Nothing up front
No retainer, no hourly bill, and no charge for the first conversation.
How Lawyer Fees Work at Parker & Parker
No fee and no costs unless we win. On personal injury cases we accept, our fee is one-third of the money we recover for you. We pay the case costs as the case moves forward. If we don’t win, you owe nothing: no fee and no costs.
You pay nothing up front, and the consultation is free whether or not we take your case. Every fee agreement is in writing, and we go through it with you before you sign.
Call or text 309-673-0069, or schedule a free consultation.
No fee and no costs unless we win
We advance the case costs. If there is no recovery, you owe no fee and no costs. The firm absorbs them.
One-third, in writing
A flat one-third of the recovery on accepted injury cases, whether the case settles early, after a lawsuit is filed, or at trial.
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Illinois?
Illinois does not set a standard percentage for an ordinary injury case. The fee is whatever you and the lawyer agree to in a signed writing, and it must be reasonable under Rule 1.5 of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.
At Parker & Parker the answer is simple. We charge a flat one-third contingency fee on personal injury cases, including car accident cases. We do not use a sliding scale. The percentage does not go up because a lawsuit is filed or because the case goes to trial.
A contingency fee means our pay depends on the result. If money is recovered through a settlement or a verdict, our fee is one-third of it. If nothing is recovered, we are not paid for our time, and we do not ask you to repay the costs we spent on your case.
What is the difference between a fee and a cost?
The fee is what you pay the lawyer for the work. The costs are the out-of-pocket expenses needed to build and prove the case. People mix them up, so here is the list.
Common case costs include:
- Medical records and police reports
- Court filing fees and process servers
- Expert witnesses (doctors, accident reconstruction, economists)
- Depositions and court reporters
- Mediation fees
- Copying, postage, and travel
Costs grow with the work a case needs. A claim that settles on the medical records costs far less to run than a case that needs experts, depositions, and a trial.
Who pays the case costs?
We do, as the case moves forward. You are not asked to write checks for records, experts, or filing fees along the way.
- If we win: our fee is one-third of the full recovery before case costs are deducted. MedPay benefits are excluded from the fee calculation. The costs we advanced are repaid from the recovery in addition to the fee.
- If we don’t win: you owe nothing. No fee and no costs. The firm absorbs them.
Illinois allows a lawyer to advance case costs and make repayment depend on the outcome (Rule 1.8(e) of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct). That is how we handle every injury case we accept, and the written agreement says so.
How much of a settlement do I actually keep?
What you keep is the recovery minus three things: our one-third fee, the case costs we advanced, and any medical bills or liens that must be paid from the settlement. This illustration uses made-up numbers, rounded to the nearest cent, to show the calculation. Actual amounts depend on the case.
Example only. Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent.
| Example | Amount |
|---|---|
| Settlement | $100,000.00 |
| Attorney fee (one-third of the full $100,000) | $33,333.33 |
| Case costs repaid to the firm | $3,000.00 |
| Amount before medical liens | $63,666.67 |
| Medical liens, if paid in full | $20,000.00 |
| You keep | $43,666.67 |
Lienholders often accept less than the full bill. Every dollar we get a lien reduced is a dollar that goes to you. Working those liens down is part of our job, and we show you the settlement sheet line by line before you approve it.
Does hiring a lawyer leave you with more money?
It depends on the case, and you can work it out before you decide. Compare the offer you could get on your own with what would be left after a lawyer’s one-third fee, the costs, and the liens.
Here is the math with made-up numbers. Suppose an insurer offers $30,000 to a person handling the claim alone. If a lawyer settles the same claim for $60,000, the client keeps $40,000 after a one-third fee, before costs and liens. If the lawyer settles it for $40,000, the client keeps about $26,667, and hiring the lawyer cost money. Neither number is a prediction. The point is that the comparison is real, and the free consultation is where we make it with you honestly.
An adjuster dealing with someone who has no lawyer may make an offer that was never tested against the medical records, the lost pay, or the chance of a lawsuit. Testing that offer is our job.
What your written fee agreement must say
Illinois requires a contingent-fee agreement to be in a writing signed by the client under Illinois Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(d)(2). It must explain:
- The method used to calculate the contingent fee
- The costs that will be deducted from the recovery
- Whether costs come out before or after the fee is figured
- Any costs you would owe whether or not the case succeeds
At the end of a contingent-fee matter, the lawyer must give the client a written statement showing the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the amount sent to the client and how it was calculated.
Our agreement states a one-third fee calculated on the full recovery before case costs are deducted. MedPay benefits are excluded from the fee calculation. Advanced case costs are repaid only from a recovery, and nothing is owed if there is no recovery. Take it home and read it before you sign. If you need a night to think, say so.
Medical bills while your case is pending
Get the care you need now. Health insurance often pays first, and auto medical payments coverage (MedPay), if you have it, can help with medical bills. Those payers may ask to be repaid from a settlement, and we sort that out as part of the case. Read more in who pays medical bills after a car accident.
Our Illinois MedPay guide explains the policy-specific medical benefit. MedPay benefits are excluded from our contingent fee calculation.
Medical malpractice fees
In Illinois medical-malpractice actions, the total contingent fee for the plaintiff’s attorneys may not exceed one-third of the sums recovered. If future damages are payable in periodic installments, the statute calls for their lump-sum value to be used in determining a lump-sum contingent fee.
See 735 ILCS 5/2-1114. Our one-third fee is the same in those cases.
Personal injury fees and adoption fees are different
Everything on this page is about personal injury cases. Adoption work is not a contingency case, and “no fee and no costs unless we win” does not apply to it. If you have an adoption question, start with our Peoria adoption attorney page and ask us for adoption engagement terms. If you called about both an injury and an adoption, we keep the two conversations separate.
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
Whatever firm you talk to, ask these questions. A good lawyer answers them clearly and without pressure.
- What is your percentage, and does it change if a lawsuit is filed or the case goes to trial?
- Is the fee figured on the full recovery or on what is left after costs?
- Who pays the case costs while the case is open?
- If we lose, do I owe anything for costs?
- Will you personally handle my case?
- How often will I hear from you?
Our answers: one-third, figured on the full recovery before case costs are deducted; MedPay benefits excluded from the fee calculation; we pay the costs; you owe nothing if we lose; Robert Parker personally handles every case the firm accepts; and you will get plain updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I pay anything up front?
No. There is no retainer and no hourly bill. The consultation is free.
What do I owe if we lose?
Nothing. If there is no recovery, you owe no fee and no costs.
What does one-third mean in dollars?
Our fee is one-third of the recovery. On a $90,000 settlement, the fee would be $30,000. Costs are repaid from the recovery in addition to the fee, and liens are paid from the recovery as well. We show you every number before you approve a settlement.
Does the percentage go up if you file a lawsuit or go to trial?
No. It is a flat one-third whether the case settles early, after suit is filed, or at trial.
What is the Illinois medical-malpractice fee cap?
In Illinois medical-malpractice actions, the total contingent fee for the plaintiff’s attorneys may not exceed one-third of the sums recovered. If future damages are payable in periodic installments, the statute calls for their lump-sum value to be used in determining a lump-sum contingent fee.
Who pays for experts, records, and filing fees?
We do, as the case moves forward. They are repaid from the recovery if we win. If we don’t win, you owe nothing for them.
Is the consultation free even if you don’t take my case?
Yes. If we cannot help, we will tell you honestly and point you in a useful direction when we can.
Does “no fee and no costs unless we win” apply to adoption?
No. Adoption uses a different fee arrangement. Ask us for adoption engagement terms.
Can a family member call about fees for me?
Yes. A spouse, parent, or adult child can make the first call. Tell us who was hurt and what you know. You do not need a claim number or paperwork to call.
What if another lawyer quoted me a different percentage?
Compare the written agreements, not the advertising. Ours is one-third, figured on the full recovery, with costs advanced and nothing owed if we lose.
Will you pressure me to sign on the first call?
No. You can take the agreement home and read it. Hiring happens only if we both agree and you sign.
Questions about cost? Ask us. Call or text 309-673-0069 · Schedule a free consultation Parker & Parker Attorneys at Law, 300 NE Perry Ave., Peoria, IL 61603 On personal injury cases we accept: no fee and no costs unless we win.
The fee terms on this page apply to personal injury cases the firm accepts and are set out in the written agreement you sign. Examples on this page use made-up numbers and do not predict the outcome of any case.