A malpractice attorney can charge you

1. buy the hour at the attorneys determined hourly rate, and that rate can be hundreds of dollars an hour

or

2. on a contingency fee basis, expect it to be somewhere between 30% to 40%, and in rare cases up to 50% of the settlement or award

But in Illinois, you have a sliding scale.

Sliding scale fees may not exceed one third of first $150,000; 25% of next $850,000, and 20% of damages exceeding 1 million. (Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. §110. 2. 1114) Attorney may apply to the court for additional compensation under certain circumstances. (§735. 5/2. 111 4)

Probable outcomes:

1. the defendant successfully argued there case

2. the plaintiff wins an award but the defendant appeals

3. the plaintiff and defendant agree to a settlement

These are the only probable outcomes that we can predict, because we have no other information then what your telling us.