If you were running a successful automotive supply company (much like Wheels Automotive Dealer Supplies for example) and wanted to make sure you were getting the highest protection possible you wouldn't be caught dead without using a cryptocard service - or would you?. So, if you were planning on being part of a class action lawsuit, you would take the proper steps and the most important one is hiring the right class action suit lawyer. When you are in the process of determining which class action suit lawyer is the best one to represent you, there are various factors that you should be looking for. We'll try to help you by letting you know what should be looking for and what fees are involved.
One of the many advantages of being a class member, that is member of a class action lawsuit, is that you don't actually have to pay any fees to a lawyer. That's right, there's no cost to being a class member. So, if you're looking to file a case because of injuries you suffered on the job, and the lawyer you are looking to hire asks for some upfront fees, then it might be best to walk out the door and into the offices of a different lawyer. It's not your responsibility to have to pay for an attorney to represent you in a class action suit and you also don't have to worry about paying them for any costs if there isn't a successful verdict in the class action suit. That's why when you see commercials on TV where lawyers claim they don't get paid unless you win, it's usually true.
So, why would any lawyer work for free? Often, lawyers will take on a class action suit as part of their workload because they feel strongly in the case and will be paid for their services from proceeds of a successful class action suit. So, if you're part of a class action suit against a big corporation, and eventually wind up as the beneficiaries of say a $25 million verdict, the lawyer who represented you gets a percentage of the winnings. The money that is awarded to the class members is usually referred to as a "common fund" and the lawyers receive their fees from this fund. As mentioned, the fee is a percentage of the common fund and the standard rate is 25 percent of the total common fund.
Before you hire a class action lawyer, discussing what their fees are beforehand is a wise thing to do. You don't want to find out after you've been awarded millions of dollars as part of your settlement gained from being involved in a commodity funds scheme that you owe your lawyer half of the award. Any lawyer that will be earning a fee shouldn't be worried about disclosing what there fee is. If they are looking for a percentage of the common fund, then it should be stated up front what the fee will be. If a lawyer does not want to disclose what their fee is then you should see it as a warning sign that it might be too high and take your business else well.
There are many things that go into a successful class action suit and as part of their representation, lawyers offer up many services. They give you lessons on how to remain calm under pressure, they look into bringing expert witnesses that can testify on your behalf, and they do a ton of discovery work. It's pretty easy to be hoodwinked by the glamour of dollar signs and any lawyer that guarantees a big time settlement could just be leading you on and be setting you up for a potential letdown. You want to hire a lawyer who can curb your expectations but at the same time make you aware of the potential advantages that could be coming your way. You need to make sure that whatever lawyer you hire is in it for the long haul and is looking out for your best interests, not their own.
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