A "free" lawyer?
Don't forget your insurance!
Few people know that they can hire a lawyer free of charge through their insurance.
Legal assistance can be insured by a separate policy (the so-called legal assistance insurance) or in addition to another policy, such as car insurance, family insurance, fire insurance, a company policy…
For example, if you are summoned before the Police Court for a traffic offence, know that your car policy usually provides for the free choice of a lawyer. The insurance pays all costs.
If you are the victim of a crime, you may be entitled to a free lawyer. In addition, certain policies also guarantee compensation if the perpetrator turns out to be insolvent. It can therefore be worth asking for such compensation from the court, even if you thought there was nothing to be gained.
Your family policy may intervene for the cost of a lawyer if you yourself have caused damage to a third party.
In certain cases, anyone suspected of an unintentional crime can call upon a lawyer free of charge. Suspects of an intentional crime are sometimes eligible for legal aid, but many policies require an acquittal.
If you take out separate legal assistance insurance, there are many more situations in which you can engage a lawyer. For example: contractual, tax, social law, employment law, family, administrative, disciplinary or other disputes.
Each policy must be examined individually. Don't be too quick to believe you're falling by the wayside. We would be happy to look into this together with you.
What does a lawyer cost?
In any case, don't let the possible cost be a barrier to legal problems. If you consult a lawyer on time, you will avoid bigger problems and therefore greater costs.
We attach great importance to clear communication about our fees. We will explain this as soon as we have insight into the nature of your case. We do not have fixed rates. Our fees can depend on all sorts of factors, such as the complexity of the case, the urgency, the degree of specialization, the value of the dispute, and so on. Sometimes we can also agree on a fixed amount or conclude an annual contract. We often use the latter formula for companies that have several cases in progress. After an initial intake interview, we will provide you with a quote.
In addition to our services, our invoices also include reimbursements for costs incurred. Since 1 January 2014, lawyers are also obliged to charge VAT.
We are happy to make correct agreements about this, so that we can fully concentrate on our work for you.
