If you find yourself dealing with a legal issue, the natural impulse is to contact an attorney. After all, lawyers are the best equipped to help you with any kind of legal problem and are often the only thing standing between you and potential disaster.

Unfortunately, not everyone feels like he or she can afford the help of an attorney when it is the most necessary. It's a good idea to look at your options if you feel like you need representation, though.

Talk to the Lawyer About Contingencies

Before you assume that you can't afford a lawyer, make sure to talk to an attorney to figure out what you really need to pay. Depending on the type of case, an attorney may be able to take a case on a contingency basis - that is, taking a percentage of the award from the court in the case that the suit is successful.

This will give you a chance to work with the attorney without having to pay the hefty fees up-front, allowing you to get the representation you need.

Understand the Importance

Getting the money together to pay a lawyer is often very important, especially if the results of a personal injury suit will have a major impact on your future. This is absolutely the kind of thing that people cash in retirement funds or for which they take out personal loans.

If you are in a situation that really requires a lawyer, you are officially dealing with the kind of emergency situation that should take precedence over all financial matters that are not survival-related.

What should you do if you can't afford a lawyer? First and foremost, make sure you know what a lawyer will cost and make sure you talk to an attorney to figure out if there's a way you can afford his or her services.

Once you know what you need to pay, make sure to make whatever moves are reasonable to allow you to get an attorney's help. When you're in a situation that requires legal aid, don't delay - make sure to call an attorney to get the help you need immediately.