Personal Injury Lawyer Salaries

Personal injury lawyers are among the highest paid professionals on the planet. The most successful lawyers earn seven-digit salaries although most plaintiff lawyers earn between $30,000 and $300,000, depending on practice size and location. Plaintiff lawyers who pull in fees at the higher end of the spectrum usually handle class action suits or high-dollar personal injury cases. In addition, punitive damages – damages designed to punish the defendant and deter bad conduct - can raise verdict amounts by millions of dollars, adding cash to the lawyer’s pocketbook.

Personal injury lawyers usually represent clients on a contingency basis, in which the attorney's fee represents a percentage (typically 30%-40%) of the plaintiff's eventual compensation, payable when the case is resolved. This arrangement means that the plaintiff does not pay a fee unless the lawyer recovers money on his behalf.

Employment Outlook

Since litigation is on the rise and represents the bread and butter of many law firms, the employment outlook for personal injury attorneys is excellent. An uncertain economy, stricter regulation, and company growth topped the reasons cited for anticipated increases in litigation in a recent litigation trends survey. However, tort reform - proposed changes in common law civil justice systems that would reduce tort litigation and cap damage awards – could potentially reduce the number of claims filed and a number of damages recovered by plaintiff attorneys in the future.