Rabu, Oktober 05, 2011
Administrator
Keep Your Personal Defense Lawyer Happy - Having a lawyer involved in your personal defense case can be a huge benefit to you and the outcome of your case. They’ll help guide you on what to do and not to do, they’ll protect your rights, and perhaps most importantly, an accident attorney will help you get the settlement you deserve.
But all the while, you must keep them happy too. Don’t be that annoying client who lies to your lawyer, ignores their advice, or calls them incessantly. Doing those things will put you on a straight path toward searching for a new lawyer. So clients, take heed – and think about the “do’s” and “don’ts” of keeping your lawyer happy.
#1: Don’t call just for sympathy
During your initial meeting and subsequent follow-ups, you and your lawyer will discuss the specifics of your case, any injuries or pain you’re feeling, and other details associated with your situation. But discussions like this should be kept to your meetings. Don’t call your lawyer just to complain about your injuries or how miserable you feel on a particular day.
#2: Don’t compare yourself to “so-and-so”
If you know of someone else involved in a personal injury case, do your best to not compare yourself to that person. The fact is, no two lawsuits are ever the same so don’t grill your lawyer on why your friend or coworker involved in a similar case got a bigger settlement than you. There are many factors at play here, and chances are, their injuries, accident, and other circumstances don’t line up perfectly with yours.
#3: Don’t ask for the case to be pro bono
Your lawyer is already spending significant time with you and risking compensation – especially if they’re working on a contingency basis where they don’t get paid until after the settlement. Their time is valuable, so don’t request that they take on your case for free.
#4: Don’t do your own “legal research”
Personal injury lawyers are highly skilled at what they do. They’ve passed the Bar Exam, gone through many years of training, and have worked with many, many clients.
Your lawyer has much better research tools than you and knows which cases are applicable to your situation – so don’t walk into his or her office with a pile of online research you’ve done. Trust us, your lawyer knows what he or she is doing.
#5: Don’t incessantly call them.
Assuming you and your lawyer have discussed all the pertinent facts to your case,
it’s likely he or she won’t have information for a few weeks after your initial meeting – so don’t call them every day to “check up.”
Your lawyer will keep you updated of any changes in your case, let you know when you need to be in court, and will always give you settlement information right away – after all, they want the case to settle just as much as you do.
#6: DO keep them updated
If there are any details you remember about your accident, you have a new medical provider, or there’s a significant change in your medical condition, let your lawyer know. Each of these things is very important to the case and its outcome.
A great personal injury lawyer can be a huge asset to your case. Do your best to abide by the above tips for a healthy relationship throughout the trial.
