Can Your Car Wreck Attorney Be Fired?
Here's the scenario: You were driving your car peacefully in broad daylight, and a motorist crashed and totaled your vehicle. Upon inspection, you noticed the other driver to be under the influence. As an excellent response to the accident, you sought a car wreck attorney who could represent you in court.But what happens if you are unhappy with the auto accident lawyer's service? Can you fire them or switch to another car wreck attorney?The quick answer is yes. However, there are specifics to switching lawyers, and we'll explore them in this article.
Your Right to Change a Car Wreck Attorney
If you are unsatisfied with your lawyer, you have the absolute right to replace them at any time. And you may do this for any reason, without notice and with no additional costs.It's necessary to find a trustworthy and reliable lawyer. Remember that you and your attorney are partners in the case, which means respect should be evident.Looking for a legal second opinion or considering replacing them is necessary should you lose confidence in your lawyer. But what are common reasons to change a car wreck attorney?
Lawyer not returning calls or messages
The attorney is rude
You only speak to the secretary or get thrown to voice mail
Never speaking to the same person twice
Unfamiliarity with your case
No update on your case
Perceptually weak legal strategy for your case
Does any of the above sound familiar?If you're considering replacing your car wreck attorney, here are two things you should know:
It Does Not Cost You More Money To Change Injury Attorneys
Believe it or not, some claimants choose to fire their car wreck lawyers in hopes of escaping payment. However, that is not possible. You are still billable for the services that your previous lawyer rendered. But you only have to pay one attorney fee.Let me explain.Payment for personal injury cases often comes in contingency fees. That means the lawyer gets paid a percentage of the entire settlement.In this case, this contingency or attorney fee will be divided between the two firms that represented you. Once the case resolves, the value each receives is based on "quantum meruit" or the reasonable value of their services.For instance, if the second car wreck attorney did more for the case, they get a bigger chunk. If both did the same amount of work, they would divide the fee equally. How they split the payment up is no longer your concern.
Your Car Wreck Case Will Not Be Hampered by Switching Attorneys
A common concern among clients is worrying that the case will last longer upon switching. In the vast majority of claims, changing your attorney will not delay the case.The second lawyer will work with the first one to gather all data, files and materials relevant to the claim. This allows them to get up to speed as soon as possible.There's just one problem: a second lawyer may also be reluctant to take over a case.This happens when the previous lawyer has already done substantial work on the claim. The replacement will decide whether it makes 'economic sense' to step in and take over. Because in this scenario, the second lawyer will have to relinquish the fee's larger chunk to the previous attorney. However, a second car wreck attorney may take the matter without hesitation in cases with significant value.
Choose a Personal Injury Attorney That You Can Trust
Here's the bottom line: if you lost confidence in your current lawyer, get a second legal opinion. Feel free to switch your car wreck attorney if that's not enough.Your lawyer should have your best interests at heart. Hiring the correct lawyer is crucial to grant you rightful compensation for your injuries and damages. For this reason, choose a personal injury lawyer that you can trust.Kevin Sandel of Sandel Law Firm is one of those lawyers.If you find yourself in a car wreck accident, give us a call. Sandel Law Firm is here for you.