Compare Fees

Comparison of a hypothetical Long Island motorcycle injury case which is representative of many of our cases (previous or hypothetical results cannot predict results for your case, which may have different facts and issues):

Our client is riding a motorcycle when struck by a car with a $100,000 insurance policy.  A search of the national insurance company database shows that the car does not have an umbrella insurance policy.  Our client does not have underinsured coverage over $100,000. The case is settled for the entire $100,000 insurance policy.  Our client’s hospital bill is $32,000, and the ERISA-regulated health insurance company asserted a lien against the case to be reimbursed for the paid medical bills.

We settled the health lien for 5% in the amount of $1,600 and obtained an additional $1,000 of medical coverage to pay towards the medical lien settlement, so our client only had to pay $600 from his motorcycle injury settlement. We do not charge a legal fee to negotiate the health insurance lien. We do not charge our client a legal fee for $6,000 property damage to his motorcycle. We charge our client only a one-third fee of the personal injury settlement, and our client receives $65,134 from the settlement of his personal injury motorcycle accident claim.

Example Showing Our Legal Fees

$100,000   Motorcycle injury settlement
– $  1,400   Case expenses
– $32,866    Legal fee for the personal injury claim
-$          0      No charge for property damage claim (Damage to motorcycle)
-$          0      No charge for negotiating to reduce medical liens
-$     600      Deducted from case settlement to pay medical lien settlement
$ 65,134      Amount the client could receive

With the same motorcycle injury case, a friend of mine would have charged a one-third legal fee of the settlement of the personal injury claim; an additional legal fee of $11,000 to handle the medical lien; and an additional fee of $2,000 for the property damage claim to the motorcycle.  After deducting all of the legal fees, the client will receive $48,866 instead of $66,666 because of all of the additional legal fees.

Example Showing Legal Fees A Lawyer We Know Would Charge

$100,000   Motorcycle injury settlement
– $   1,400   Case expenses
– $32,866    Legal fee for the personal injury claim
– $11,000    Legal fee for medical lien
– $  2,000    Legal fee for property damage
-$16,000     Payment of $32,000 medical lien settled at 50%
$36,734      Amount the client would have received

Because of the seriousness of the injuries in a motorcycle accident, most lawyers can settle a motorcycle injury case for the full amount of the insurance policy. The difference I provide is:

• The ability to research the national insurance company database to find umbrella insurance and to give you a written report of the findings.
• The knowledge to settle large medical liens (usually $30,000-$750,000) for little and sometimes nothing.
• Less legal fees.

See a list of my fees and services when you need a Long Island Motorcycle Accident Lawyer