6 Things You Can Do To Help Win Your Personal Injury Lawsuit - Part 1: Talk to Your Attorney

     Recently I was contacted by a client who asked if there was anything he could do, or anything he should do, to increase the odds of getting a favorable outcome from his personal injury lawsuit. That got me thinking about some common advice that we often give to our clients when contacted about personal injury claims. Besides the obvious (find a good attorney), there are 6 things you can do to help shorten the time it takes to resolve your case, increase the value of your case, and increase the odds of a favorable outcome. This post will focus on the first: Talk to your attorney.

     This may seem obvious, but the first piece of advice is to talk to your attorney. All too often clients hire an attorney and then wait for their attorney to contact them, forget to keep their attorney apprised of updates in their case, or are afraid to ask their attorney questions. This can cause a litany of problems with your case.

     Remember your attorney works for you. His/her job is to protect your rights and fight for you, and it is important to remember that your attorney is on your side. Your attorney has an extensive education, training and experience to draw from to give you advice on your case and answer your questions. This is an invaluable resource, and one that you are entitled to once you have hired an attorney. Ask as many questions as you can about your case, what you should and should not be doing and whether there are any issues with your case. Let your attorney know if there any changes or updates in your condition or any issues relating to your case; for example, if your medical condition changes, you visit a new doctor, you are discharged from medical care, etc. Remember your attorney only knows what you tell him or her; if you don't keep your attorney up to date, he/she can't give you the legal representation you deserve.

     Just as often there are attorneys who neglect to keep in touch with their clients after they are hired and fail to keep lines of communication open. It is recommended that clients make regular calls to your attorney, even if your attorney doesn't make regular calls to you. Again, your attorney works for you. Your lawyer might have dozens, or even hundreds of other cases besides yours, but your case is your only case, and it deserves to be treated as such.

   

If you have further questions or concerns about your case, or a potential case, please call a licensed attorney, or contact Eckert & Smestad, LLC: www.eckertsmestad.com.

*This is attorney advertising. No attorney-client agreement or related privileges are created without further written agreement by all parties. The above is meant only as general advice. Consult a licensed attorney for advice on your specific case.