Can Injury Victims Change Their Attorney in the Middle of a Claim?

If you are unhappy with your personal injury claim representation, you may be wondering if you can drop your current attorney and find one who will be a better fit for you. Dealing with injury recovery is challenging on its own. Hiring the wrong attorney may create yet another major source of stress for you.

Common Reasons for Wanting to Switch Attorneys

There are many reasons why someone may want to find a new attorney to represent his or her personal injury claim including:

• Bad communication – A law firm that does not respond to your calls or emails may seem unprofessional or unreliable. Lack of communication may also make you feel that your claim is not important to your attorney.
• Lack of trust – The relationship between client and attorney should be built on trust. Without that foundation, a client may not feel comfortable with his or her representation.
• Lack of experience – An attorney who does not have experience handling a claim like yours may not have the necessary knowledge to win your case or even to build a strong case.

If you have concluded that your current attorney lacks professionalism or experience, you may want to consider finding a law firm you can have confidence in.

Am I Legally Allowed to Switch Attorneys?

Although you may have already signed a retainer with your current attorney, you are not legally obligated to keep him or her. Generally, you have the right to choose who represents you.

However, it is important to note that changing legal representation should be done as early as possible. Switching attorneys can delay the progress of a case, which may be frowned upon by the courts. To avoid delays, a court may not allow you to switch attorneys after a certain point.

Another possible barrier to changing your attorney is a conflict of interest. For example, the new attorney may have a conflict with the judge overseeing your case or he or she may be representing one of the parties in your case in another capacity.

Should I Make the Switch?

Switching your attorney during a claim is a significant decision that should be motivated by wanting to resolve significant problems.

Be sure to review the retainer that you signed carefully. Your current law firm may have put more work and expenses into building your case than you are aware of. Most likely, they have the right to recuperate those costs and will put a lien on any verdict or settlement your new attorney recovers for you.

What to Look for in a New Personal Injury Lawyer

If you need to switch attorneys, take the time to choose an ideal replacement. When looking for an attorney, make a list of what your needs are, such as:

Once you have established your expectations for an attorney, research potential lawyers in your area. A Google search will produce numerous law firms in your area. Narrow this list down by the type of attorney you are looking for.

If you have friends or family members who have been through a similar experience, ask if they would recommend the attorney who represented them. For each law firm and/or lawyer you are considering hiring, take a look at:

• Client reviews or testimonials
• Firm website, including biographies
• Case results, including settlements and verdicts

The next step is to call the firm(s) you are most interested in so you may schedule a consultation before you make your final selection.

At the Arnold Law Firm, we offer a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. If you decide to hire us, we do not charge you anything until we recover compensation for you

Why Choose Us?

Our car accident lawyers in Sacramento are ready to help you if you are not happy with your current attorney. For more than 40 years the Arnold Law Firm has helped recover millions of dollars in compensation on behalf of our clients.

Give us a call today at (916) 777-7777