Following an accident, as people recover, they often find themselves unable to work and in a financial bind. The vast majority of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck, and the long wait for insurance to settle a claim can really take a toll. As a result, everyday people are frequently forced to accept whatever is offered, even if it is far below the fair value of their claim. Taking this low offer can lead to long-term financial instability as families try to get their lives back on track.

Consumer legal funding provides a debt-free financial option for those who have suffered injury in an accident have a pending legal claim. By selling a small portion of the potential proceeds of a claim, people can replace lost income now after an accident and regain immediate financial stability while pursuing the fair value of their claim. Consumer legal funding helps families meet obligations, avoid public assistance, and recover.

Because consumer legal funding is a purchase, it has many consumer-friendly benefits over credit products. It can never affect a person’s credit—meaning no collections, foreclosure, or repossession. Because it’s a purchase, there is no debt created, so if the person loses the case, he or she keeps the funds with no personal obligation to repay. And, since consumer legal funding providers are paid only out of the proceeds of a legal claim, here are no monthly payments and no interest, just a purchase price.

Sale terms are clear, upfront, and are reviewed by the individual’s attorney, which is a level of protection unheard of with most other financial products. People and their attorneys know exactly how much they will pay and be paid—no hidden fees, no complicated calculations—before the individual signs the contract.

Consumer legal funding is not used for attorney fees or court costs. It’s used to keep the lights on, a roof overhead, and put food on the table until a fair settlement is reached.