Any accident that leaves you hurt and financially damaged can make you eager to seek justice for what transpired. If the accident wasn’t your fault, you might be thinking about hiring a personal injury attorney so you can bring legal action against the person or entity at fault. They will be able to respond to your inquiries and help you navigate the legal system so that you are not on your own.
If you reside in Chicago, you can leverage the assistance of a Chicago personal injury law firm for your lawsuit. Most legal services would provide you the assurance that your case is strong by working hard to secure the justice you deserve. However, it is not necessary for a law firm or an individual attorney to take your case for representation. You may not know how to prepare for your legal consultation to ensure your desired lawyer agrees to assist you with your claim. This article outlines the different actions you should take before your consultation to convince a lawyer to represent you in your claim.
Why Do Attorneys Refuse to Take Cases?
When it comes to accepting cases, most attorneys exercise some degree of discernment to ensure they can win and keep a manageable caseload. In the event that your case falls outside of the lawyer’s area of competence, they could decline to represent you. A variety of things could hurt your case, such as:
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Your joint responsibility for the initial incident
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Your failure to seek medical attention for your injuries promptly
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Your perceived credibility
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Your damages or possible recovery are too small
What Can You Do?
To prevent a lawyer from refusing to represent your case, you can take a few actions before your consultation. These actions can help you persuade a lawyer to accept your case.
Adequate Documentation:
A thorough understanding of the type and severity of your injuries, such as an official diagnosis from your doctor, can help you position your case for success. Obtaining a copy of the police report might be very beneficial in a vehicle accident case. Organizing and gathering any prospective proof, such as your medical records, the names and contact information of any witnesses, and a timeline of significant occurrences is also helpful.
Have Realistic Expectations:
A client with unreasonable expectations is one of the biggest warning signs for a lawyer. Keep in mind that lawyers are under no obligation to take your case. Therefore, be reasonable in your demands of your lawyer. While asking questions and evaluating a lawyer’s capability is important for your case, do not expect a lawyer to have all answers immediately.
Allow The Attorney To Handle Your Case:
If you are not a practicing attorney with legal experience, it is better to not interfere in how your case is built. A good lawyer would involve you in the process and proceed with the case for maximized profits. However, if you decide to hire a lawyer for your personal injury lawsuit, it is important to let your lawyer decide what paperwork to file, what evidence to acquire, and how to handle the other party.
Be Honest:
If you want the greatest legal counsel, you cannot afford to lie about your circumstances. Stay true to the facts no matter how bizarre your situation may be. Even if you believe that you were careless in some way. Since they will be basing their sworn testimony in court on what you say, a lawyer won’t represent you if they continually question whether you’re telling the truth.
Delayed Documentation:
Most lawyers will not take a case if the chances of winning are low. The statute of limitations establishes filing deadlines for lawsuits involving personal injuries. Therefore, no lawyer would accept your case if you passed the time limit. Similarly, if you take too long to seek medical assistance or to report the accident, it could be used by insurance companies against you. In such cases, an attorney may refuse to take your case. Therefore, ensure you seek medical attention and approach a lawyer immediately after an accident.
Final Thoughts:
Don’t give up if the first few lawyers you speak to aren’t persuaded to take your case. They might just be overworked, lack relevant knowledge for the specific kind of claim you’re pursuing or may refuse for personal reasons. Since most personal injury attorneys take very specific cases, you probably just need to look harder for the attorney who may profit from your case.