What Does “No Recovery, No Fee” Mean?

I was in a truck wreck in Clarksville, Tennessee and need a lawyer.  What does "no recovery no fee" mean? 

Lawyers who represent people in car wreck and truck wreck cases (as well as most other personal injury or wrongful death cases) often work for a contingent fee.  A "contingent fee" means that lawyer takes a percentage of the money he or she is able to get for you from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.  If you don’t win the case, the lawyer charges no fee.

Most lawyers also charge the client for the expenses they incur in the prosecution of the case.  Learn more about the types of expenses that are incurred by reading this Legal Guide.

Some lawyers charge the clients for expenses if the case is lost.  Other lawyers do not charge for expenses if the case is lost.  If the lawyer does not charge a fee and waives recovery of expenses if the case is unsuccessful then the client has absolutely no financial obligation to the lawyer if the case is lost.

Our firm handles the vast majority of its personal injury and wrongful death cases on a contingent fee basis.  We also keep up with the expenses we incur and are repaid those expenses out of any recovery we get for our client.  We usually waive those expenses in the event the case is unsuccessful.  The terms of our representation are set out in a written fee agreement.