A contingency fee is the standard fee arrangement in California personal injury cases: instead of billing by the hour, the attorney's fee is an agreed percentage of whatever compensation is recovered. If there is no recovery, the agreement typically provides that no attorney fee is owed.
This matters because it removes the biggest barrier to getting help — paying a lawyer upfront while you are injured and possibly out of work. It also aligns incentives: the attorney's fee grows only if your recovery does.
Before signing, confirm three things in writing: the exact percentage at each stage (pre-suit vs. after a lawsuit is filed), how case costs (filing fees, records, experts) are handled if the case is lost, and that the consultation itself is free. California requires contingency agreements to be in writing.