How Contingency Fees Let You Hire a Lawyer With No Money Upfront
Here’s the one thing that many accident victims in Greenwood Village don’t know. A car accident attorney doesn’t have to be paid upfront. Not one penny.
A car accident lawyer only collects a fee if they win your case. That’s what a contingency fee means. The law firm covers the costs — investigators, court filings, expert witnesses, medical records. If your case doesn’t result in a settlement or jury verdict, you owe the attorney nothing.
This plays out constantly. Someone gets rear-ended on Arapahoe Road near the Denver Tech Center and ends up with $40,000 in medical bills. They assume they can’t afford legal help. So they try to deal with the insurance company alone. The adjuster offers $8,000. They take it — because they think it’s their only option. That’s exactly what the insurance company was counting on.
How the Contingency Fee Process Works
Here’s how it works, step by step. Nothing hidden.
You meet with a car accident lawyer at no charge. No obligation. You’re simply getting legal information about your situation.
If the attorney decides to take your case, you sign a fee agreement that spells out what percentage they receive from any settlement or verdict.
The law firm pays for all case costs — investigators, medical records, court filings, expert witnesses. Not you.
Your attorney negotiates with the other driver’s insurance company. If they can’t reach a fair settlement, your lawyer takes the case to court.
The attorney only collects a fee when they get you compensation. If they can’t recover anything, you don’t owe them anything for their time.
You won’t pay a retainer. You won’t be billed by the hour. You’ll never get a bill in the mail. The lawyer’s fee comes out of the settlement or verdict — period.
This model exists because accident victims who need legal help don’t always have $10,000 sitting around for a retainer. And those victims still have rights. They still deserve skilled representation. A contingency fee structure removes that financial barrier entirely — and it gives your attorney real motivation to fight for the best possible result, because if they don’t win, they don’t get paid. They’ve already absorbed investigation costs, medical record fees, court costs, and expert witness fees out of their own pocket. That’s a significant amount of skin in the game.
Colorado’s statute of limitations for motor vehicle accidents is three years under C.R.S. § 13-80-101. But don’t mistake that window for an invitation to wait. The evidence trail that connects you to your crash starts fading fast. If you’re already worried about paying your mortgage after a herniated disc from a crash near Orchard Road and I-25, a contingency fee arrangement means you can get a lawyer working on your case right now — without touching your savings.
As Jason Jordan, our founding partner, puts it: “I have people tell me all the time, ‘I’ve been dealing with this insurance company for 20 years and they’ve always treated me great.’ And I say, ‘Have you ever made a claim?’ And they say, ‘no.’ Well, OK — so the person who’s been taking your money has been treating you great. Not surprising. Wait till you go to the claims department.”
For a free legal consultation, call (303) 465-8733
What Happens from the Time of the Accident Until Your Settlement
Many people assume that hiring a car accident lawyer means writing a big check upfront. It doesn’t. Knowing what actually happens — from the first call to the final check — helps you make smarter decisions after a crash in Greenwood Village.
Here’s how the process unfolds, stage by stage.
You call and talk for free. There’s no charge for that first conversation. The lawyer listens to what happened, what your injuries look like, and whether your situation is viable. No meter running. This happens every day at our offices around DTC Parkway.
The lawyer starts working on your case immediately. That means pulling the police report, requesting medical records, sending a preservation letter to the insurance company, tracking down security camera footage from nearby businesses, and potentially bringing in a reconstruction expert. You won’t be billed for any of it.
Most people don’t realize how much work happens before a client ever comes into the office.
Your medical treatment continues while your case builds. A good car accident lawyer will connect you with doctors who treat on a lien — meaning the doctor gets paid after your case resolves, not upfront. That allows you to get the MRIs, physical therapy, and specialist appointments your injuries actually require, instead of only what you can afford out of pocket right now.
We’ve seen it happen too many times. Someone gets rear-ended on Arapahoe Road, skips the orthopedic consult because they think they can’t afford it, and six months later has a much worse back. The insurance company then asks why they didn’t see a specialist earlier. That gap gets used against them.
The negotiation phase is where your lawyer’s reputation matters most. Once you’ve finished treatment, your attorney prepares a full demand package — medical bills, lost wages, documentation of pain, everything showing how the crash changed your daily life. The insurance adjuster reviewing that package knows which lawyers actually take cases to trial. That knowledge shapes the offer they put on the table.
If the insurance company won’t budge, your lawyer files suit. Under Colorado’s modified comparative negligence system under C.R.S. § 13-21-111, the insurer will try to shift liability to you — claiming you were texting, braked too late, or weren’t wearing a seatbelt. An attorney who has tried cases in front of a jury knows how to counter every one of those arguments with evidence.
You don’t pay the lawyer until the end. The contingency fee comes out of the settlement or judgment. If you recover nothing, the attorney collects nothing. The risk stays entirely with the law firm — not with you.
Colorado gives you three years from the crash date to file under C.R.S. § 13-80-101. Three years feels like a lot — but evidence disappears, witnesses move, and memories fade. The sooner a lawyer is working on your file, the stronger your case stays.
Will a Lawyer Take Your Case? What Determines Case Viability
This is a hard truth worth knowing upfront. Not every car accident case gets taken on by a lawyer. That doesn’t always mean your case has no value — it means lawyers look for specific things before agreeing to represent you.
We get calls every day from Greenwood Village residents who think their case is too small. Sometimes they’re right. Often, they’re not.
The Three Factors a Car Accident Lawyer Looks at First
1. Could another driver be liable? Colorado is a modified comparative fault state under C.R.S. § 13-21-111. You can still recover damages as long as you were less than 50% responsible for the crash. At 50% or more, you recover nothing. Insurance companies fight hard on this point — they’ll say you were texting, going too fast, or didn’t brake in time. The right attorney knows how to push back.
2. Are you genuinely injured? If there were no injuries and no medical treatment, building a viable case is very difficult. But if you had an ER visit, physical therapy, lost work time, or are still receiving treatment, your case gets much more viable. We’ve had clients who felt fine after a crash on Arapahoe Road, waited two months, went to a doctor, and discovered a herniated disc. That happens often. Document your injuries as soon as possible — delays make everything harder.
3. Can you actually collect? You can have the most serious injury imaginable and win a big judgment, but if the at-fault driver has no insurance and no assets, collecting that money becomes very difficult. Colorado’s minimum liability requirement is $25,000 per person — often not nearly enough for serious injuries. This is one reason checking for UM/UIM coverage on your own policy matters so much.
What About Smaller Cases?
A lot of people assume lawyers only take million-dollar cases. That’s not how it works. We handle cases across a wide range. The question is always whether the facts support the claim.
If you have $3,000 in medical bills with clear liability and no dispute about who caused the crash, we’ll talk. If you scratched your bumper and had a sore shoulder for two weeks that fully healed — that’s probably not a case we can help with.
Red Flags That Can Weaken Your Case
Certain things make a car accident case much harder to pursue. Gaps in medical treatment are one of the biggest. If you stopped going to therapy for several weeks without a clear reason, insurers will argue your injuries weren’t serious. A recorded statement given to the other driver’s insurance company before talking to a lawyer is another major problem — those statements get used against you. Social media posts saying you’re doing fine the day after the crash? Insurance companies absolutely pull those during discovery.
Waiting until three months before the statute of limitations runs out is also a serious problem — even if you’re technically still within the three-year window under C.R.S. § 13-80-101. Evidence is harder to gather, witnesses are harder to find, and the case is harder to build.
If you’re not sure whether your situation is worth pursuing, get a free consultation and ask. Many people walk in thinking they don’t have a case — and walk out knowing they do.
Our Greenwood Village, Colorado Office Location
Our main office is located in Greenwood Village, also known as the Denver Tech Center, just south of Downtown Denver.
Jordan Law Accident and Injury Lawyers
5445 DTC Parkway Suite 1000 Greenwood Village CO 80111
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I need a car accident lawyer or can handle my claim myself?
You need a lawyer if you have injuries, missed work, or the insurance company has already made an offer. Simple fender benders with no injuries and only minor property damage can sometimes be resolved without help. But once medical bills or lost income enter the picture, insurance adjusters use every detail against you. A free case review costs nothing and tells you exactly where you stand.
Do I have to pay a car accident lawyer if my case doesn’t win?
No — you owe nothing if your lawyer doesn’t win your case. That’s the whole point of a contingency fee agreement. Many people in Greenwood Village think they can’t afford legal help after a crash, so they accept a low settlement offer instead. That’s a common and costly mistake. Your lawyer only gets paid when you get paid, which means the financial risk sits entirely with the law firm.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Greenwood Village?
You generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim in Colorado under C.R.S. § 13-80-101. That sounds like a lot of time — but waiting hurts your case. Witnesses forget details, security footage gets deleted, and injuries become harder to connect to the crash. If you were hurt near Arapahoe Road or I-25, it’s smart to speak with a lawyer soon after the accident, even if you’re not ready to file yet.
What’s the difference between a contingency fee and paying a lawyer by the hour?
A contingency fee means your lawyer is paid a share of your settlement. Hourly billing charges you regardless of the outcome — you’d get invoices even if you never recovered a dollar. Contingency fee agreements put the financial risk on the law firm. They cover investigation costs, medical record requests, and expert witness fees upfront, and only collect if they win your case.
Why do insurance companies offer quick settlements after an accident on Arapahoe Road or I-25?
Insurance companies offer fast settlements because they know injured drivers often need money right away for bills and rent. Early offers are almost always much lower than what your medical costs and lost wages actually add up to. Once you sign, you typically can’t ask for more later — even if your injuries get worse. Before accepting anything, have a lawyer review the offer so you understand what you’re actually giving up.
Can I still get legal help if I’m already behind on medical bills from my accident?
Yes — even if you’re already behind on bills. A contingency fee arrangement means you don’t need savings or a retainer to get started. Your lawyer covers case costs while your claim moves forward, and fees only come out of your final settlement or verdict. This setup exists specifically so that financial stress doesn’t stop you from getting the compensation your injuries actually deserve.
Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today
Ready to Get Started?
Arrange a Free Consultation. Call 303-766-8153 today.
