Here are a few situations that warrant a call to your personal injury attorney: Changes in your medical condition. New recommendations from your doctors. When you discover you’ll miss more time at work due to your injury. The discovery of new evidence or remembering an important detail about your ...
May 07, 2015 · First and foremost, as a client you should have the ability to communicate with your attorney and/or your attorney’s support staff in a timely manner. Telephone calls and e-mails should not go unanswered for days, assuming you are not contacting your attorney on a …
The frequency with which you hear from your attorney will depend, to a great extent, on the type of legal matter being handled. A personal injury case, for example, will typically require a good deal of communication in the early days and weeks of the case and then tends to lay dormant while you are following through with recommended treatment ...
You may hear from a lawyer on a daily basis (say during a trial), once a week (during the process) or once a month. It really does depend. If you have any concerns you can always contact your attorney and asked them about communication and schedule updates. Remember if you are paying for the lawyer out of your pocket every call cost money.
As a general rule, you will hear from your attorney often at the beginning of your case as your attorney will need to gather relevant facts and information from you in order to develop a defense. After that, however, there is usually a lull in the case during the “discovery” stage.
Telephone calls and e-mails should not go unanswered for days, assuming you are not contacting your attorney on a daily basis.
Because every attorney, and every law firm, develops their own set of procedures and methods, particularly where the attorney-client relationship is concerned, there is no universal answer that applies to that question – or to any other similar questions.
Of course, your attorney will be kept apprised of all communications you have with the support staff and will communicate with you directly when needed. The frequency with which you hear from your attorney will depend, to a great extent, on the type of legal matter being handled.
Conversely, if you are a defendant in a criminal case there may be more regular communication with your attorney throughout the prosecution as evidence is discovered and a resolution to the case is worked out or trial preparations have begun.
You may hear from a lawyer on a daily basis (say during a trial), once a week (during the process) or once a month. It really does depend. If you have any concerns you can always contact your attorney and asked them about communication and schedule updates.
Cases could have nothing going on for months, so clients may not hear from their attorneys for months and it does not mean they are not keeping them reasonably informed (or consider the alternative I set forth in the above paragraph). If something starts going on you can bet your attorney will seek you out.
It's always a very good idea to check up on your lawyer/barrister in a reasonable manner, if you feel the lawyer/barrister simply isn't doing enough with your case and just letting it lay then you need to consider different options. It's your case, your life. Make sure it's being treated with proper care. 9.
The Rules of Ethics mandate attorneys to keep their clients reasonably informed about their cases. “Reasonably” is subject to interpretation. Attorneys copying clients on correspondence they send out and pleadings they file with the court on their behalf constitutes being reasonably informed.
If the other attorney is the problem, your attorney needs to complain to the judge. If it's your attorney, you need to get a new attorney.
In a personal injury case, for example, the lawyer will often wait until the person is better, as good as they are going to be, or the statute of limitations is close. Continue Reading. The answer to your question depends on your case and where it is in the process.
Something about you concerns the lawyer. There are some potential clients who set off alarm bells in the heads of the lawyer. These alarms tell us that there is a serious problem with you or your case.
While the internet is an extremely valuable tool, providing resources for numerous daily matters, it cannot take the place of experienced professional advice. It is too easy for anyone to add anything on the internet and clients often follow erroneous advice in an effort to solve the problem on their own.
All consultations with an attorney are confidential. Embarrassment and reluctance are understandable, but should be easily overcome by the right professional who treats clients the way he wants to be treated. Lawyers are similar to doctors in that they diagnose the problem and help find the cure.
Many attorneys charge for an initial consultation. Perhaps they subscribe to Lincoln's wisdom that advice is a lawyer's stock in trade. While I agree that advice on a regular basis can be a service warranting fees, it shouldn't cost you something just to find out your options.
Boy do i understand! I have the reverse problem trying to get my criminal clients to communicate with me. You are always free to hire another lawyer.
It really depends on how long you are talking about and also, what you want to talk about. Sometimes there isn't much going on, and so there isn't a lot to talk about. But that doesn't mean your lawyer should ignore you for weeks on end. You cannot talk to the judge on your own or file a motion when you have a lawyer.
How often should your lawyer communicate with you? It really depends on what is going on in your case. That you want to "talk to the judge and file a motion" suggests that maybe you think you are co-counsel rather than the client. If you are not confident letting the attorney you hired to represent you, maybe you should get another.
A licensed lawyer that practices in the area of law in which you have questions can tell you about the applicable laws that apply to your case. Looking for information online may yield inaccurate or outdated information. A professional can provide current information based specifically in the geographic and practice area that applies to your case.
Many lawyers focus on a limited number of areas of the law to ensure that they have a working knowledge of the subject. 4. A lawyer who does not give you the attention you deserve, avoids phone calls and does not provide copies of requested information.
A professional can provide current information based specifically in the geographic and practice area that applies to your case. 2. You Want to Ease Your Mind. Not knowing is sometimes the worst feeling in the world. It is often better to know what you are facing even if this involves negative information.
While legal information is widely available on the Internet, this information is often not accurate. Even if the information is accurate, the law is a complex area that requires strict adherence to deadlines, filing requirements and procedures.
Some people are hesitant to seek legal information and advice because they do not want to have to pay for these services. However, what you gain often far outweighs the cost of seeking such services. Many times, a lawyer can provide the following information and benefits: • Current laws that apply to your case.
Many times, a lawyer can provide the following information and benefits: • Current laws that apply to your case. • How courts in the area have interpreted these laws. • Whether a statute of limitations or procedural deadline applies. • What steps you can take to protect yourself. • Litigation strategies.
There are certain characteristics to look for in a lawyer, including the following: 1. A lawyer that primarily practices in the area of law that is the subject of your legal issue. 2. A lawyer who treats you with respect, listens to you and addresses your concerns. 3.
Lawyer communication, competency, ethics, and fees are important aspects of an attorney-client relationship. As a summary you can expect your lawyer to do the following: 1 Give you advice about your legal situation 2 Keep you informed about your case 3 Tell you what he or she thinks will happen in your case 4 Allow you to make the important decisions regarding your case 5 Give you an estimate about what your case should cost 6 Assist you in any cost-benefit analyses that you may need 7 Keep in communication with you 8 Inform you of any changes, delays or setbacks 9 Give you the information you need to make good decisions, and 10 Prepare you for your case, including deposition and trial preparation.
Fees. Disputes regarding attorneys' fees are perhaps the most common problem that clients have with their lawyers. Fee disputes typically arise for many reasons, but the following are the most common: Complaints about bills being too high. Disagreements over what kinds of fees would be charged to the client.
Lawyer communication refers to the correspondence and communication between a client and his/her attorney. If you have a lawyer communication problem, you may be wondering if you have a bad attorney or if he or she is doing a poor job on your case. You should know that many states have laws regarding when and how a lawyer must communicate with clients.
If your attorney does not respond within a business day, he or she should provide you with a reason why they were unable to answer your question (typically, if your lawyer is working on multiple cases, he or she may be tied down in court on some days).
Billing at an attorney's rate for work done by a paralegal or legal secretary. Complaints regarding over-charging for time spent on a case. The first thing that you should do upon finding and hiring the right lawyer for your case is to make sure that you get the fee agreement in writing that you can understand.
In addition to lawyer communication problems, you may also have problems with the competency of your lawyer's work. Competency relates to the core knowledge and expertise of an attorney in handling a client's legal issue. You should remember that lawyers are not machines and they are just as capable of making a mistake as anyone else ...