No win no fee lawyers in Melbourne

How does it all work?

A ‘no win no fee’ policy provides peace of mind for potential claimants. We understand that our clients are coming to us under tough circumstances that often impact their financial position and their ability to earn money and continue to work. That should not mean that you are denied access to the right compensation and the benefits that you are entitled to under law simply because you cannot afford to access the legal system.

We believe that people with valid claims shouldn’t be excluded from the legal system simply because they’re unable to afford a lawyer. It is our conviction that people who are injured at work, on the road or in a public place should expect to pay nothing unless we win the case. This includes no upfront costs.

Your financial position has no bearing on your right to claim compensation, which is essential when you have been injured or have become ill and need time to recover, cannot retain your income from working and/or have become permanently unable to work because of illness or injury. Our expert team of Melbourne lawyers will only take on your case if you have a legitimate claim so that you do not have to stress about finances, only a positive outcome that will deliver the compensation you are entitled to and that you deserve.

Not all no win no pay lawyers are the same

While the term “no win no pay” has become a bit of a catchphrase for personal injury law firms in general, when we say “no win no pay,” we really mean it. While some legal firms will offer a form of no win, no pay, sometimes there are all kinds of tricks and traps hidden in the fine print that result in upfront and ongoing fees that put a lot of pressure on people in already precarious financial positions.

We are not about tricks or traps at Arnold Thomas & Becker Lawyers as this does not benefit anybody at the end of the day. If you have a valid claim for personal injury compensation then we believe there is no reason why you should be denied access to the best legal representation that we can offer.

By offering their clients no win no pay fee policies, some firms believe that not charging for their time is all they are required to do. This overlooks the fact that disbursement fees and other out-of-pocket expenses (e.g. court fees, medical reports, and phone calls) incurred by the firm could be passed on to you should they lose.

Some firms also require you to take out a litigation loan with a finance company. You are charged an exorbitant rate of interest, loan approval fees, drawdown fees and annual review fees. We fund all of our clients’ cases without passing on any unnecessary interest fees.

Sometimes in smaller settlements, fees can be disproportionate to the amount of compensation received. This means that people end up paying too much in legal fees and don’t get the required level of compensation that is critical to cover lost wages, the ability to earn in the future and ongoing medical treatment and expenses. In such cases, we often reduce our costs to maximise our clients’ compensation to ensure that you are getting the right amount of compensation to be able to mitigate the time spent in recovery and rehabilitation with your personal injury.

You should carefully read the fees policy before choosing a firm to handle your claim. Even if you don’t elect to go with Arnold Thomas & Becker Lawyers for your legal representation we want you to know your legal rights and to be aware of the different no win, no pay models that exist so you don’t find yourself in a position where you are worse off than when you first started the process. We always put your interests first, so there are never any unexpected costs or financial risk to you.

Finding the best no win no pay lawyers in Melbourne

The term no win, no pay is just a slogan when it all comes down to brass tacks. What you want from your personal injury legal firm are the right assurances that your best interests are going to be looked after and that the compensation you are entitled to is not going to be gobbled up by legal fees that may be hidden in the fine print.

When you are investigating personal injury legal firms to assist you with your compensation claim there is a range of things that you should be looking for.

  • Ensure the professional fees are capped at a certain percentage and also ensure that figure is not too high. Anything that is 50 per cent or higher is going to slash your compensation to the point that you will end up out of pocket. Shop around and look for a figure that is closer to the 15 per cent mark (including GST)
  • Find a legal firm where you will be assigned a single lawyer that will handle your case. Multiple lawyers equals double-handling which means more fees that you will pay when your compensation is approved.
  • Will your legal firm assist in paying your medical bills during your compensation claim? Any advantage you can get when it comes to out-of-pocket expenses is going to make the claim process as stress-free as possible.
  • Do not go with a legal firm that uses litigation lenders to fund your case as you are going to pay high interest rates when your compensation is approved which will take money away from vital medical bills and other expenses which is where the compensation is supposed to be going.
  • Ensure the no win, no pay aspect is water tight. Make sure there are no circumstances where you have to pay legal fees in the event that you lose your court case for a personal injury compensation claim.
  • Will your case be handled by an experienced lawyer, or just supervised? You don’t want your case in the hands of inexperienced junior lawyers or paralegals and at Arnold Thomas & Becker Lawyers you will have the best lawyers at your disposal.
  • How many cases is your lawyer juggling at once? Lawyers are excellent multi-taskers but anything over 100 cases at once is too many and they will not be able to spend the right amount of time on you and your compensation claim.
  • Are you getting a personalised service? Will your lawyer visit you in hospital or in your home? Do they communicate well, show empathy and a genuine interest in helping you? You are more than a dollar figure and you deserve to be treated like a real human being. Our team will always be your ally in your compensation claim and ensure you get the care and empathy you deserve.

The team at Arnold Thomas & Becker Lawyers can assure you that you will be receiving a genuine no win, no pay service and all of the professionalism and empathy that your case deserves. If you have a genuine claim, then you have an experienced and genuine lawyer to assist you in getting the compensation that you deserve.

We can help you with a wide range of circumstances

As one of the top legal firms in Victoria, you can take advantage of our innovative fees policy for matters relating to a range of compensation cases including:

  • Workers Compensation including for incidents that were your fault.
  • Car Accidents compensation claims for all road incidents including ones that were caused by yourself.
  • Public Liability for all injuries or incidents that may have occurred to you in a public space or at a public event.
  • Superannuation claims to help fund your ongoing needs if you have become unable to work because of illness and/or injury.
  • Asbestos-Related claims if you have been exposed to dangerous levels of fibres in the air that can cause permanent illness and damage.
  • Institutional Sexual Abuse with the promise that all of our team of Melbourne lawyers will deal with the case with professionalism and compassion.
  • Birth Injuries arising from malpractice or negligence.
  • Class Actions for when an incident has caused harm to a large group of people, a community or a workforce. Our team can represent the entire group and deliver compensation to all individuals.
  • Faulty Products that have caused you or your family members harm, or have caused damage to your property and your possessions. 
  • Personal injury, including any accidents or incidents that may have been caused by your own actions.

In some cases, there may be some out of pocket medical costs for lost medical negligence claims. However, in most cases, these will be funded.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Have questions for our team?

If you need more information about our fees it’s best that you call to talk to one of our lawyers directly on 1300 333 300. But if you have a few general questions you’d like to ask first, leave your details below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

What does “No win no fee” mean?

Different legal firms have different “No win no fee” agreements. Some firms will ask their client to pay disbursements such as expert medical reports, court filing fees or copies of doctor’s reports. Others may charge their client interest on the disbursements they have paid for.

Before signing a “No win no fee” agreement it is critically important you read the agreement and when you are unsure seek clarification of any of the terms.

One trap you need to be aware of is where the legal firm says under this agreement, we will not be charging you for any of the work we do if we lose the case. This could mean that while they will not charge you for any work, they do they might charge you for disbursements they have incurred and barristers’ fees.

At Arnold Thomas and Becker when we take a client on a “No win no fee” agreement it means just that. We don’t ask our clients to pay any disbursements, we don’t ask our clients to pay for expert medical reports or court filing fees. If we lose the case our client does not pay us anything for the work we have done and the costs we have incurred.

Do all lawyers offer the same “No win no fee” arrangement?

Each legal firm will have their own “No win no fee” agreement. Some legal firms “No win no fee” agreement will categorically state they will cover all your costs and disbursements. Others might offer an agreement which says they will only cover your professional fees. What this means is the law firm will not charge you for their professional fees but they will charge you for all their costs and disbursements and this can amount to many thousands of dollars.

When you are trying to decide which firm, you should go with you should always be very clear on exactly what their “No win no fee” agreement covers.

You should also ask about the experience of the lawyers who will be actually handling your case. Having the best legal advice is can not only enhance your chances of winning the case but also how much you are awarded.

The personal injury lawyers at Arnold Thomas and Becker are highly skilled and trained experts in their field. They have many years of experience and always take the time to understand their client and are with them every step of the way. Our team are dedicated to looking after each and every client from start to finish.

If I win the case, what fees do I have to pay?

Prior to commencing the case our legal team will discuss with you our professional fees and how they will be determined. In most cases a percentage of the settlement is agreed upon at the time the agreement is entered into. This amount is taken out of the settlement monies paid by the other party.

The percentage will vary depending on the complexity of the case, the anticipated time involved and the level of expertise required to get you the best result. In the majority of cases, our fees make up around 8-15% of settlement monies.

If it goes to court, do I have to pay for this?

The vast majority of “No win no fee” cases settle before going to court. 

When a case does go to court your “No win no fee” agreement will cover all your costs that we have incurred on your behalf.

Should you lose the case the court may direct that you have to pay the other parties’ costs and this is something we discuss with you throughout the process so as you are fully aware of the risk well before the matter is listed for hearing.

Why should I choose Arnold Thomas and Becker?

We have over 50 years’ experience in personal injury law and have built a reputation of achieving outstanding settlements for our clients.

Our highly skilled team pride themselves on,

  • guiding their client through the process.
  • being available and approachable.
  • knowing how important your case is to you and how traumatic the process can be.
  • maximising the financial outcome for their client.

Arnold Thomas and Becker are specialists in personal injury law which means when we take on a “No win no fee” client we have the team, legal expertise and expertise to guide each client through the process from start to finish.

As a leading personal injury legal firm in Melbourne with over 50 years of experience in personal injury law, we pride ourselves on being down-to-earth, friendly and approachable lawyers dedicated to achieving exceptional results for our clients.

While we may be experts in the law, we know our clients are not. We avoid legal jargon and adhere to an open, collaborative and informative approach to dealing with our clients. However, when it comes to dealing with our opponents our team is fearless, regardless of their size, resources or reputation. We always put your best interests first and fight for the maximum compensation, benefits, and payouts available.