Our firm is seeing an alarming trend. Serious Injury and accident victims are hiring “Big Box” law firms to handle their cases, and the firm basically signs them up and never once offers speaking with a lawyer prior to signing a contract. The firm checks to see if there is any money in the case before they “waste” a lawyer’s time. This is not the way the personal injury business should work.
Bigger Is Not Always Better
There are “franchise” law firms that are attempting to sell potential clients on the idea that “bigger is better.” In doing so, they are persuading some clients to hire them simply because they claim to be the biggest firm around. Some people are hiring those firms without knowing anything about that firm and without any thought of ever speaking to a lawyer for advice. I assume that their thinking is that they are so big that they must be the best, and I am lucky that they accepted my case.
The issue is that your legal rights demand a discussion. Certainly, there is no problem with hiring a firm you perceive to be the “best,” so long as their representations are accurate. The problem is that many of these injury and accident victims hire these firms, and they never speak with a lawyer. They spend weeks as clients, and then some get turned down or their cases are rejected by the firm for various reasons (mostly because the firm finds out there is limited insurance and no money for them). Unfortunately, no lawyer calls to explain this to them, and then they end up calling around to other firms to try and have some lawyer explain to them why their previous big firm fired them as a client.
Your Personal Injury Case Should Be Handled By Your Lawyer
If the firm that you are hiring doesn’t have the time for a lawyer to talk to you, then perhaps they are too big. Perhaps, when you hire a lawyer to handle your serious injury or wrongful death case, you should expect to talk with a lawyer BEFORE you sign the contract. Certainly, when you have signed and become their client, you should expect to be discussing your case with a lawyer. There is certainly a time and place for an intake specialist to handle your initial call, but once the firm determines that they want to have you HIRE them, you should expect a lawyer to be on the other end of the table or phone.
If you find yourself in a situation where you fell for “bigger must be better” and signed up with a franchise firm and you haven’t spoken to a lawyer, call another law firm immediately. There is nothing that prohibits a client of one firm from calling another lawyer for advice. It is reasonable to expect that a lawyer will meet with you PRIOR to signing their fee agreement. If you find that a firm is pressuring you to sign a fee contract without a meeting with a lawyer, perhaps you need to think twice about who you are hiring.
Personal Injury Law Is A Personal Service
At Zarzaur Law, no client is signed up or asked to sign a contract until a lawyer has met with the potential client. This is what should happen, and this is, frankly, what the Florida Bar expects of its lawyers.
Joe Zarzaur is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney whose firm is dedicated to promoting community safety since 2007. ZARZAUR LAW’S AREAS OF PRACTICE: Serious Personal Injury, Product Defect, Auto Accidents, Cycling Accidents, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Products Liability, Wrongful Death, Community Safety, Boat and Jet Ski Accidents, Slip and Fall Injuries, and more. Licensed in Alabama and Florida.
It is also important to consult with a Board Certified Trial lawyer who has the knowledge and experience to help you. We know accidents can be stressful and want to make the process as easy as possible for you. Call Zarzaur Law, P.A. today at (855) Hire-Joe for a free legal consultation or visit www.zarzaurlaw.com.
If you’ve been the victim of an auto accident, it’s important that you don’t make any rash decisions. Put yourself in the best possible position to receive the justice you deserve. It is also important to consult with a Board Certified Trial lawyer who has the knowledge and experience to help you. We know accidents can be stressful and want to make the process as easy as possible for you. Call Zarzaur Law, P.A. today at (855) Hire-Joe, or by requesting a free case review through our website.