How personal injury lawyers work and what they cost: contingency fees, what you keep after fees, filing deadlines by state and how to choose the right attorney.
Last reviewed: October 2026 · How we research: How We Research Quick answer: In most U.S. states you have 2 or 3 years from the date of an injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. The shortest deadline is 1 year (Kentucky and Tennessee) and the longest is 6 years (Maine, Minnesota and North Dakota).
Last reviewed: October 2026 · How we research: How We Research Nearly every personal injury lawyer offers a free first consultation. For many people, it’s the first time they’ve ever spoken to a lawyer, and it can feel intimidating. It shouldn’t be. A consultation is a two-way interview: the lawyer is deciding whether they can
Last reviewed: October 2026 · How we research: How We Research The lawyer you choose can shape almost everything about your injury claim: how quickly evidence is secured, how your injuries are documented, how the insurer values the case and how much you take home. Yet most people pick a lawyer from a billboard, a
Last reviewed: October 2026 · How we research: How We Research “No win, no fee” sounds simple. In practice, the agreement you sign is a contract with a dozen terms that decide how much of your settlement you keep, who pays the costs if you lose, and what happens if you change lawyers. Three common
Last reviewed: October 2026 · How we research: How We Research Imagine your lawyer calls with good news: the insurer has agreed to pay $90,000. A few weeks later, the check you receive is for less than $50,000. Nothing went wrong. That gap is made up of attorney fees, case costs and repayments to whoever