HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY TALK TO ME?
In Florida there is no set time frame or specific time your personal injury attorney must talk with you. But if you are asking this question that is a troubling sign about the relationship between you and your personal injury attorney. According to the Florida Bar Association, which governs the conduct of all attorneys licensed to practice in Florida, your personal injury attorney should periodically give you updates on the status of your case, give you copies of requested documents, and treat you at all times with courtesy and respect. (See Paragraphs 6 and 8 below.)
A Consumer Guide To Clients’ Rights – The Florida Bar
10 Basic Rights
When I retain a lawyer, I am entitled to one who:
- WILL be capable of handling my case.
- WILL represent me zealously and seek any lawful means to present or defend my case.
- WILL preserve my confidences, secrets or statements which I reveal in the course of our relationship.
- WILL give me the right to make the ultimate decision on the objectives to be pursued in my case.
- WILL charge me a reasonable fee and tell me, in advance of being hired and upon my request, the basis of that fee.
- WILL show me courtesy and consideration at all times.
- WILL exercise independent professional judgment in my behalf, free from compromising influences.
- WILL inform me periodically about the status of my case and, at my request, give me copies of documents prepared.
- WILL exhibit the highest degree of ethical conduct.
- WILL refer me to other legal counsel, if he or she cannot properly represent me.
If you are searching for the answer to this question that is not a good sign about what is occurring in your case—or not occurring in your case. Here is a test that should tell you whether it is time to move on from your present attorney.
ATTORNEY CLIENT RELATIONSHIP TEST
- I SEEMINGLY NEVER GET TO TALK WITH MY ATTORNEY ABOUT MY CASE.
- WHEN I CALL FOR A CASE STATUS I FREQUENTLY HAVE TO EXPLAIN THINGS THAT I HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED.
- WHEN I CALL FOR A CASE STATUS NEW PEOPLE ARE ASSIGNED TO MY CASE.
- WHEN I CALL I OFTEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR A CALL BACK.
- WHEN I CALL FOR A STATUS MY CASE SEEMS TO BE IN THE SAME PLACE AS THE LAST TIME I CALLED.
Did you answer YES to any of these questions? Did you answer YES to all of these questions? You deserve better than this and you do not have to take our word for it at www.FightingForFamilies.com; look at the above Florida Bar Clients Rights list.
THE REASON WHY YOU’RE NOT TALKING WITH YOUR ATTORNEY
It is not widely known but personal injury firms who do a lot of advertising often stack many cases onto their support staff and attorneys. Recently at www.FightingForFamilies.com in seeking to add on an additional worker we interviewed multiple employees seeking to leave high volume law firms. Applicants regularly advised us at www.FightingForFamilies.com that those workers often handled more than 200 cases. One worker at a large high-volume firm advised she was getting 10 new cases every day, in addition to her existing cases. That is why you are having to explain your case facts again every time you call in, and that is why you are not talking with an attorney about your case. They don’t have the time.
Another aspect to know is your case is often placed on “Case Management Software” which simply uses templates and sends out the same common demand letter on your case as is sent out on everyone else’s demand letter. (Regardless of the individual merits of your case.) At www.FightingForFamilies.com we handle each case individually, we keep our clients informed, and we do not use cookie-cutter case management software.
