What is a “contingent fee” agreement?

This is a common fee arrangement in personal injury cases throughout the country. The law firm and client agree that the cost of all legal services will equal a fixed amount, usually one-third, of the money, if any, the client recovers from the party responsible for causing the injury or from an insurance company. If there is no recovery, the client does not owe any money for attorney services but still may be responsible for reimbursing certain other costs.