Hiring a personal injury attorney

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jmann @ Mar 21 2007, 08:43 PM) [snapback]409947[/snapback]</div>

I am very sorry about your injury.

But I think the only way to avoid an unethical attorney is to hire a plumber instead.

 

Hmmm. The Google ads come up with some options.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jmann @ Mar 22 2007, 12:03 AM) [snapback]409989[/snapback]</div>

I got a personal injury attorney who turned out to be a jerk. Poor communication and he was always out of town. So I told him to fark off, and got a new one, referred to me from my chiropractor. Two months later, I had a check in my hand which reimbursed me for my expenses and a little more.

I recommend everyone get a good injury attorney if they are in a car accident that isn't their fault. I had to go to a chiropractor for 5 months and it would have cost me more than $3,000.00 after my work benefits ran out.

It's best to call one the same day of the accident, when the details are still fresh in your mind. Never assume the insurance company will pay you anything, because they will twist your arm and get you to sign away your rights. I know Progressive tried that with me, and my lawyer told me don't go there and sign anything.

It sucks, but a good attorney will take care of the financials and it doesn't cost you a cent.

Dave

 

Really you're best to go from an acquaintance referral. Do you know no one that can provide you with one? Even then, you'll have to stay on your attorney to make sure progress is made. Don't assume that when you don't hear from them, they're actually working on your case. This comes from personal experience. My brother in law referred me to someone. After the introduction, I waited two weeks only to call my attorney and hear that he wasn't able to locate my witness. I hired a skip tracer and had the info on my desk the very next morning. I fired him and retained another lawyer who was far more able. They'll probably call you in to interview you to see if your case has merit (my second lawyer did, but not my first). That's really your opportunity to interview them and see if you find them capable. If not, just keep looking.

I had a fractured L1 (still causes problems), a head contusion, fluid in my ear (still do) and a messed up hip. I've found that I would've been better off financially had I spilled a hot cup of coffee on my lap. Inequities abound. Hope you fair better and more importantly, that you're ok now and not still suffering from the injuries.

 

Finding a good lawyer is difficult. Perhaps the family member who represented you, even if she does not know of any personal injury lawyers of good reputation herself, knows someone - a collegue, law school classmate, etc. - who can recommed a good personal injury lawyer for you. Whatever you do, interview the lawyer, preferably more than one, and find someone you are comfortable with and have confidence in. Good luck.

 

Personal referrals are definitely the best. Assuming you've already been down that route asking people you know and couldn't find anyone, you could try contacting your insurance agent. As an insurance company, they have to deal with personal injury lawsuits all the time, and i'm sure they'll know a number of good lawyers you could check out. Can't promise they'll be real ethical ones, of course.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Mar 21 2007, 10:22 PM) [snapback]410001[/snapback]</div>

I've dealt with lawyers three times. Two were personal referals. Both of those were unsatisfactory.

Once, I had been arrested for civil disobedience and would have gone to court without a lawyer, stipulated to the facts, and argued that my act was justified by the immorality of the weapons of indiscriminate mass destruction I was protesting against. I then would have accepted whatever jail or prison time I got. But the cops also arrested some innocent bystanders, and the prosecutor was threatening to charge them. So I called him and offered to plead guilty if he would agree to leave them alone. He agreed, but insisted I have a lawyer at the plea-bargain meeting. The lawyer, recommended by a friend, turned out to be worse than the prosecutor. I got more than I had requested from the prosecutor. All I asked for in return for my guilty plea was that he leave the bystanders alone. But without my asking, he reduced the charges as well. But my lawyer was no help, and just wanted to cut everything short so he could go golfing.

The other time, I went to a lawyer recommended by a friend, to work out some estate planning. He couldn't get anything right. We went through three drafts and there were typos in all of them, as well as factual errors.

I ended up doing my estate planning with a lawyer recommended by my bank. But that doesn't help you because this was a financial matter, which I'd expect a bank to deal with on a regular basis.

I don't know how you select a good lawyer, but recommendations from friends are not necessarily an indication that the lawyer is either competent or ethical.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 22 2007, 11:57 AM) [snapback]410162[/snapback]</div>

I know, it's always a crap shoot, ain't it. When I bought my business I worked with a brilliant attorney. I'm not being sarcastic. He was very intelligent. Only thing is that after reading the preliminary draft of the buyout agreement that contained all of the proposed terms it occurred to me that I wasn't sure if the agreement limited my personal liability. I inquired if this is the case and he said no. He didn't even bring this to my attention and had I not known to inquire, I would've assumed significantly more risk than I was truly offering to the seller. Wouldn't you think that this would be germane to your client, enough so that you'd bring it up to them?

He handled my land purchase as well. Though he was intelligent, he had no common sense. He actually called me a week before closing and upped his price for the closing citing that he had saved me significant amounts of money on the potential tax ramifications. He lost my business activity as a result of this. I would've digested the increase a lot more easily had he cited that he had to perform a lot of unexpected work on my behalf.

This was a referral from my brother in law.

I enjoyed reading your first paragraph. I appreciate your passion for a cause and more so that you possess such accountability that you'd put yourself out there to save the innocent people that were affected by your act. I find this quality to be a rare commodity.

 

The Supreme Court of Ohio has a listing of Lawyer Referral Services which are in compliance with LRIS Regulations and Disciplinary Rules.

Lawyer Referral & Information Services Registered with the Supreme Court of Ohio

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 22 2007, 10:57 AM) [snapback]410162[/snapback]</div>

Same here, the first attorney I was referred to was from my brother in law, and this guy turned out to be a real loser. For the record, Dax Jones from The Jones Firm in Bellevue, WA did a very good job for me.

Dave

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Mar 22 2007, 09:58 AM) [snapback]410200[/snapback]</div>

Thanks. People either love me or hate me for what I did.

The problem with lawyers is that it's the only profession where you are required to lie by your professional code of ethics.

"Your honor, my client is innocent..." when the lawyer knows he's guilty, but if the client does not want to plead guilty, and the lawyer say's he's guilty, the lawyer has violated his ethical code.