Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means that their payment is “contingent” (dependent) on you winning a settlement with an insurance company or a case in court regarding your car accident. A personal injury attorney will not receive any compensation from you in most cases unless and until they win your case on your behalf. In some cases, personal injury attorneys take approximately 33% of the compensation you receive in your car accident case from the insurance company if a lawsuit is not filed. Every personal injury attorney will take out a different percentage from the compensation you receive from your car accident settlement or judgment. Make sure to review any contracts with a personal attorney carefully to understand how much you will pay them if and when you win.