20% on qualifying claims vs the 33-40% standard
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Last updated: June 2026
The standard personal injury contingency in the United States runs 33% before suit is filed and 40% if it is. Many attorneys advertising on this platform have agreed to charge 20% on qualifying pre-litigation claims. Here’s what those numbers actually mean and how to read them.
Helping The Hurt is not a law firm. We are a free attorney advertising platform.
What the 33-40% standard covers
The standard contingency developed because most personal injury cases carry uncertainty: disputed liability, contested damages, defendants who delay, insurance companies that lowball. Attorneys advance their time, their expertise, and case expenses against the chance of recovery. The 33-40% structure pays for that risk-bearing across a portfolio of cases. Every credible personal injury firm in the country uses it as a default. The question isn’t whether 33-40% is "fair" — it’s whether your specific case fits a different structure.
What qualifies for the 20% rate
Each network attorney sets their own qualifying-claims definition in their written fee agreement. Common qualifications: (1) auto accident with clear liability (rear-end, side-impact, established negligence), (2) case resolves before suit is filed, (3) documentation is standard (police report, medical records, lost wages). Cases that fall outside those qualifications — including disputed liability, soft-tissue injuries needing expert testimony, medical malpractice, mass tort, and product liability — typically carry the attorney’s standard contingency rate.
Why the 25% "discount" rate exists
Some attorneys advertise a flat 25% rate as a marketing offer. That’s legitimate — 25% is lower than the 33-40% standard, and the attorney is free to set their own rate. It’s not the same thing as the 20% rate described on this page. Read the fine print on any 25% offer: it may apply to a narrower category of cases than the standard rate, or it may have tier changes (e.g., 25% pre-litigation → 33% if filed). The attorney’s written agreement controls.
What controls — your written agreement
No matter what rate is on a landing page, what controls is the written fee agreement you sign directly with the attorney. That agreement names the contingency rate, any tier changes, how case expenses are handled, the scope of representation, and your right to terminate. Read it. Ask questions before you sign. The attorney is required by their state bar to explain it.
How attorney fees stack up
The standard personal injury contingency fee in the United States runs 33% pre-litigation and 40% if the case is filed. Many attorneys advertising on this platform have agreed to a different rate for qualifying claims.
Bars represent attorney contingency rates as a percent of recovery. Rates depend on the attorney’s individual fee agreement and the complexity of the matter. Your fee is set by the attorney you connect with, in writing, not by anything on this page.
See what the rate means in dollars
Move the slider to estimate attorney fees at different contingency rates on a hypothetical recovery. This is an illustration, not a quote. Your fee will be set in writing by the attorney you select.
Illustration uses hypothetical recovery before case expenses (filing fees, deposition costs, expert witnesses) which are separate from the contingency. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Fees vary by case. Your fee agreement is with the attorney, not with Helping The Hurt.
Network attorneys advertise across 8 states
Helping The Hurt connects injured consumers with independent personal injury attorneys advertising in Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Each attorney is licensed in their own state and provides their own fee agreement.
Network coverage varies. Not every attorney advertises in every state. Florida residents please note: Helping The Hurt is not a Florida Bar Qualifying Provider for lawyer referral services; this platform is attorney advertising under RRTFB Chapter 4. Texas residents please note: Helping The Hurt is a paid attorney advertising platform; we do not refer or recommend specific attorneys.
Frequently asked questions
Is 33-40% always the rate?
No. The 33-40% structure is the most common default contingency for personal injury cases in the U.S., but attorneys can and do set different rates — for specific cases, specific case types, or specific clients. The attorney’s written fee agreement is what controls.
What’s the difference between 20% and 25% on this page?
Both are lower than the 33-40% standard. The 20% rate described on this page is a network rate that many attorneys advertising through this platform have agreed to charge on qualifying pre-litigation claims. The 25% rate is a separate marketing offer that some attorneys make. They are not the same thing. Read each attorney’s written fee agreement.
What does "qualifying claim" actually mean?
A qualifying claim is defined by each network attorney’s individual fee agreement. Typical qualifications: clear liability, pre-litigation resolution, standard documentation. The attorney decides whether your case qualifies under their definition.
Does the 20% rate include case expenses?
No. The 20% (or any contingency rate) is separate from case expenses (filing fees, deposition costs, expert witnesses, medical records). Most personal injury attorneys advance expenses and recover them from the settlement. Ask the attorney for the specifics in writing.
What if I live outside the 8 states this platform covers?
Helping The Hurt is an attorney advertising platform for Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee. If you’re in another state, your state has its own attorney advertising rules and its own personal injury attorneys. This platform is not available outside the 8 covered states.
Is Helping The Hurt giving me legal advice?
No. This page is consumer information about how personal injury contingency fees work and how attorney advertising platforms work. It is not legal advice. The attorney you connect with provides legal advice; Helping The Hurt does not.
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NOT A LAW FIRM. Helping The Hurt is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal services, or legal representation. We are a free attorney advertising platform that connects injured people with independent personal injury attorneys.
Helping The Hurt does not recommend, refer, vouch for, vet, or guarantee the qualifications of any attorney. Attorneys advertise their availability through this platform; you choose who to contact. No attorney-client relationship is formed with Helping The Hurt by using this site.
Fee percentages quoted on this page describe the rate that many network attorneys have agreed to charge on qualifying pre-litigation auto-accident claims. Fees vary by case. Complex cases (litigation, complex liability, medical malpractice, mass tort, product liability) typically carry the standard 33-40%+ contingency. The attorney you connect with will provide you a written fee agreement; that agreement controls, not anything on this page.
Past results referenced on this site or by network attorneys do not guarantee a similar outcome. Helping The Hurt is a paid attorney advertising service — attorneys pay a flat fee to be listed in the network. We do not share in any legal fee, contingency, or settlement. We are not a Florida Bar Qualifying Provider, a Texas Lawyer Referral Service, or any state-certified referral service.
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