If you’ve suffered a workplace injury in Allentown, financial concerns may prevent you from seeking legal help. Many injured workers worry about attorney costs on top of mounting medical bills and lost wages. However, Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system features a unique fee structure to make legal representation accessible to all injured workers, regardless of financial situation.
Experienced workers’ compensation attorneys believe cost should never be a barrier to quality legal representation for injured workers. Most attorneys use a transparent contingency fee model that ensures you can access expert legal guidance without financial risk during your recovery.
Ready to hire an Allentown workers’ compensation attorney?
Contact Munley Law for experienced local representation.
Pennsylvania’s Contingency Fee Structure Explained
Unlike other legal specialties where attorneys charge hourly rates or require retainers, workers’ compensation attorneys operate under a contingency fee model regulated by Pennsylvania law.
When you hire a workers’ compensation attorney, you pay nothing unless your case succeeds. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry oversees these contingency fees, typically 15% to 20% of your settlement or award. This percentage is lower than many other personal injury claims, which often range from 33% to 40%.
Pennsylvania law requires all workers’ compensation attorneys to provide clear written fee agreements. At Munley Law, our fee agreements detail what percentage will be taken from your settlement, what expenses might be deducted, and under what circumstances fees would apply, ensuring complete transparency about costs.
During your free initial consultation, we’ll explain every aspect of our fee structure, ensuring you understand exactly what to expect. Unlike firms that add hidden costs or unexpected charges, our transparent approach means no surprises.
What Expenses Are Covered by the Contingency Fee?
A contingency fee covers all aspects of legal representation throughout your workers’ compensation claim, including:
- Filing your initial claim paperwork with your Allentown employer and their insurance company
- Gathering medical evidence from Lehigh Valley healthcare providers
- Consulting with medical experts about your work-related condition
- Preparing for and representing you at hearings before Allentown workers’ compensation judges
- Handling settlement negotiations with insurance representatives
- Managing communications with your employer and their legal team
Your attorney’s fee does not cover certain case expenses like medical record costs, filing fees, or expert witness fees. However, these expenses are advanced by our firm and only reimbursed from your settlement if your case succeeds.
Hiring an Attorney vs. Representing Yourself in Allentown
Many injured workers initially attempt to handle their workers’ compensation claims without legal representation to avoid attorney fees. However, studies consistently show that injured workers with attorney representation receive significantly higher settlements than those who represent themselves.
Insurance companies employ teams of adjusters and attorneys specifically trained to minimize payouts. Without legal representation, you may not receive all benefits you’re entitled to under Pennsylvania law. The 15-20% contingency fee typically results in a substantially higher net recovery after deducting the fee.
When Are Attorney Fees Waived in Workers’ Compensation Cases?
In certain situations, your employer or their insurance company may be required to pay your attorney fees directly. Pennsylvania law provides for attorney fee shifting when:
- An employer contests your claim without reasonable cause
- An insurer unreasonably delays payment of benefits
- An employer violates specific provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act
When fee-shifting occurs, you receive 100% of your workers’ compensation benefits without any attorney fee deduction. Our Allentown attorneys will identify these opportunities to minimize your costs whenever possible.
Allentown-Specific Cost Factors in Workers’ Compensation Cases
Local factors in Allentown can influence both your workers’ compensation case and associated attorney costs:
- Allentown’s industrial and warehousing sectors often involve complex claims requiring specialized medical testimony, potentially affecting case expenses.
- The presence of major healthcare systems in the Lehigh Valley may facilitate more efficient medical documentation collection, potentially reducing costs.
- Allentown’s workers’ compensation judges maintain specific procedural preferences that experienced local attorneys understand, potentially streamlining cases.
An experienced local attorney’s familiarity with Allentown’s workers’ compensation environment can help manage costs effectively while maximizing your benefit recovery.
The Value of an Experienced Allentown Workers’ Comp Attorney
Beyond contingency fees, consider these advantages of working with an experienced Allentown workers’ compensation attorney:
- Accurate benefit calculation: Ensuring you receive the correct weekly benefit amount based on your pre-injury wages, which many injured workers miscalculate
- Medical expense coverage: Securing payment for all authorized medical treatments, which insurers frequently dispute
- Impairment rating challenges: Contesting unfavorable disability determinations that could prematurely terminate your benefits
- Third-party claims identification: Recognizing opportunities for additional compensation beyond workers’ compensation when applicable
These value-added services often translate to thousands of additional dollars in your pocket, far exceeding the contingency fee percentage.
Our Commitment to Allentown’s Injured Workers
For over 65 years, the Munley family has represented injured workers throughout Allentown and the Lehigh Valley. Our dedication to transparent pricing and ethical representation has earned us recognition from Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America.
We understand the financial stress a workplace injury causes and strive to make quality legal representation accessible to all Allentown workers. Our contingency fee model aligns our success directly with yours—we only get paid when you do.
Free Consultation with No Upfront Costs
Most workers’ compensation attorneys offer free, no-obligation consultations where you can discuss your workplace injury, ask questions about fee structures, and receive preliminary guidance on your claim—all at zero cost.
At Munley Law, our contingency fee guarantee means you’ll never pay any upfront costs or attorney fees unless we succeed in recovering benefits for you. If we don’t win your case, you owe absolutely nothing for our services.
Ready to discuss your case? Contact Munley Law today for a free consultation with an experienced Allentown workers’ compensation attorney. Learn exactly what costs to expect and how legal representation can maximize recovery.
Reviewed by Bernadine Munley, Esq., Personal Injury Attorney at Munley Law, on July 14, 2025.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
609 Hamilton St.
Allentown, PA 18101
(610) 857-7424
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