The client should have a comfortable working relationship with the attorney. Your attorney should be working with you on every step of the proceeding to explain the importance of each step to you, walk you through the best way to handle each step, and keep you informed as to how each step plays a roll in getting to the point where your case can be settled to your satisfaction.
What Can Someone Do to Prepare for this Process?
Having an accident is enough. You shouldn’t have to do anything to prepare other than contacting an attorney and finding one you are satisfied with who can walk you through each step of the process. It’s not normally up to you to prepare; it should be something that your attorney does for you.
Of course, there is some information that can only come from you.
Your attorney should prepare you for your deposition, for settlement conferences or mediation, and for an arbitration or a trial. Of course, there are things that can only come from you, such as certain kinds of information, but the whole point of having an attorney is to shift the burden from you to your lawyer.
Is it a Good Idea to Maintain Regular Contact with Your Attorney?
Many attorneys are notoriously terrible about returning phone calls. Our office is fastidious about returning phone calls, because we know how important it is for our clients to know what’s going on and how important it is for us to have any information that our clients want to give us.
What Are Some Things I Should Avoid While Waiting for My Case to Resolve?
You should stay away from any situation that you are uncomfortable with. If you are unhappy with your attorney in the beginning, you’re not very likely to be happy with your attorney at the end. You should feel secure, knowing that your attorney knows what they are doing. You should feel that your attorney is preparing you for your participation in the proceeding, and you should be comfortable in feeling that your case is moving forward as quickly as it should.
How Can I Tell that My Lawyer Knows What They Are Doing?
If your attorney really knows what they are doing, it should be obvious. Your attorney should be very, very knowledgeable about cases such as yours. For example, if your accident was a motorcycle accident, your attorney should be very familiar with motorcycles and their operation and the mechanics of motorcycle accidents.
Your attorney should be very able to fully and satisfactorily answer any questions that you have and your attorney should give you the sense of confidence because you should feel strongly that your attorney has handled many, many similar cases and won’t have any problem in handling your case.
If your attorney has handled many similar cases, this experience will show.
What Are Some Red Flags or Things that I Could Avoid?
Within any time, something seems like it’s wrong you need to immediately dig down enough to know whether or not something really is wrong. Many attorneys represent themselves to be expert in motorcycle accidents, yet they don’t own a motorcycle, they have never ridden a motorcycle, and they handle your motorcycle accident as if it was a car accident. This lack of experience can be fatal to a good result.
If your attorney seems uncomfortable with what’s going on or is unable to explain why things are happening, it should be a matter of concern. If you have an attorney who doesn’t return your phone calls, that is a major red flag. These are signs you’re not getting the attention you are paying for and deserve. If your attorney overuses legal assistance and insulates themselves from you by overusing legal assistance, it means the person handling your case is probably the assistant, not your attorney. You should be able to call your attorney, not the assistant, if you have an issue you want to address to your lawyer.
For more information on Attorney Cooperation With Client, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you’re seeking by calling (800) 928-1511 today.
