Yes. Unlike other practice areas, your workers compensation attorney will not receive payment until you get a lump sum payment from the carrier. That means you will not be charged an hourly rate or an up- front retainer. Instead, your attorney is paid on a commission fee basis. Thus, only after the claim is settled, or you receive a lump sum, will your attorney collect a fee. Attorneys in workers’ compensation claim typically charge 1/3 of the total amount of your settlement, plus whatever costs they paid on your behalf during the life of the claim. S.C. Code Ann. Reg. 67-1204 https://regulations.justia.com/states/south-carolina/chapter-67/article-12/section-67-1204/
Costs can include: IMEs, medicals records and transcripts. Typically, costs are not more than a few thousand dollars in a workers compensation claim. Spending this money can greatly increase the value of your claim. All fees and costs must be approved by the Workers’ Compensation Commission by filing a Form 61, which the client is asked to review and sign. Thus, the client is aware of exactly what the attorney is taking from the total settlement amount.
Having a claim can be an extremely stressful time financially as benefits can be slow to start. Thus, it is important to understand having an attorney to advocate for you is an affordable option for every claimant. https://www.kphippslaw.com/why-do-you-need-an-attorney-for-your-workers-compensation-claim/
