Do Minors Pay a Lower Attorney Fee in Wyoming?

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

We found no Wyoming statute that caps injury contingency fees or sets a lower rate for a child. The $25,000 line in the minor settlement shortcut is measured on the claim excluding fees, costs and all other expenses incident to it.

What the statute says

W.S. 14-2-202(c)(v)(A) has the parent attest that the minor's claim is not greater than $25,000, excluding fees, costs and all other expenses incident to the claim, so higher fees and costs lower the figure that counts toward the line.

What we looked for

We searched the Wyoming provisions on minors' settlements, liens and limitation periods and found no percentage cap on a contingency fee and no separate fee rule for a minor. We did not read the Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct, so we cannot say what they require.

A worked example

On a $60,000 settlement with a one-third fee ($20,000), $2,500 in costs and $8,000 in medical bills and liens, the child's net is $29,500, over $25,000. At 25 percent the fee is $15,000 and the net $34,500. The Wyoming minor's settlement calculator lets you change the fee. The figures are your inputs, not court-set amounts.

Other amounts that come out

Costs, medical bills and any guardian ad litem fee reduce the child's share. We found no Wyoming hospital lien statute; see what claims can take from a settlement.

Ask before you sign

Ask for the fee agreement in writing and how the $25,000 line will be measured. Then read how the child's money is held.

This is general information, not legal advice, and the state comparisons above are illustrative, not an exhaustive survey. Confirm how Wyoming's rules apply to your specific case with a licensed Wyoming attorney.