In the majority of personal injury lawsuits, the attorney is working for the victim on a contingency basis. This means the attorney only gets paid if they are successful in obtaining a settlement or award for the victim. This contingency amount is agreed to before the attorney agrees to take the case. Generally, the attorney is paid a percentage of the total amount of the settlement or award. The attorney is also reimbursed for any advanced costs they covered for the case, such as court fees or expert witness testimony fees. If there are any liens against the settlement – such as reimbursement requests from medical insurance companies or providers – those parties will receive their fees. The amount left over is paid directly to the victim.