When you hire a personal injury attorney, you must feel confident that you’ve made the right choice. But what happens if you start to have doubts? One of the benefits of our firm’s free initial consultation is the opportunity to learn more about an attorney’s experience and communication style, among other things, before committing. This initial understanding can significantly increase your satisfaction with the process and improve your chances of a successful outcome.
However, knowing how to switch attorneys can be just as crucial if you question your decision once your claim or case is underway.
Legal Process for Changing Attorneys
First, it is within your right to change attorneys if you become dissatisfied with how you are being represented – for any reason. In California, switching attorneys once a case is underway requires filing a formal substitution of counsel to the court. In addition to filing the required paperwork, there are a few other things to understand that could affect your case and settlement.
Considerations for Switching Attorneys
Here are a few items to remember if you are involved in a personal injury case and are considering changing attorneys.
- Avoid Gaps in Legal Representation
First, it is essential. Attorney before terminating the previous one to maintain representation. Some claims and cases move faster than others, and if yours is at a critical stage, you must secure a new legal professional working for you.
- Be Aware of the Possibility of Delays
The next matter to consider is whether changing from one personal injury attorney to another will delay your case. Bringing on a new attorney means they will need time to familiarize themselves with the facts and what has transpired in the legal process. This period of familiarization could delay the case’s forward progress.
- Understand the Financial Repercussions
Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay only if and when you receive a settlement. If your original attorney works on a contingency fee basis, your new attorney may need to share fees with them for whatever work they completed once the case is over and a settlement has been reached. If the original attorney was retained hourly, you may need to pay them for services rendered before switching.
Before You Switch Personal Injury Attorneys
Clients can become dissatisfied with their personal injury attorneys for various reasons, including communication breakdowns or misunderstandings about a legal process or strategy. If this is the case for you, be sure you’ve spoken to your attorney to see if the issue can be resolved before you decide to pursue switching attorneys. Often, clients are hesitant to ask questions, leading to feelings of frustration. Always err on the side of communication and ask your attorney questions as they arise. Sometimes, a simple clarification or more detail can remedy the situation.
The Importance of Free Consultations
It is common for personal injury attorneys to offer free consultations to potential clients. Doing so ensures that an attorney takes a case they feel has a strong chance of reaching a successful outcome for the client. It also allows the client to evaluate the attorney’s style, legal experience, and communication style. In other words, it is a chance for the client and the attorney to make sure they are a good fit for one another.
Skilled and Affordable Personal Injury Legal Help is Available
The team of skilled personal injury attorneys at Eason & Tambornini brings our clients over 100 years of combined legal experience. We hold the highest rating possible from Martindale Hubbell, a global peer review rating network recognized as the legal industry’s gold standard.
FREE Consultation and NO Upfront Legal Fees
Our personal injury attorneys offer a free, no-risk consultation to discuss the facts of your case. We accept cases contingently, meaning you pay nothing until we win a settlement. This ensures your peace of mind.
You can schedule a free consultation today by calling Eason & Tambornini at (916) 438-1819.
