When your loved one has suffered neglect or abuse in a nursing home, you’re likely wondering how much it will cost to pursue justice. Most nursing home abuse attorneys, including Lanzone Morgan, LLP, work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront.
How Contingency Fees Work
A contingency fee agreement means you don’t pay your attorney any fees unless you win. This removes a major barrier when you’re already facing financial strain.
If you win, you pay your attorney a percentage of your settlement or judgment. If you don’t win, you owe nothing. This alignment ensures your lawyer is invested in the best outcome, not just billable hours. It also gives your attorney incentive to get the largest settlement possible.
Many families find this arrangement liberating. You move forward knowing your case has merit and your attorney believes in it enough to accept the financial risk of working on a case and not getting paid until the end and only if you win.
What Impacts Your Legal Costs
Costs are separate from fees. Costs are the out-of-pocket expenses that it takes to prepare for, file, and work-up a case.
Not all nursing home abuse cases involve the same costs. Case complexity matters significantly. Cases with clear neglect evidence may settle quickly and cost less. Cases involving multiple incidents, systemic abuse, or complex medical causation require extensive investigation, expert testimony, and trial preparation. Settlement timing is crucial too. Cases resolving early cost less than those going to trial.
Injury severity may also affect costs. Wrongful death cases may require more resources and expert analysis than cases involving living residents. Also, the nursing home’s cooperation influences the timeline and costs as well. Facilities that readily provide records move cases forward faster. Those resisting discovery require legal motions and depositions, increasing expenses.
Finally, your openness to settlement matters. Attorneys want to understand your goals early. If you’re willing to negotiate, your legal costs may be lower than pursuing full trial litigation.
Whether Hiring an Attorney Pays for Itself
Hiring a nursing home abuse attorney on contingency basis almost always makes financial sense. Families without representation receive significantly less compensation than those with counsel. Nursing homes and their insurance companies know when they are negotiating with someone unfamiliar with legal processes. They make lowball offers, betting you’ll accept out of desperation.
Our firm has recovered over $250 million for clients harmed by nursing home negligence and abuse. Those families wouldn’t have received as large of a settlement without legal representation. The contingency fee they paid still left substantial sums for medical care, funeral costs, and financial recovery.
Consider this scenario: you might accept $50,000 without an attorney. With proper representation, that claim may settle for $200,000 because your attorney knows its true value. After paying a 40% contingency fee, costs, and medical liens, you may still net over $100,000, instead of $50,000. You may be able to double your recovery even after paying an attorney, while your attorney managed all of the stress and complexity.
Beyond dollars, your attorney eliminates burden. You don’t spend months gathering records or navigating discovery rules. You avoid confronting the nursing home directly. Your attorney manages the emotional and legal weight simultaneously, which carries enormous value when you’re grieving and exhausted.
What Your Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Will Do for You
Understanding what you’re paying for clarifies why contingency fees are reasonable. Your attorney’s role spans investigation, case building, and negotiation.
First, they investigate thoroughly. Your attorney obtains and reviews all medical records, identifies documentation gaps, and finds evidence of abuse or neglect. They interview witnesses, including your family, facility staff, and residents. They may photograph the conditions of the facility, documenting safety concerns.
Next, they build your case by identifying legal violations, consulting medical experts, researching the facility’s history, and developing a compelling narrative about what happened.
Then comes settlement negotiation. Your attorney prepares demand letters supported by evidence and expert analysis, negotiating with defense attorneys and insurance companies for fair compensation. If settlement fails, trial preparation begins. This includes depositions, family testimony preparation, evidence organization, and witness strategies.
Throughout, an attorney also provides a road map and game plan. They explain complex legal matters clearly, answer questions patiently, and keep you informed. Families often describe their attorney as a trusted advisor during their darkest moments.
Talk with Our Legal Team Today
If you’re considering whether to move forward with a nursing home abuse claim, the question isn’t whether you can afford an attorney. With contingency fee representation, you can afford to pursue justice.
At Lanzone Morgan, LLP, we handle nursing home abuse cases across California. We work on a contingency fee basis because we believe every family deserves representation regardless of financial circumstances. We’ve spent decades fighting for seniors harmed by negligence and abuse, and we know how to get results.
We offer a free consultation to discuss your situation with no obligation.
Your family deserves answers and accountability. We’re here to provide both.
Call us at (888) 887-9777 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation today. Let our team handle the legal burden while you focus on your family’s healing.