Archive for category Firing your Lawyer
Matching lawyer experience and objectives with your personal injury case
Posted by denverheat in Denver personal injury lawyer, Firing your Lawyer, Hiring A Lawyer, colorado injury lawyer, colorado personal injury, denver injury attorney, denver injury lawyer, personal injury attorney on July 28th, 2010
Don't be afraid to negotiate with your lawyer!
For cases involving potentially crippling injuries you should hire a personal injury attorney to deal with insurance and the other party. Chances are the medical cost of your injuries alone will be much more than the attorney, and much more than you can afford. Along with expensive medical bills, personal injuries result in lost work and property damage. Recovering damages alone is possible, but you should at least consider a Colorado personal injury attorney‘s advice.
When searching for an attorney, you will want to first pick someone you trust, and that has experience in the kind of case you will be bringing. Most lawyers will refer you to an expert in the field you need. Try talking to several lawyers to compare prices and attitudes. Just like doctors, specialists in law get much of their business from referrals. They will usually talk to you for free, but will not give you legal advice until you pay them a retainer. Of course some lawyers will not take cases that have a low potential recovery amount, or if they do not think they have a good chance of winning.
Your friends or coworkers may not have been involved in a car accident or injury, but they can usually refer you to some Denver lawyer they trust. Recommendation are a good way to find out about lawyers beyond their internet marketing, but always meet with a lawyer and see if you see eye to eye before hiring. You should treat lawyer referrals the same way; just because one attorney tells you a guy is a expert Colorado personal injury lawyer, that doesn’t mean you can hire him blindly. They might even take that as a sign that you are irresponsible, and it takes you out of negotiations to lower the cost of services.
State and local bar associations all have referral services. They will list the names of lawyers and their legal specialty. The quality of referral services and their lawyers can vary however. So ask the bar association how lawyers are screened for qualification in the list.
Once you get to the consultation with the lawyer, bring all your relevant documents and discuss your case. Ask if they charge for this consultation, most do not for the first interview. Discuss the options on how the case can be handled and what experience they have with similar cases. Ask him what percent of his cases involve personal injury and what side of cases they worked for. If you are a plaintiff, you might not want to hire someone that works for defendants the most time. They probably have more of an insurance company mindset. Find out who the primary attorney on your case is and ask to meet him too. Many offices collaborate or have lower attorneys work on some cases.
Then you will want to know what the lawyer’s goals are for settlement, and what their history on insurance negotiation are. Make sure the Colorado attorney knows your goals also. Common goals are to obtain as much as possible, no matter the time or cost, or to get the settlement for as cheap and with as little hassle as possible, or try to get a higher settlement as quickly as possible.
Preparing for the big day: Going to Trial
Posted by bulldzr in Denver Attorney, Denver Attorney Finder, Firing your Attorney, Firing your Lawyer on June 18th, 2009
If your Colorado personal injury case must go to trial, it becomes very important to prepare properly and to have a good personal injury lawyer. For most clients, especially those who have never been to court before, the weeks leading up to the trial date can be scary. During this time, your attorney will be making final preparations for the trial. This includes things such as sending subpoenas
Colorado Personal Injury Attorney
to witnesses, preparing exhibits, preparing trial notes such as opening statements and closing arguments and questions to ask the witnesses.
In addition, your attorney will probably want to begin preparing you for your testimony. Some of the things that your attorney might have you do, is to read your deposition transcript and also perhaps the deposition transcripts of the defendant and other witnesses. He or she might also practice your testimony with you. As part of that practice, he or she may ask you difficult questions that other attorneys might ask you during cross examination so that you will be more prepared.
Another important issue, which is often overlooked, is what to wear to trial. Do not dress too formally or flashy- but do not dress too casually either. Try to find a happy medium between the tuxedo and the tuxedo t-shirt. Do not alienate the jury be looking too flashy. On the other hand, nobody likes a slob.
Personal Injury cases are just like any other, and require great preparation by both the lawyer and the client. Personal injury lawyers know the system, and they know how best to prepare for trial in order to win and receive compensation for your injury. Research personal injury law in Colorado and attorneys who will best serve your needs. Check out the web for more information on personal injury attorneys in Denver and the surrounding areas. If you are looking for a lawyer, make your search fast and easy with Colorado attorney finder.
(source: So you’ve been in an accident, now what? by Cuppett)
Firing Your Attorney
Posted by hawkeye11 in Firing your Attorney, Firing your Lawyer on April 14th, 2009
Sometimes you find that even after you hire what you believe to be “the right attorney”, you and your counsel cannot see eye-to-eye. If this happens nine times out of ten, your case will suffer. It is best that you gather all your might and fire the attorney and right off any expenses you have incurred to move on to a fresh start. When you hire an attorney to work on legal matters you have the right to professionalism and a commitment on the part of the attorney. Every state has laws on rights of consumers and what a lawyer must do. So, if you are unsure check with the Bar Association or search the web to find out exactly what your rights are. Never be afraid to fire your attorney as you always have a right to: set deadlines, receive copies of all documents, ask for an itemized billing, and get second-opinions when you are unsure. When conflict does occur, the first thing to remember is communication. Sulking or speaking behind the back of your lawyer will not help. Be courageous and speak your mind. Many times just laying your feelings on the table can clear matters. If at the end of the meeting the problem remains unresolved you and your lawyer may mutually decide to part ways. If its time for your lawyer to go or you are looking to hire an attorney, here are a few tips you should always follow:
1) Follow the signed agreement made between you and your lawyer at all cost. It’s a good idea to include a disagreement clause in your contract from the beginning, which will clearly state any financial liability should an impasse occur.
2) Always keep copies of all documents related to the case and create notes as to why you believe that some things are or are not between you and your attorney.
3) Write out, clearly, why you need to fire your counsel if the situation does arise. Also, request that your attorney hand over your file, give you a detailed bill of expenses, and return any retainer he may have in excess of the bill. Unfortunately if you owe the lawyer any money then he /she has the right to hold on to your file until you settle the dues.
4) Always find a replacement for your attorney before firing this one and make sure that you will not be delaying the legal process by firing your lawyer in the middle of a series of hearings.
5) Remember you do not have to fire your attorney verbally. It is actually best if you handle this matter in writing. Again, remember to state clearly the reasons for firing your lawyer and outlining the payments made as well as terms and conditions determined when hiring the lawyer. And above all else, make sure your lawyer receives your letter, even if that means hand delivery or certified mail.
While most of the time the matter of firing an attorney does not have to be an intense ordeal. But, in the case that any difficulties should arise approach the courts or ask another lawyer to send him/her a legal notice. In many states you can submit a complaint about lawyers. Check out the guidelines by the Bar Association of the state you reside in. The law states that lawyers need to follow a code of conduct and must be professional in every way. Always live by the motto, “I did the hiring, therefore I can do the firing”.
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