The Key to Injury Claim Success

What’s the best thing you can do to help your claim? Listen to the advice of a good lawyer

I have been doing this for over 16 years as of the time of this post.  And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been hired by an injury victim only to have my advice – for which they are paying! – ignored by the client.  Why?  How? What’s the point?

Of course, this is by no means the majority of my clients.  The overwhelming majority of my clients know and understand the value of what I bring to the table in this relationship and they heed my advice as best they can.  But there are always outliers.  And I think they fall into two categories:

The first category are those people who didn’t want to get a lawyer in the first place, felt like they knew it all to begin with, and are only hiring me because someone is bullying them into it. It’s really hard for me to get past that.  It reminds me of the Zen koan where the teacher shows that a cup full of tea cannot receive more tea, the lesson being that you must first empty your cup and acknowledge your ignorance before you can learn.  I try to be a good and patient teacher with these folks, but when someone doesn’t want to learn, then I can’t make them.

The second category are those people that would otherwise be willing to learn, but for whatever reason have a certain deficit with regard to maintaining successful communications links.  My preferred method of client contact is email.  It’s immediate and is easily preserved for future reference.  Some people prefer phone calls, or texting, or even letters.  Whatever!  As long as you’re communicating, it should work out.  But some folks just can’t do that…I don’t know why.  Maybe they have a fear of computers, or don’t have one.  If that’s the case, TELL your lawyer and then choose another method.  But the main point is that whatever method you choose, engage in it!

The number one downfall of most clients’ cases is their failure to respond to or engage in communication with their attorney. 

If you aren’t hearing anything from your attorney, reach out.  That won’t be the case with me because I ALWAYS reach out to clients every two to three weeks unless there’s a reason not to, which I’ll then share with the client so they know.  If you aren’t hearing from me, then it’s because something is wrong.  Your spam filter is eating my emails, maybe you moved and forgot to tell me, or you changed numbers.  But you can rest assured that I’m trying!

So what have you learned here?  Listening to your lawyer will help your claim.  Seriously,  you’re paying your lawyer for his or her advice, so it only makes sense to at least consider it when making your decisions.  Make sure to keep an open line of communication with your lawyer, and if you aren’t hearing from him or her, find out why!

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

Yo, Joe!

Trackback from your site.

Contact Jeffrey

Jeffrey Allen Howard, Attorney at Law, PLLC
1829 E. Franklin St. - Bldg 600
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

(P) 919-929-2992
(F) 919-636-4779

Address Doesn't Matter!

Quick Contact Form