The questions I have heard from personal injury clients like you for nearly the past 30 years are almost always identical:
- What is my case worth?
- How long will this take?
- We will win because I was hurt, right?
Most personal injury attorneys won’t answer these questions.
Lawyers tend to be a skittish and cautious group — who don’t want to be pinned down to an incorrect prediction later by an angry client. So, they give meaningless comments like:
“nobody knows”
“as long as necessary”
“just trust me”
This does nothing for you. You walk away more confused than before you asked for advice.
Next, an offer to settle your case is made — suddenly the lawyer who originally said he had no idea what your case was worth becomes an expert on “value.” He recommends you take the offer.
He puts pressure on you. You still have questions.
Suddenly, your lawyer starts talking badly about your chances of winning the lawsuit. He becomes the advocate for the defense by reminding you of the “bad” facts in your case or how unlikely it would be to win a jury trial. You feel pressured to take the offer, so you do. Then you walk away feeling cheated.
No wonder people dislike attorneys. The lawyer you hired, who asked for your trust, sounds like he is working for the other side.
There is a simple solution to prevent this mess.
Hire an honest attorney. An attorney who isn’t afraid to tell you what your case could be worth based upon experience and facts. There is a lot of research available to attorneys to answer these questions. Some attorneys are scared to answer you, many are just too busy or lazy.
There is nothing wrong with knowing your chances at the beginning of your lawsuit. Just understand that your lawsuit has a life of its own — the investigation might make your case better, it might make your case worse.
But, asking for answers from a trustworthy attorney is always a good idea.
Hiring the right attorney is the best way to win your lawsuit.