Why a Personal Injury Lawyer Will Not Take Your Case
If you’ve been in an accident and have decided to hire a personal injury lawyer, you will probably feel some relief knowing help is just around the corner. But what if your attorney is less enthusiastic to jump head-first into your case? What if your personal injury lawyer will not take your case at all? You may feel confused and even a little upset. There are many factors for an attorney when it comes to accepting a case that are important to understand. Here’s a few reasons why you may find yourself in this situation.
- Financial Issues
Your lawyer is there to help you, but their work is also their livelihood. One reason an attorney may not take your case is if there are financial issues that would prevent them from getting paid. Typically, a defense attorney gets paid hourly and whether or not they win the case.
But a personal injury lawyers takes on cases based on contingency fees. That means they only make money if they win the case. When they decide which cases to take, they decide which ones are worth their time and have the best prospect of winning – for your sake and theirs! - Minor or Extreme Injuries
If you’re not seriously hurt in an accident, there won’t be much money won in your case, perhaps there may be nothing to win! This again leaves a personal injury lawyer very little motivation to take on your case.
Another reason an attorney may shy away from a case is if you have extreme injuries. Not just extreme injuries, but extreme hospital bills too. If there is an insurance issue and those hospital bills aren’t covered, when your case is won the hospital is paid first. This may leave the attorney with less of a paycheck than would make the case worthwhile for them. - Fault
If it is obvious that you were at fault, whether completely or partially, an attorney may not want to take your case. If you have been involved in many similar situations, your lawyer may not feel comfortable representing you because you may not seem credible.
In the end, it comes down to whether or not an attorney has a good shot at winning your case by proving you were innocent and collecting the money to pay your damages. If you’re guilty, your lawyer won’t collect their paycheck and neither will you. - Other Factors
If you were involved in a car accident, a personal injury is probably the best person to handle your case. But if there are other issues to be dealt with, like worker’s comp., medical malpractice, etc., you may need to look for someone with experience in those areas. If your attorney doesn’t feel like they don’t have the expertise necessary to give you the best shot at winning, they may not take your case.
Before you get discouraged, make sure you talk to a few different attorneys to find the right one for you. Cockayne Laws specializes in many different types of accident cases. Make sure to get a free consultation with Cockayne Law before giving up your case!
