Usually $0 upfront, but it can cost you part of your final settlement if your first lawyer has already earned a fee or advanced case costs.

What should have happened: your lawyer should have pushed treatment records, billing records, and any dispute over care early - especially if you had a torn shoulder or hip labrum, delayed symptoms, or an insurer blaming a preexisting condition. In a Little Rock crash or jobsite injury case, that means gathering records from places like UAMS, CHI St. Vincent, or your orthopedist, plus the Arkansas State Police report if the wreck was on a state or federal highway.

What to do now: ask for a clean accounting, in writing, of case costs and whether the lawyer is claiming an attorney lien. In Arkansas, the old lawyer can usually assert a lien for the reasonable value of work already done. That does not usually mean you pay two full contingency fees. More often, the old and new lawyers split the same fee, and you may still owe reimbursement for case expenses like records, filing fees, or expert reviews.

If the 3-year statute of limitations under Arkansas Code § 16-56-105 is close, do not wait until the end-of-year holiday slowdown. Switching lawyers right before a filing deadline can create a real risk if nobody files on time.

What comes next: your new lawyer gets the file, reviews treatment gaps, unpaid medical bills, and any lien claims, then decides whether to file suit or keep negotiating. If a defense doctor or insurer is using an "IME" to downplay your injury, the new lawyer should line up the treating doctor's records fast. If you were hurt on a narrow curve near Hot Springs or another limited-visibility road, that roadway context should already be built into liability proof.

Ask one number: "What is the exact fee split and exact cost balance if I switch today?"