In most bus accident cases, a personal injury lawyer represents you, the plaintiff, for a contingency fee. A contingency fee is a legal fee that is dependent on the outcome of the case.
In most instances, the fee is one-third of the gross recovery in damages. So if the gross recovery is $100,000, then the attorney's fees is one-third of that.
If there's no recovery in the case, then there are no attorney's fees due.
This system of contingent fees allows people who could not otherwise afford counsel to hire a lawyer. If people couldn't afford a lawyer, many valid claims wouldn't be pursued.
Note: The attorney may be required under the rules of the State Bar to hold the plaintiff responsible for costs. Most State Bars require that the personal injury lawyer tells the plaintiffs they may be responsible for the cost of litigation. Those costs include the cost of filing suit and the cost of experts. There may be other costs, too.