Garrick McFadden, GAMESQ, PLC
last_updated: May 16, 2026
Short answer: In most Arizona car accident injury cases, it costs $0 upfront to hire a lawyer. Most car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee, which means the lawyer gets paid from the settlement or verdict only if money is recovered for you.
I’m Garrick McFadden, the owner of GAMESQ, PLC, a Phoenix personal injury law firm that represents injured people across Arizona. My goal with this page is simple: explain what a car accident lawyer costs, what comes out of a settlement, what questions you should ask before signing anything, and how to avoid fee surprises after your crash.
Garrick McFadden is an AV-Rated Arizona personal injury and car accident lawyer and the founder of GAMESQ, PLC. He is a graduate of USC Gould School of Law and has served as first-chair in multiple jury trials across Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties. Before representing injured people, he worked in insurance defense, giving him a firsthand understanding of how insurance companies evaluate and value claims.
This is not just about the attorney’s percentage. It is about your net recovery — the money you actually take home after attorney fees, case costs, medical bills, liens, and insurance reimbursement claims are handled.
What Does It Cost Upfront to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Arizona?
For most Arizona car accident cases, the upfront cost to hire a lawyer is nothing.
That matters because most injured people are already under financial pressure. You may have medical bills, missed work, car repair problems, rental car issues, and insurance adjusters calling before you even know the full extent of your injuries.
A contingency fee lets you get legal help without writing a check on day one. Instead of asking you to pay hundreds of dollars per hour, the lawyer accepts the risk of the case and gets paid only if the case produces a financial recovery.
At GAMESQ, the consultation is free. If you were hurt in a crash, you can contact the firm through the GAMESQ contact page and talk through your Arizona car accident claim before you make a decision.
What Is a Contingency Fee?
A contingency fee is a percentage-based legal fee. In plain English, the lawyer’s payment is contingent on the outcome of your case.
If your case settles or wins at trial, the attorney fee comes out of the recovery. If there is no recovery, there is no attorney fee for the lawyer’s work.
Many car accident contingency fees fall in the 33% to 40% range, depending on the lawyer, the case, the risk, and whether litigation becomes necessary. Arizona ethics rules also require lawyer fees to be reasonable, and the scope and rate of the fee should be communicated to the client in writing. You can read the State Bar of Arizona’s fee guidance here: ER 1.5 Fees.
Many Arizona lawyers use a tiered fee structure. A common structure is approximately 33% if the case settles before a lawsuit is filed, 40% after a lawsuit is filed, and sometimes higher if trial or appeal becomes necessary. The exact percentages must be stated in your written fee agreement before you hire the lawyer.
One detail that significantly changes your net recovery is whether the contingency fee percentage is calculated on the gross recovery or on the net recovery after costs are deducted. If the fee is calculated on the gross recovery, you pay the percentage on the full settlement before case costs are subtracted. If it is calculated on the net recovery after costs, the math works out differently in your favor. Arizona’s ethics rules require this to be spelled out in the fee agreement. Ask before you sign.
That written agreement matters. Before you hire any Arizona car accident lawyer, you should know:
- The exact attorney fee percentage
- Whether the percentage is calculated on gross or net recovery after costs
- Whether the percentage changes if a lawsuit is filed
- Whether the percentage changes if trial becomes necessary
- How case costs are handled
- Whether costs are waived or reimbursed if there is no recovery
- How medical bills, health insurance liens, and provider balances are paid
- Whether you will receive a written settlement breakdown before funds are distributed
If a lawyer cannot explain those points clearly, slow down before signing.
Attorney Fees and Case Costs Are Not the Same Thing
Attorney fees and case costs are not the same thing. This is one of the most important distinctions accident victims need to understand.
The attorney fee is the percentage paid to the lawyer for legal work. Case costs are the expenses needed to build the case.
Common case costs may include:
- Medical record charges
- Police report fees
- Court filing fees
- Service of process fees
- Deposition transcripts
- Expert witness fees
- Accident reconstruction work
- Medical illustrations
- Trial exhibits
Serious injury cases often require evidence, documentation, and expert work before an insurance company will take the claim seriously. A law firm may need to collect records, review medical bills, inspect vehicles, hire an expert, file suit, or take depositions.
Before hiring a lawyer, ask this exact question: “If there is no recovery, do I owe case costs?”
The answer should be in the written fee agreement, not just stated over the phone.
Example Settlement Breakdown
Here is a simple example of how a contingency fee can work. These numbers are only an illustration, not a promise of what your case is worth.
| Item | Example Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross settlement | $100,000 |
| Attorney fee at 33.33% | $33,333 |
| Case costs | $2,500 |
| Medical bills and liens | $20,000 |
| Estimated client net | $44,167 |
Note: In this example, the attorney fee is calculated on the gross settlement before case costs are deducted. Some fee agreements calculate the percentage after costs are subtracted. Your fee agreement will specify which method applies — ask before you sign.
The gross settlement is not the same thing as the money you take home. Your real result depends on the settlement amount, the attorney fee, case costs, medical balances, health insurance liens, and any reductions your lawyer negotiates.
This is why I care about net recovery. A big settlement number means less if inflated medical bills, bad lien management, or unnecessary case expenses eat up the client’s money.
Why the Cheapest Lawyer Can Cost You More
The cheapest lawyer is not always the least expensive lawyer.
If a lawyer charges a lower percentage but gets a much smaller settlement, the client may walk away with less money. That is why you should not choose a lawyer based only on the fee percentage.
Insurance companies evaluate the lawyer, not just the injury. They know which lawyers prepare cases, which lawyers file lawsuits when needed, and which lawyers prioritize case volume over individual client attention.
Some law firms prioritize volume over individual attention. Before hiring, ask how many cases the attorney personally handles and whether you will speak directly with the attorney — or primarily with intake staff, case managers, or paralegals. If a law firm signs hundreds of clients and pressures them to settle before the full injury picture is known, the client can lose money.
At GAMESQ, I built the firm around a different model. You should be able to speak with your lawyer, understand your case, understand the fee, and make informed decisions about your recovery.
Medical Bills Can Change the Real Cost of Your Case
Your lawyer’s fee is only one part of the financial picture. Medical bills can be just as important.
After a crash, you may receive treatment through health insurance, AHCCCS, Medicare, private providers, emergency rooms, urgent care clinics, physical therapists, orthopedic doctors, neurologists, or chiropractors. Some providers may claim a right to be paid from your settlement.
In serious injury cases, medical bills and health insurance liens can easily reach $20,000 to $50,000 or more. A lawyer who reduces a $30,000 lien to $15,000 may put more money in your pocket than a lawyer who simply charges a lower contingency percentage. This is where many injured people get hurt financially — a lawyer who ignores medical bill negotiation may leave thousands of dollars on the table.
A good Arizona car accident lawyer should look at the whole recovery, including:
- Whether the treatment was necessary
- Whether the bills are reasonable
- Whether health insurance paid part of the charges
- Whether liens are valid
- Whether providers will reduce balances
- Whether the client’s final net recovery makes sense
That is why I do not believe in treating clients like files. The goal is not just to get a settlement. The goal is to protect the money you actually take home.
Does Hiring a Lawyer Increase the Settlement?
Hiring a lawyer can help when the insurance company disputes fault, questions your injuries, delays payment, pressures you to give a recorded statement, or offers less than the value of the claim.
That does not mean every case needs a lawyer. If your crash involved no injury, no lost income, no disputed fault, and only minor property damage, you may be able to handle it yourself.
But if you were hurt, missed work, needed medical care, or are being blamed for the crash, speak with a lawyer before accepting money. Once you sign a release, you usually cannot come back later for more compensation.
If you are unsure whether your claim needs legal help, read GAMESQ’s guide on how to settle a car accident claim without a lawyer in Arizona. That page can help you understand when self-representation may be reasonable and when it becomes risky.
Arizona Deadlines Still Apply
Cost is important, but deadlines matter too.
Under A.R.S. § 12-542, actions for injury to a person generally must be commenced and prosecuted within two years after the cause of action accrues.
That two-year deadline is one reason you should not wait too long to get advice. Evidence can disappear, witnesses can move, vehicles can be repaired, surveillance video can be erased, and insurance companies can use delay against you.
If your accident involves a city bus, police vehicle, ADOT road design issue, or any government employee acting in their official capacity, Arizona law requires a notice of claim to be filed within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01. Missing that window can permanently bar your claim — even if the two-year period has not yet expired. Do not assume you have two full years without talking to a lawyer.
What Should a Car Accident Fee Agreement Include?
Your car accident fee agreement should be clear enough that you understand it before you sign. You should not need a law degree to know what the lawyer will charge.
Look for these terms:
- The contingency fee percentage
- Whether the percentage is calculated on gross or net recovery
- Whether the percentage changes during litigation or at trial
- What happens if you fire the lawyer
- What happens if you switch lawyers
- What costs the law firm advances
- Whether costs are deducted before or after the attorney fee
- Whether the lawyer may associate another attorney
- How settlement funds are distributed
- Whether disputed funds are held in trust
If you already hired the wrong lawyer, you still have options. GAMESQ has a full guide on what to do if you hired the wrong Phoenix car accident lawyer.
What If You Fire Your Lawyer?
You have the right to change lawyers if you are unhappy with your representation.
In many contingency-fee situations, the client does not pay two separate full attorney fees. Instead, fee issues between the old lawyer and new lawyer may be resolved from the same contingency fee, depending on the facts and the agreement. The departing lawyer may be entitled to recover reasonable fees for work performed — a concept sometimes called quantum meruit — but that does not mean you lose your right to new counsel.
The key point is simple: do not stay with a lawyer who will not communicate, will not explain the case, or pressures you into a settlement you do not understand.
If you are worried your law firm is operating like a settlement mill, read GAMESQ’s page on being fired by or stuck with a Phoenix law firm settlement mill.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Arizona Car Accident Lawyer
Before you hire an Arizona car accident lawyer, ask these questions:
- What is your contingency fee percentage?
- Is the fee calculated on the gross settlement or the net after costs?
- Does your fee change if a lawsuit is filed?
- Does your fee change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs if there is no recovery?
- Will I speak directly with the attorney?
- How many cases does the attorney personally handle?
- Do you refer clients to specific medical providers?
- Do you receive anything of value from medical providers?
- Will you negotiate my medical bills and liens?
- Will I receive a written settlement breakdown before I sign?
The answer to question six matters more than people realize. If you hire a lawyer but only speak with intake staff, case managers, or paralegals, you may not be getting the level of representation you thought you hired.
How GAMESQ Approaches Fees
At GAMESQ, I want clients to understand the fee before they sign anything. No injured person should feel confused about how their lawyer gets paid.
I explain the contingency fee, case costs, medical bills, liens, and the likely settlement distribution in plain language. I also want clients focused on the number that matters most: the money they take home after everything is paid.
GAMESQ is not built like a billboard settlement mill. The firm is built around direct attorney communication, transparent fees, and personal handling by Garrick McFadden.
If you want to learn more about the firm’s approach to car accident cases, visit the Phoenix car accident lawyer page. If your main concern is attorney fees, read Phoenix Car Accident Lawyer Fees: The Truth.
FAQs About Arizona Car Accident Lawyer Costs
How much does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer in Arizona?
Usually, it costs $0 upfront to hire a car accident lawyer for an injury case. Most Arizona car accident lawyers use a contingency fee, which means the fee is paid from the settlement or verdict if money is recovered.
What percentage do car accident lawyers charge?
Many car accident contingency fees range from 33% to 40%. A common tiered structure is approximately 33% before a lawsuit is filed and 40% after litigation begins. The exact percentage and how it is calculated must be stated in the written fee agreement before you hire the lawyer.
Do I pay if my car accident lawyer loses?
In a true contingency-fee arrangement, you do not pay an attorney fee if there is no recovery. You should still ask whether you could owe case costs, court costs, or other expenses if the case is unsuccessful.
Are case costs the same as attorney fees?
No. Attorney fees pay the lawyer for legal work, while case costs pay for expenses like medical records, filing fees, experts, deposition transcripts, and other evidence needed to build the case.
Can I negotiate the attorney fee?
Sometimes. Whether a lawyer will negotiate depends on the case value, risk, expected work, litigation complexity, and the lawyer’s business model.
Does a complicated or disputed case cost more?
Sometimes. Lawyers may charge a higher contingency percentage — or decline a case — if liability is disputed, injuries are difficult to prove, the at-fault driver is uninsured, or the case is likely to require significant litigation. Ask upfront whether the percentage changes based on case complexity.
Do I need a lawyer for a minor car accident?
Not always. If there are no injuries, no missed work, no disputed fault, and no medical bills, you may be able to resolve the claim without a lawyer.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Arizona?
Arizona’s general personal injury statute of limitations is two years under A.R.S. § 12-542. If your accident involves a government entity, a notice of claim must typically be filed within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01. Missing either deadline can bar your claim permanently.
Call GAMESQ, PLC
If you were injured in an Arizona car accident and are worried about the cost of hiring a lawyer, call GAMESQ, PLC at 623-233-4416 or use the contact page.
The consultation is free, and you can ask exactly how the fee, case costs, medical bills, and settlement distribution would work in your case.
Your injuries. Our fight. Your win.
