The choice of an attorney is a highly personal decision that can have many implications. You will be sharing personal information with your attorney and will be trusting them to do the best they possibly can to achieve the most favorable result that is possible in your case. If you know little about insurance or legal claims, you are putting your financial future in the hands of the law firm you hire and may have few tools to measure their success until the case is over. For these reasons, many factors should be carefully considered when selecting an attorney to handle your car accident case.
411-PAIN and similar lawyer referral services claim to make finding an attorney simple. All you have to do is call their number and they will match you with a lawyer who will handle your case. This sounds easy, but it has some concerning caveats. To start with, you will know next to nothing about the attorney who gets your case. And if you know nothing about them, how can you be sure they are the right attorney for you?
For this reason, it’s important to realize who the recommended attorneys are and how their relationship with 411-PAIN works. And although the following information doesn’t apply to every attorney who works with the referral service, a lot of these are commonalities that are regularly stated in complaints from former clients of 411-PAIN.
They Pay to Get Referrals
411-PAIN does not select attorneys to be in its referral service based on their credentials. Instead, the only criteria attorneys generally have to meet to be included in the referral list is to pay the required fee. While the service makes it sound like their list is an exclusive one with only the best car accident attorneys, the only factor considered is the ability and willingness to pay the fees.
They May Have Little Relevant Experience
If you are calling a referral service for car accident victims, you would likely – and understandably – assume that any attorney who is assigned your case would be highly experienced in the area of personal injury law and cases arising from car accidents. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, services like 411-PAIN do not seek out members based on their specific experience or specialization in legal practice. Some of the attorneys they refer may have little experience handling car accident cases or perhaps even little professional experience overall.
Car accident cases can be complicated and it is essential to have an attorney who understands how to handle all of the unique legal issues that can arise and need to be addressed. An attorney with little relevant experience may not be able to obtain the best possible result for you.
They May Focus on Quantity of Cases over Quality of Representation
When an insurance company or adverse party in a legal claim makes a settlement offer, it is likely insufficient to cover your losses. For this reason, it is often not a good idea to settle a case right away but instead engage in negotiations and present additional arguments and evidence to increase the compensation offer. This takes time, energy, and attention, however.
Some personal injury attorneys want to handle as many cases as possible, even if they obtain smaller amounts of money for their clients by settling the case right away and not negotiating further. Their percentage of these smaller checks add up for them but this is often an inadequate result for their clients. Many of the lawyers who are members of 411-PAIN are of the “settlement mill” variety and thus may not strive for the best results.
They May be Inaccessible
Many complaints regarding 411-PAIN1 cite that the clients never even met their attorney face-to-face. Getting to know an attorney before you hire them is essential in many cases. In addition, your lawyer should pay more attention to your case than the occasional phone call. If your attorney does not have the time or desire to meet with you, your case will almost certainly suffer.
Find the Quality of Representation You Deserve by Calling Our Clearwater Auto Accident Lawyers Today
At Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, we have the resources and dedication to handle every car accident case to the best of our abilities. We understand that choosing an attorney is an important decision and we will be honest and straightforward about our process and values. If you have been in a car accident, please do not hesitate to call our Clearwater car accident lawyers at 727-451-6900.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-451-6900
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