As you probably know, there are numerous unpredictable situations in life. For many of them you cannot really prepare, which is why they are accidents in the first place. Therefore, once they happen, all you can do is try to cope with it the best you can and get out the most you possibly can.
This is probably the truest with injuries, particularly those seemingly weird mishaps that leave you with serious harm and a lengthy recovery period. In such conditions, depending on the circumstances, you may be able to hire a personal injury lawyer and have a case. If the injury is not your fault, you could be eligible for some compensation, or at least the cover of all medical and insurance bills.
When you have to resort to hiring a personal injury lawyer, you are already suffering and you hardly want further problems and issues. You have had something happen to you that makes life more difficult that it has to be. It has had a huge impact on your overall ability and mobility, and probably keeps you from a normal life.
Turning to a personal injury lawyer is like reaching out for a lifeline, asking for help at one of the toughest times for you. Here at Johnston Law Firm we take the matter as seriously as if the trouble had affected a member of our own family, and we will always work hard to get you the compensation you need and deserve.
Unfortunately, not every lawyer suits every person, nor will every lawyer accept every case. The reasons for this kind of situation are many and we will explore them in this article. Here are some of the reasons why a personal injury lawyer might refuse to take your case and help you get compensation for your injury.
Why A Personal Injury Lawyer Might Refuse Your Case?
Let us review some of those reasons so you can spare yourself the pain when you are already hurt and in need of immediate help.
1 – They Cannot Establish Fault
If there is some kind of aggravating circumstances or trickiness surrounding who is to blame for your accident, a personal injury lawyer might refuse your case because it seems impossible to win. Think about whether or not it is clear who is at fault and if it is tricky, the lawyer might refuse your case. This is not something you should take personally, as no lawyer will pick up a case they believe cannot be won.
2 – Lack of Resources
If the personal injury lawyer you try to hire thinks you cannot really afford to pay their fees, they are likely to turn you down. This is considered wise business sense and there is no place for arguing with the lawyer over any sort of discounts or other options. In a similar manner, if they think that your case will not win enough in funds, they might refuse to take it altogether and advise you to drop it. This could happen if the odds against you or if the injury is not considered serious. What is more, if it is not worth the effort in terms of monetary reward, they are likely to refuse you immediately without even evaluating other possibilities.
3 – Unusual Circumstances
It may be that your case has some unusual circumstances that make things slightly less clear and obvious, which is another good reason for a lawyer to decide not to consider it. Perhaps you are attempting to launch a personal injury claim against a company that is notorious for working its way out of these claims. Perhaps a pre-existing health issue makes it difficult to prove what pain was caused by the accident and what was already there. Whatever the reason, a particularly unusual circumstance might be all it takes to scare off a lawyer. Many of them are most certain in cases similar to those they already dealt with. If yours is vastly different from everything else they have seen and they do not think it is winnable, they will probably refuse.
4 – Expenses
Here is another reason that deals with funding. This time around, it has to do with the fact that the case is too costly for the chosen lawyer’s ability. They might be running their office on limited funds already, and while a big case is attractive, if you cannot front the fees needed, it makes for a bad business move that not many who lack funds are willing to take. You have to think about how much the lawyer can put aside in order to help your case. They usually have more than a few cases at any given time. If they have to stop doing everything else and favour you, they lose money.
5 – Other Lawyers
A personal injury lawyer is much more likely to reject your case if you tell them that other lawyers have already rejected it and they are among your last options. This is a little to do with social proof, and has much more to with you being rejected by many of their peers. They will think that there must be something wrong with the case and refuse to take it upon themselves to defend you. It is also a good example of a lawyer trying to cover his or her own tail, not getting in way over their head.
6 – Statute of Limitations
If you are finally getting around to putting forward a personal injury claim only to find that the time limit for making claims has expired, a personal injury lawyer in America will have no choice but to refuse your claim. This is known as the statute of limitations and there is nothing to be done about it. Therefore, if something like this happens to you, make sure to prioritize finding legal help and starting the case. The sooner you begin the process the faster and more efficient you will get the compensation if possible.
Conclusion and Takeaways
As you can see from these six reasons, many factors determine whether or not a personal injury lawyer is willing to pick up a new case. Before you start visiting different lawyer offices, make sure to gather as much information as possible and think of a strategy to present the case to the. This can help you and persuade them that you are worth their time.
