Generally, in a personal injury lawsuit, they are taken on a contingency basis. This means that you do not pay anything upfront and your attorney gets paid only when there has been a recovery by either settlement or a verdict. Many clients ask what can be recovered as a result of being injured by another.
Generally one can be compensated for:

• Medical bills
• Future medical treatments related to your injury (such as plastic surgery or corrective procedures)
• Pain & Suffering
• Costs of physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Permanent injury or disability
• Emotional therapy
• Lost wages
• Loss of career or earning potential
• Reduced earning capacity
• Hedonic damages for loss of enjoyment of life
• Punitive damages