No Fee Unless We Win: How Do Personal Injury Attorneys Get Paid?

No Fee Unless We Win: How Do Personal Injury Attorneys Get Paid?
Calendar icon May 15, 2025 | Reading Time: 4 min

Accidents can happen anytime — whether it’s a car crash, a slip and fall, or an injury at work. No matter how they happen, the impact can be overwhelming, and in serious cases, life-changing. While the immediate aftermath of an accident can be stressful, the process of working with a personal injury attorney shouldn’t be.

At Cellino Law, we understand that an accident can lead to serious financial strain. Between medical bills, lost wages, vehicle repairs, and the possibility of higher insurance premiums, many people simply can’t afford to take on additional costs. That’s why we handle personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis — meaning you don’t pay us anything unless we win your case.

What is a Contingency Agreement?

A contingency agreement is a payment arrangement used by many personal injury attorneys in New York. Instead of charging upfront fees or hourly rates, the attorney’s fee is dependent on the outcome of the case. If your attorney secures a settlement or a favorable verdict for you, they take a percentage — typically 33 1/3% — of the total amount awarded.

If your attorney is not able to recover a settlement for you, you don’t owe any attorney’s fees. It’s that simple.

What’s Covered in the Contingency Fee?

At Cellino Law, our contingency fee covers the legal work involved in preparing and pursuing your case. This includes investigating the accident, communicating with insurance companies, consulting with medical experts, negotiating a settlement, and if necessary, representing you in court.

It’s worth noting that additional case-related expenses — such as court filing fees, medical record requests, or expert witness fees — are paid separately, but these costs are typically advanced by the firm and reimbursed from the settlement if your case is successful. We’ll go over all of these details with you during your consultation so there are no surprises along the way.

Why Do Personal Injury Attorneys Use Contingency Agreements?

We believe that everyone deserves access to legal representation — especially after suffering a personal injury due to someone else’s negligence. When you’re dealing with physical pain, missed paychecks, medical appointments, and the uncertainty of what comes next, you shouldn’t have to decide between getting legal help or staying afloat financially.

How This Agreement Benefits The Client

There are some clear advantages to working with a law firm that uses contingency agreements:

  • No Upfront Costs: You won’t have to pay anything out of pocket to get started.
  • No Hourly Billing: You can reach out with questions without worrying about running up a bill.
  • Shared Goals: We’re motivated to get you the best outcome possible because our fee depends on it.
  • Low Risk: If your case doesn’t result in compensation, you don’t owe us anything.

This setup gives you the peace of mind to focus on healing — while we focus on building your case.

What to Expect During Your Free Consultation

When you reach out to Cellino Law, the first step is a free case consultation. During this meeting, we’ll take time to listen to your story, answer your questions, and review the details of your case. If we believe we can help, we’ll explain how the contingency agreement works and what the next steps will be.

We’ll also be transparent about any potential costs associated with your case and how they would be handled if you decide to move forward. Our goal is to give you the information you need to make an informed decision.

Cellino Law Is Here To Help Injury Victims

An unexpected accident can change your life in an instant. In the days and weeks that follow, it’s common to feel overwhelmed — physically, emotionally, and financially. The legal process shouldn’t add to that burden.

At Cellino Law, our mission is to take as much of that weight off your shoulders as we can. When you work with us, you get a team that’s experienced, compassionate, and ready to fight for the outcome you deserve. And because we work on contingency, you don’t have to take on any financial risk to get started. If you or a loved one has been injured and you’re considering taking legal action, reach out to us today. Your consultation is free, and there’s no risk in learning about your options. Give us a call today at 888-888-8888 to learn how we can help you.

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Testimonials

  • My wife and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for a fantastic job as our attorney. We could not have been more pleased with the work you and your team has done on this case. This past four years or so has been such a roller coaster for our family. We are very pleased and grateful with the result. We have made a good choice by choosing you. Thank you.

    Dave

  • Cellino Law was a great company to work with. From the beginning they came out and met with my uncle and myself and assured us that everything would be taken care of from beginning to end our lawyer state and constant contact with us to make sure that everything would go smoothly and it did. I would definitely recommend anybody to go to Cellino Law for whatever help they need. And specifically please ask for the lawyer that we had Mr. Alan Silverstein. He was amazing and his staff was always attentive. Please go with them for your next law needs.

    Eshaunda

  • This letter is to thank Ms. Diane D’Andrea, assistant to Mr. George Gridelli, Attny for all the hard work, dedication, and attentiveness she showed during the representation of my case. She was always cheerful and ready to help in whatever way she could. All messages left for Mr. Gridelli were always relayed and Mr. Gridelli always promptly returned our calls. She was a very competent assistant. Cellino Law has proven to be a model of what legal representation should be. Throughout the 6 ½ years of this case, I have heard many horror stories from people with “bad lawyer stories.” We consider ourselves to be very lucky to have chosen Cellino Law and will always recommend you to those looking for good, honest representation with a personal touch.

    Joseph

  • I really just wanted to say thank you so much for taking my case, answering all my questions, and mostly for being very patient with me. I feel that without you and Roza I would not have been able to get anything at all. I hope to never need a lawyer again, but if I do I will definitely want you both working for me. Again thank your for you hard work, time and patience.

    Veola

  • Cellino Law and more specifically my attorney, Gregory V. Pajak, Managing Attorney, and as a whole the Cellino Law Firm and its organization. This is by far one of the most professional law firms and attorney I have ever engaged with and retained in my 35 years. The level of professionalism goes beyond words, the care and constant engagement with me as the client was touching. I was never ever just treated as simply a CASE with potentially a significant dollar number attached to my file. I was engaged regularly, Tracey (Ass’t) and Greg always made sure to remain constant, as well as consistent in overseeing that my case was handled properly and that it did matter in many ways - ensuring that the end result(s) would be fair and reasonable to my case/injury. The regular follow-up calls were very satisfying, knowing that you’re involved in your case matters significantly AND always. One of my main items to recognize Cellino Law and Gregory is that whenever I called, I was able to get through to speak directly to my Lawyer and he would answer any if not all of my questions in a very professional and genuinely caring manner. I always felt cared for and protected legally and more importantly, I was made feel as a human being that was being cared for and always keeping me abreast of all matters connected to the case. There was never a point I felt let down, on the contrary -the level of service was “STELLAR”. Greg is the consummate professional, a ‘role model’, if you will, for what other attorneys should strive to become when dealing with their clients.

    Anthony

  • Cellino Law is an amazing firm with a great team. I worked with Greg Pajak and his assistant, Tracey Falconer. I cannot express enough how dedicated they are. The personal attention I received was excellent; they were always available to help with questions and concerns and put me at ease in the unknown territory I found myself in. I highly recommend them to anyone needing representation. A huge thank you to them for all they accomplished for me!

    Liane