Many people who search for legal counsel for personal injury cases don’t have much experience knowing what to look for. They may have never been involved in an accident before and believe all personal injury lawyers are of equal value to represent their best interests.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Many people have found themselves unhappy with their representation, citing a lack of trust and faith in their experience and ability to do the job they were hired for.
Knowing that experienced, reputable lawyers do exist, it can be worth hunting around until you find one you feel can handle the level of care and attention to detail your case requires. If you’re not 100% certain the lawyer that reviewed your case is the right person for the job, the following signs may help you reach that conclusion.
You Didn’t Feel Satisfied With Your First Meeting
When you visit a law firm for the first time to take advantage of a free case review, you want to feel comfortable, and like you’re going to be taken care of. This is certainly what happens at some of the best law firms from sites like olyinjurylawyers.com/, but it’s not a guarantee with all law firms in the United States.
If you feel like your situation wasn’t taken seriously, or you weren’t getting the level of care and patience you required, listen to your gut. You don’t have to agree to be represented by the first lawyer you meet, so keep looking until you find one as experienced and attentive as necessary to help you seek the justice you deserve.
Communication Is Lacking
With so much new technology in the legal industry, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to communicate with your lawyer when you need to. Even if you aren’t able to access your chosen attorney right away, you should be able to receive a follow-up email, text message, or phone call when they are free to talk.
However, you may know it’s time to look at alternative options when no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to make contact with your lawyer. They might take several days to get back to you, or they may not respond at all.
The most experienced lawyers understand the importance of communication for their clients’ peace of mind. Even if they can’t respond immediately, lawyers rely on professional phone answering services or provide confirmation of a message or email being received to let their client know they will respond when they can.
They Guarantee Success
There is nothing wrong with having confidence as a lawyer, especially if you have several years of experience and a success rate to be proud of. However, the best lawyers don’t guarantee success, nor will they say your personal injury case will be a ‘sure thing.’
Making big promises can be damaging if your lawyer isn’t able to follow through with the results they and you anticipated.
You can feel left down and be left to struggle with paying your personal injury costs on your own. Typically, a lawyer can express their confidence early on in the claims process. Therefore, you may know almost right away that changing to a new lawyer is in your best interest.
They Don’t Provide a Personalized Service
Personal injury lawyers can assist with a broad range of personal injury cases, such as car accidents, wrongful death, traumatic brain injuries, slip and fall accidents, and more. Even though your accident may fall under one of these umbrellas, that doesn’t mean you should expect a ‘generic’ approach with cookie-cutter legal methods.
Most experienced lawyers understand that every case is unique. They might approach your situation with the same goal of gathering evidence to build a strong case, but a customized approach is required to then get the outcome you deserve.
Deadlines Are Being Missed
It can be hard to focus on healing and prioritizing self-care when you can’t trust your lawyer to meet deadlines crucial to your case. In almost all situations, specific documents must be filed and given to the appropriate parties within a certain number of days, weeks, or months.
If your lawyer is continually missing deadlines due to disorganization, unawareness, or something else, you may not believe you can trust them to represent you in court with the level of care you require. At this point, you might know it’s time to look for a lawyer you can trust to put your needs first.
They Don’t Seem to Care
A lawyer without empathy and compassion is one you may struggle to connect with and trust with your personal injury case. You have just experienced one of the most traumatic events in your life, and your case should be handled with the utmost care, with your feelings taken into account every step of the way.
Lawyers have to make a living, but putting money before compassion and empathy can be a warning sign that they are not the right lawyer for you. At this point, consider shopping around for one better suited to your unique needs.
They Prioritize Early Settlement
If two parties aren’t able to negotiate a fair settlement offer, a personal injury case can end up going to court. As this can require additional research, time, and money, not all lawyers will encourage this option if there’s a way to settle out of court.
However, settling isn’t always going to be in your best interest. The defendant’s insurance company may not offer enough to cover the costs of your medical care, time off work, vehicle damage, and other related expenses.
Knowing that going to trial may allow you to access a settlement figure closer to what you need, there’s every reason to consider it as a valid option. It’s not always going to be a wise option to take a case to trial, but your lawyer’s primary concern should be making sure you get as much compensation as you deserve, not choosing what’s going to be easiest for them.
There are plenty of experienced, well-regarded, and high-quality personal injury lawyers in the U.S. However, there are also some that won’t meet everyone’s expectations. If you are noticing any of these signs above, consider looking elsewhere for the exceptional legal representation you’re entitled to.
