When you’ve been injured and are in the process of trying to obtain the compensation you deserve for serious injuries that resulted from an accident, it’s critical that you have the right lawyer on your side. If you don’t have a good relationship or comfort level with your lawyer, don’t worry because you are not stuck and you have options. No matter what you sign with an attorney after an accident to have them represent you, you can change attorneys at any time and for any reason.
Facts about changing attorneys
It’s important to know that changing lawyers will not hurt or delay your case in any way and you are free to change attorneys at any time and for any reason. You should also note that even if you signed a Retainer Agreement you are free to change lawyers and you will not be required to pay more legal fees.
Many times when we hire a lawyer, we really don’t know much about them. Many people hire lawyers because they were referred by a friend or a colleague while others go to Google to find the top-rated lawyers near them, but oftentimes there is very little, if any, personal interaction with the attorney before a Retainer Agreement is signed. Since there is only one shot to get it right after an accident, the goal is to hire a lawyer that is professional, has a good work ethic, and has good communication skills. If your attorney is not doing what they are supposed to do, it can really have a bad effect on the outcome of your case, and you will want to change lawyers before it’s too late.
Changing to the North Shore Injury Lawyer
Mark T. Freeley has worked with many clients who have changed attorneys during their personal injury cases. Recently a client reached out to him after receiving one of his monthly emails and had some questions about an accident case she had pending with another law firm which had been pending for over a year.
She had been in a serious car accident where she incurred severe injuries and called a law firm for help. Upon calling, she was given an appointment and she met with an “intake specialist” from the firm but never met with an attorney. In fact, no lawyer ever called her to introduce themselves or invited her in to meet with them. A year went by, and she heard periodically from paralegals at the firm. Each time she would ask who her attorney was they would reply that she wouldn’t need a lawyer unless it goes into litigation.
This didn’t sit right with her, and she took it upon herself to make the phone call to Mark. Mark met with her in person and went over every detail of her case for over an hour. Because of this, she ultimately decided it was the right decision to change firms and hire Mark as her attorney. The process was easy, and she signed a simple consent to change attorney form, which gave him the authority to take the case and he is now working to obtain the case file from the other firm in order to see what work (if any) has been done and to push the case forward towards a successful resolution.
Two myths debunked about changing attorneys
Many people are afraid to change attorneys if they have a personal injury case pending. It’s important to know that contrary to popular belief, changing lawyers does not delay your case at all. In fact, you are free to change attorneys at any time and for any reason and switching to a lawyer with great communication and experience can actually help you and your case in the long run.
It is also important to know that it doesn’t cost you any more legal fees or disbursements to change lawyers. Instead, at the end of the case, the lawyers involved will split the legal fee based upon the percentage of work each one did. This does not delay the client getting the money from their settlement or affect the amount of money they receive. Also, when a new lawyer takes over a case, their firm writes a check to the other firm for any of the disbursements or expenses they incurred up to that point so there are no additional out of pocket fees for the client.
Help on Long Island
If you are concerned that you aren’t getting the communication or clarity you deserve from your lawyer, it is a good sign that you’ll want to change attorneys. You have only one chance to timely obtain the results that you truly deserve so it’s important you make the right decision for you.
If you are unhappy with your current personal injury attorney and are looking for someone who will do everything to ensure the best possible outcome for your case in a fast and efficient manner, it may be time to reach out to Mark. Give him a call at 631-495-9435 to discuss your case and give yourself peace of mind.
The process of changing attorneys as explained by Mark
