How Much Does a Lawyer Cost for a Sexual Assault Case in Miami?

It’s natural to wonder how much a Miami sexual assault lawyer costs. It’s traumatizing enough to get assaulted. The last thing you want to worry about is whether getting help will put you in a tough spot financially.

After a terrifying experience, it’s hard to think about anything but the trauma. You run the scenario through your head over and over again looking for “what ifs”. You examine every detail and question the events leading up to the assault.

It’s understandable why this happens. Assault and other violent crimes are a major shock to the system. Your bubble is pierced and there is a severe feeling of exposure for most people.

However, while thinking obsessively about the assault is understandable, it’s not the most important thing you should be doing. What you should be doing is looking for a Miami sexual assault lawyer who can help you win justice.

Worrying about legal costs is understandable, particularly if you’re paying for medical treatments, therapy, and other costs of recovery. However, armed with the right information, you can get rid of the financial stress of legal help and move forward with confidence.

Here’s what you need to know about finding the right attorney and how the costs work.

An Experienced Miami Sexual Assault Lawyer Will Get You Results

Typically, sexual assault lawyers that represent victims are paid on a contingency basis. They only earn a fee once a settlement is read or damages are awarded in court. The amount that your lawyer will draw from the award will depend on when the case is resolved. When you’re interviewing lawyers or making inquiries, your focus should be on finding a legal team with a good track record in the type of cases you’re pursing. With the right legal team, you can expect better results for your case. Here’s a quick breakdown of why:

Experience in Sexual Assault Cases Matters

No one wants to hire that one attorney who has been working for ten years with no large settlements to their name and no discernable track record. Everyone wants to work with the attorney with all of the connections and a string of significant victories in and out of court.

When you’re figuring out something as complex as a sexual assault case, you need to have confidence that the legal team you hire is equipped to handle the job correctly.

Anyone who suffers a sexual assault deserves the best possible attorneys. Why? Because the stakes are so high! After an assault, it’s no time to take a chance on a lawyer with no or relatively little experience. Plus very few trial lawyers are skilled in trauma-centered representation. That means attorneys who are specialized in this know how to work with survivors of assault and sexual abuse.

Hiring the best lawyer you can find is always the priority.

An experienced sexual assault attorney will examine the details of the your situation and set clear expectations. They know which legal avenues to pursue and will be deft negotiators with liable parties.

The Right Attorney Will Get You the Damages You Need for Recovery

The legal team you hire will have a direct impact on the outcome of your case and the damages you receive.

That’s a huge deal when you’ve got medical bills to pay, missed work income, and are dealing with the physical and psychological effects of sexual assault. With so much on the line, you need to be sure about the lawyer you work with.

A Miami sexual assault lawyer that is in demand will represent you more effectively and win you appropriate damages from whoever assaulted you and any other liable parties. They know how to manage your case best.

For example, an expert lawyer will:

• Know how to gather evidence
• Use the right medical experts for your treatment and medical assessments
• Understand how to negotiate with insurance carriers
• Set realistic goals and timelines
• Keep you in the loop on your case’s progress
• Be known and respected by the opposing counsel and insurers
• Know when to take your case to court
• Have trial skills to try your case to a jury

These are just some things that an experienced lawyer brings to the table.

The Value of a Seasoned Miami Sexual Assault Lawyer

Sexual assault victims should always look for a lawyer who specializes in this type of casework. Don’t even interview someone who hasn’t spent years representing assault victims. Here are some things you can ask them and discuss as you’re looking for the right lawyer.

Past Cases – Ask them what types of cases they have worked on. Tell them about your situation and inquire whether they have had any clients in similar situations. If they have, it’s a great sign. They may have even dealt with some of the same insurance providers, judges, and attorneys representing any defendants.

Settlement and Verdict Amounts – How much can you expect to win in court or via settlement? A good Miami sexual assault lawyer will give you a good idea of what you can expect and talk to you about what they’ve done for past clients. They should provide concrete examples of cases and dollar amounts.

Past successes don’t guarantee future outcomes, but there often a good indication of what you can expect. 

Their Opinion – Many successful lawyers offer no-obligation consultations. It’s a great time and space where both of you can discuss what happened and the details of your case.

It’s almost like a two-way interview. You want to feel them out and get an idea of what to expect. The attorney wants to know if they should take on your case. Most of the time, a qualified attorney will let you know if they think you don’t have a case or what type of challenges you will likely face should you decide to move forward.

Lawyers Are Paid On Contingency

For the most part, the best assault attorneys will only earn a fee for your case after they win you a favorable outcome.

This is beneficial for victims for several reasons including:

• It incentivizes the legal team to work to hard to win you damages to cover medical costs, lost income, and other damages.
• It removes stress or financial strain from victims – you don’t have to pay anything upfront and then spend months or years wondering if it will work in your favor. Nothing happens until the case is complete and the settlement is final.
• There is more of a commitment on the part of the lawyer and legal team to work in close conjunction with victims.

A good lawyer will approach your case and examine evidence from every angle. For example, they’ll look at any other parties that may have been responsible in some way for the assault that occurred. Was the property you were on negligent in terms of their security (access, cameras, lighting, guards, etc.)? Would better lighting have prevented or deterred the assault?

Most of all, talk to your lawyer and ask about how payment will be sorted before you sign any representation agreement. Make sure it’s an arrangement that fits your needs and is something you will be happy with.

Hire a Lawyer One Time

Legal fees are likely the last thing you want to stress out over after you or someone you love is victim of an assault. Your focus should be on treatment and recovery.

The main thing, though, when you hire a Miami assault lawyer, is that it’s something you only want to do one time.

Hiring the wrong team or someone with no experience can lead to significant errors or missed cues in your case that can be very costly. Again, there is too much at stake.

Expertise and specialties matter. There are reasons why people in a city or state go to the same handful of law firms when something like a car accident or a sexual assault happens. It’s because they get the best possible results for clients and know the process.

The team at Leighton Panoff Law specializes in helping assault victims get justice and the compensation they deserve. John Leighton is the President of the National Crime Victim Bar Association, the only association of trial lawyers that focuses on representing victims of crime and survivors of sexual assault. He is also the author of the two volume textbook Litigating Premises Security Cases.  All of the partners at Leighton Panoff Law are selected as Florida Super Lawyers.

If you or someone you know was involved in an assault and needs help, call us today. We offer no-obligation consultations to discuss what happened and the best next steps.

Our team is standing by to get the process started today, and we only get paid when we get you the results you expect. Take action now to make things right after an assault.