Lawyers’ Have 99 Problems, Don’t be one.

Do you want to win your case? Do you want your lawyer to do the best job possible? Do you want your legal issue resolved timely? Most clients would answer yes, yes and yes!!! Lawyers face many uphill battles, especially, those lawyers who represent victims of injury and accident cases. As a client, you can help your lawyer. Yes, you, the client, are vital to the outcome of your case. This is not a complaint; lawyers are paid to handle problems, the majority are paid well. However, as a client, you should help your lawyer help you get the results your cases warrants.

Here are a few ways to assist your lawyer:

1. Tell the truth.  Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God. You want an honest lawyer, well lawyers want honest clients.  The worst thing you as a client can do is lie to your attorney, tell a half truth or conceal information. Lying or concealing information from your attorney only hurts your case and puts your lawyer at a disadvantage. If you are upfront with your attorney at the onset of your case, then your attorney can develop a strategic on how to minimize the damage of those dark secrets you fear might taint your case or cause damage to your life.  Honesty gives your lawyer an edge to combat the problem and your honesty, if provided timely, could even allow your lawyer the opportunity to make it a non-issue.
2. Listen to your attorney.  You choose the attorney; the attorney did not choose you.  Listen to their advice.  If you go to the doctor and the doctor prescribes you medication and instructs you to take the medicine 3 times a day for the next three weeks, you do it.  Why? Because you want to get well.  You do not enjoy being sick.  A legal issue is no different.  Listen to your attorney.  Often a client’s failure to adhere to their lawyer’s advice creates more problems, causes delays in the case, and frustrates the attorney’s best efforts to obtain the best possible result.
3. Set realistic expectations. If you have been harmed by the negligent acts of another, you have every right to seek legal action. As a lawyer, I want to help all my clients win. In the law, winning is defined differently in each case and expectations should be based upon the facts surrounding the incident, the injuries and losses suffered, the jurisdiction of the case and the law that applies. During consultations, clients like to mention to me the infamous McDonald’s coffee lawsuit and the multi-million dollar verdict. However, most people are not aware of the facts surrounding the severity of the injuries suffered; the smoking gun evidence discovered against McDonald’s; and, the reduction in the verdict by the judge that resulted in less than $800,000. See case. http://injury.findlaw.com/product-liability/the-mcdonald-s-coffee-cup-case-separating-mcfacts-from-mcfiction.html for more details.

These three easy tips will help you, help your lawyer, “win” your case.

Disclaimer: The information and materials provided here are for general informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. Nothing on this blog is intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney.  If you need legal advice, please consult with a competent attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.