Can I Change Lawyers If I Am Unhappy With My Current Lawyer?
You may have hired a lawyer to help you handle a personal injury claim, but maybe they aren’t doing their job properly. Perhaps the attorney doesn’t communicate as much as you would like or maybe they just aren’t a good fit with your personality.
So what happens now? Can you change lawyers?
You do have the right to change lawyers. After all, you are paying a lot of money for their services, so it’s only fair that you would have high standards.
However, it’s not an easy situation. Changing lawyers in the middle of a case can be complicated. Is your attorney receiving a fee? If so, they are entitled to that fee until your new lawyer resolves your case. Also, if your old lawyer got you a settlement, then they would be entitled to a fee based on that settlement.
Making things even more complicated is that a lot of lawyers do not like to take clients from other lawyers. Because of this, the new lawyer may recommend that you try to resolve your differences with your previous lawyer. If the differences cannot be resolved, you may be asked to terminate the previous lawyer’s services in writing. The new lawyer will then try to resolve any fee issues with the previous lawyer.
Common Issues
You may experience the following issues with your lawyer:
- Your lawyer should understand the laws that affect your case. They must be willing to perform research and analysis and stay on top of trends.
- A lawyer must meet all deadlines associated with a case. This means acting in a timely and careful manner.
- Clients need to be kept in the loop about any changes to their case. It can be frustrating when a lawyer cannot explain issues with a client or communicate with them in a timely manner.
- What a client tells their lawyer should be kept confidential. This is so the client can be honest and open with their lawyer. When a lawyer breaks the attorney-client privilege, it can cause a client to feel betrayed.
- There is often some disagreement about fees. Sometimes lawyers hide the details of their fees and spring the bill on their client without thoroughly explaining the various costs involved. Lawyers should charge reasonable fees and ensure clients fully understand the payment schedule and amounts.
- Following instructions. A lawyer is bound by the client’s instructions, even if the lawyer would do something different. The only exception is if the client is asking the lawyer to do something illegal.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
When you choose a lawyer, you want someone you can trust. You also want a person you can get along with. If this doesn’t happen, then it can create a frustrating situation.
If you have a personal injury claim, count on the Tampa personal injury attorney at Moore Law for aggressive and diligent representation. Our firm has more than 25 years of experience helping victims obtain the compensation they deserve. schedule a free consultation to see if our firm is a good fit for you. Call 813-510-5400 or fill out the online form.
Resource:
americanbar.org/groups/public_education/resources/public-information/what-if-i-am-unhappy-with-my-lawyer-/
