If a personal injury attorney is not interested in your case, don’t take it personally. First, it may take you a few tries to get the right attorney. Second, remember that it must be a mutual decision by both parties. You want to be with a law firm that you feel confident can win your case. However, you also want to ensure that your attorney feels confident before they take you on as a client. If you keep hearing the word “no” regardless of where you call, here are a few reasons your case may not be a priority.
1. They Have a High Caseload at the Time
Each claim deserves a great deal of attention. Some lawyers are so busy that they can’t service any more clients. They have a reputation to protect in the community, so they want to ensure that they give each case the maximum attention it deserves. If they cannot investigate all aspects of your claim as they should, they are doing you a favor by saying no. Some attorneys will turn down a client out of respect. They don’t want to mishandle your representation, as they feel someone else could be better suited for the job. If they can’t help you, ask them for the name of another lawyer they respect that can.
2. They Cannot Handle Your Specific Claim
Some attorneys are more proficient in specific areas of the law. For instance, one attorney might only handle injuries related to the Bureau of Worker’s Compensation claims, while another might handle wrongful death claims. They may not have the expertise to ensure your claim is done right. You must find someone who can handle your claim and has the knowledge behind them to succeed.
3. You Have No Legal Grounds to Sue
Just because you have a car accident doesn’t mean you automatically have grounds to sue. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff to show that the defendant was negligent and caused your accident. Furthermore, there must be injuries that you had to be treated for. A couple cuts and scrapes are hardly worth the time of a lawyer. If you have broken bones, severe lacerations, the need for surgery, or other trauma related issues, then a lawyer is more apt to take on your case.
Many people want to sue the medical community for malpractice. While malpractice is an all-encompassing term, it takes a lot to prove a true act of negligence. The law allows for human error. An attorney will not take these cases if there is no real substantiated malpractice.
4. The Statute of Limitations Has Expired
Each state has a statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim. For the most part, most areas limit a person to two years from the date of the injury. However, there are all sorts of exceptions and stipulations that come into play. An attorney will examine the facts and make sure that you fall within the guidelines. If you do not, they will not take your case.
5. A Lawyer’s Discretion
After reviewing the facts of your claim, the lawyer can turn you down simply because they don’t want to handle the case. The reason can be any of the aforementioned items, or just because they don’t want to handle it. There are certain aspects of the law that some attorneys love while others tend to shy away from. If they don’t want to take your case on, they have the discretion to simply turn you away. They might feel personalities do not mesh well or they may think the case is too far away from their location.
At the law offices of Eric Harron, we try to evaluate each case and give you our honest opinion. Our goal is to service our clients efficiently. We strive to take on cases that will be good for the firm and the client.
