Contingency Fee
An attorney fee structured as a percentage of the recovery, paid only if the case results in a settlement or award.
A contingency fee aligns the attorney's payment with the client's outcome: the firm takes an agreed percentage of the recovery — commonly around a third — and collects nothing if there's no recovery. It lets injured people pursue claims without paying hourly fees up front.
Order of operations. At settlement, the contingency fee is typically taken before case costs and medical liens are paid, which is why modeling the full distribution matters for everyone expecting a share.

