you to the law firm.
For a free legal consultation, call (303) 465-8733
What Percentage Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge?
The standard contingency fee for personal injury cases in Colorado is typically around one-third (33.3%) of the total recovery. At Jordan Law, we discuss the specific percentage with you before you sign anything, so you know exactly what to expect.
The percentage can vary depending on the complexity of the case. A straightforward insurance claim that settles in a few months may have a different fee structure than a case that requires years of litigation, multiple expert witnesses, and a trial. Some firms also use a sliding scale — a lower percentage if the case settles before a lawsuit is filed, and a higher percentage if the case goes to trial. We’ll explain exactly how our fee structure works during your free consultation.
Here’s what matters: you should never be surprised by your attorney’s fee. A reputable firm will explain the contingency fee agreement in plain language, answer every question you have, and give you time to review the agreement before you sign.
Why the Math Works in Your Favor
You might think: “Why would I give up a third of my settlement when I could handle it myself and keep everything?”
It’s a fair question. Here’s the answer, backed by data.
The Insurance Research Council has consistently found that personal injury claimants who hire attorneys recover significantly more — on average, roughly 3.5 times more — than those who handle claims on their own. Even after the attorney’s fee is deducted, represented claimants typically net more money than unrepresented claimants receive in total.
Why? Because insurance companies are sophisticated operations with trained adjusters, in-house lawyers, and decades of experience minimizing payouts. Their job is to close your claim for as little as possible — ideally before you understand the full extent of your injuries. When you negotiate on your own, you’re negotiating against professionals whose entire career is built around paying you less.
When you have an attorney — particularly one with a track record of going to trial — the math changes. Insurance companies evaluate every claim partly based on who represents the claimant. They know which firms settle for low numbers and which firms will take the case to verdict if the offer isn’t fair. That reputation directly impacts the offers they make.
At Jordan Law, our trial record includes a $131 million verdict, a $45 million settlement (one of the largest motor vehicle accident settlements in Colorado history), and a $42 million verdict. Insurance adjusters know these numbers. When they see Jordan Law on a case, they know we’re prepared to go the distance — and that changes what they put on the table.
What Costs Are Separate from the Contingency Fee?
There’s a distinction between attorney fees and case costs, and it’s important to understand both.
Attorney fees are what you pay for your lawyer’s time, expertise, and advocacy. Under a contingency fee arrangement, this is the percentage of your recovery.
Case costs are the out-of-pocket expenses required to build and pursue your case. These may include court filing fees, medical record retrieval costs, expert witness fees (accident reconstructionists, economists, life-care planners, medical experts), deposition and court reporter costs, process server fees, and investigation expenses.
At Jordan Law, we advance these costs on your behalf. You don’t pay them out of pocket as the case progresses. When the case resolves, costs are typically deducted from the recovery along with the attorney fee. If we don’t win your case, you don’t owe us for these costs either.
Before we begin, we’ll explain how costs are handled in your specific case so there are no surprises. Transparency isn’t a buzzword for us — it’s how we operate.
What Should You Watch for in a Contingency Fee Agreement?
Not all contingency fee agreements are the same. Here are the questions you should ask any personal injury attorney before signing:
What is the percentage, and does it change? Some firms charge a lower percentage pre-litigation and a higher percentage if a lawsuit is filed or the case goes to trial. Make sure you understand the full fee schedule.
How are costs handled? Are costs deducted before or after the attorney fee is calculated? This affects your net recovery. Ask for a clear explanation.
What happens if I want to switch attorneys? Colorado law allows you to change lawyers at any time. Understand how the fee would be handled if you decide to make a change.
Are there any fees if we lose? At Jordan Law, the answer is no. But not every firm operates the same way — ask directly.
Will I receive a written fee agreement? Always. Any reputable firm will provide a written contingency fee agreement that spells out every detail. Read it. Ask questions. Take it home if you need to.
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Why Jordan Law Uses Contingency Fees
We use contingency fees because we believe that access to justice shouldn’t depend on the size of your bank account. If you’ve been seriously injured because someone else was negligent — whether it’s a car accident on I-25, a truck crash on I-70, a defective product, or a dangerous property condition — you deserve experienced legal representation regardless of your financial situation.
The contingency fee model also keeps us accountable. We don’t get paid unless we deliver results. That means we’re selective about the cases we take, and once we take your case, we’re fully invested — financially and personally — in achieving the best possible outcome.
We’ve recovered over $550 million for our clients using this model. It works.
How to Get Started
If you’ve been injured and you’re not sure whether you have a case — or you’re worried about what it might cost — call us. The consultation is free, there’s no obligation, and we’ll give you an honest assessment of your situation.
We can meet in person at our office in Greenwood Village, by phone, or by Zoom — whatever is easiest for you. If we can help, we’ll explain exactly how the contingency fee works for your specific case. If we can’t help, we’ll tell you that too, and we’ll recommend other attorneys we trust.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. And you don’t have to worry about how to pay for it.
Free Consultation — Call (303) 465-8733
Jordan Law Accident & Injury Lawyers 5445 DTC Parkway, Suite 1000 Greenwood Village, CO 80111