Do you pay anything up front?
What percentage comes out?
Why do some people get far less than the settlement headline number?
And what are “costs” and “liens,” really?
If you’re hiring a car accident lawyer in Arizona, the only number that ultimately matters is what you net after the case ends:
Net recovery = Total recovery − Attorney fee − Case costs − Liens/Subrogation.
At Big Chad Law, the firm states it works on a contingency fee basis, with no upfront payments, and that it covers all case costs while your claim is active—and you only pay if money is recovered.
Read more: What to Do After a Car Accident
A settlement can look “big” and still produce a smaller take-home if you didn’t understand the deductions that come off the top. The misunderstanding usually happens in one of three places:
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Net Recovery (N) = Recovery (R) − Attorney Fee (F) − Case Costs (C) − Liens/Subrogation (L)
Here’s a simple “distribution” view:
| Line item | What it means |
| Total recovery (R) | Settlement or judgment amount |
| Attorney fee (F) | Contingency fee described in the signed agreement |
| Case costs (C) | Itemized case expenses (how handled should be disclosed in writing) |
| Liens/subrogation (L) | Amounts owed to lienholders/reimbursement payers |
| Net to client (N) | What you take home |
Why this beats competitor “fee explainer” pages: most pages talk about “percentages,” but readers want one answer: “What do I actually take home?” This formula is that answer.
Read more: Who Pays Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
Arizona’s ethics rules require that contingency fee agreements be in writing and spell out:
That before/after issue is not trivia—it can change the base number the percentage is applied to.
You’ll commonly see one of these approaches:
The practical question to ask (simple, high-impact):
“Is the fee calculated before or after costs are deducted?”
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People aren’t only anxious about “the percentage.” They’re anxious about cash flow during the claim—records, experts, filings, and other expenses.
Big Chad Law’s published fee structure states:
That’s a clear reader-facing promise: pursuing the case shouldn’t require writing checks just to keep it moving.
Big Chad Law states that most injury lawyers charge between 33% and 40% (with variation based on complexity).
Your exact percentage and structure must be in your written agreement.
Even cases that settle can require real, itemized expenses—especially when liability is disputed or injuries are significant. Costs vary, but conceptually they can include:
The key is not the list. The key is clarity. Arizona’s rules require the agreement to state how expenses are handled, and the lawyer must provide a written statement at the end showing distribution if there’s a recovery.
Big Chad Law’s differentiator (as stated): it covers all case costs while the claim is active.
That should be explicit in the way you explain fees, because it directly reduces the fear of “surprise bills during the case.”
This is the part many people only learn after the settlement is reached: some third parties may have repayment rights from the settlement proceeds.
A medical lien is a claim against settlement proceeds for treatment related to the crash. If lien amounts are large, net recovery can shrink—and lien resolution can affect how fast the final payout happens.
If an insurer paid bills tied to the collision, it may assert a right to reimbursement from the recovery. Practically, this can show up as a line item that must be resolved before funds are disbursed.
CMS explains Medicare may make conditional payments and that recovery efforts occur when there is a settlement, judgment, award, or other payment, and that beneficiaries and attorneys should recognize the obligation to reimburse Medicare during settlement negotiations.
If your audience includes older drivers or people on Medicare, this section is non-optional. It’s one of the biggest reasons “the check doesn’t arrive tomorrow.”
Many clients hear “we settled” and assume “money is here this week.” Operationally, settlement disbursement often requires steps that prevent future billing surprises and ensure liens are handled correctly.
A typical sequence looks like:
Arizona’s rules require that, at the conclusion of a contingent fee matter, the client receives a written statement showing the outcome and—if there’s a recovery—the remittance and method of determination.
Net Recovery Worksheet
Transparency checkpoint: Your agreement should state whether costs are deducted before or after the fee is calculated.
Big Chad Law fee/cost policy (from its own site): Big Chad Law states it charges on a contingency basis with no upfront payments, covers all case costs while the claim is active, and the client pays only if money is recovered.
Arizona ethics rule (why your agreement must be specific): Arizona’s rules require a written contingent fee agreement that states the method of the fee, expenses, and whether expenses are deducted before/after the fee is calculated, plus a written closing statement showing distribution if there’s a recovery.
Federal Medicare authority (why Medicare can reduce net and slow payout): CMS explains conditional payment recovery and the obligation to reimburse Medicare when there’s a settlement/judgment/award/other payment.
The settlement number is not your take-home.
Before you sign—or before you celebrate a settlement—force clarity on fee calculation, costs, and liens, because those three line items determine net recovery.
Many injury firms use contingency arrangements. Big Chad Law states there are no upfront payments and you only pay if money is recovered.
Big Chad Law states it covers all case costs while the claim is active, addressing the fear that clients must pay ongoing expenses during the case.
They are out-of-pocket case expenses separate from the attorney fee, and Arizona’s rules require that how expenses are handled be spelled out in writing.
Because it can change net recovery. Arizona’s rules require the agreement to state whether expenses are deducted before or after the contingent fee is calculated.
A medical lien is a claim against settlement proceeds related to medical treatment—meaning it can reduce what you take home.
Subrogation is a reimbursement concept where a payer (often an insurer) may seek repayment from the recovery after paying costs tied to the collision.
CMS explains Medicare may make conditional payments and recovery occurs when there is a settlement/judgment/award/other payment, with an obligation to reimburse Medicare during settlement negotiations.
Because paperwork, cost accounting, and lien verification/resolution may need to occur first—and Arizona requires a written statement showing the remittance and method of determination at the end of a contingent fee matter.
Arizona’s rules require a written closing statement showing the outcome and—if there’s a recovery—how the remittance was determined.
Big Chad Law states most injury lawyers charge 33%–40% (with variation by complexity), but the exact percentage and structure must be in your signed agreement.