Most of the attorneys I know are great, but truth be told, some are just awful. The worst ones usually are the attorneys who put their own bottom line above a potential client and try to take on a case in an area of law they either just dabble in or know nothing about. They usually do it because they think they are smart, wrongly believe the case will be easy and most of all want to make money. We see this the most with attorneys who pretend they are Chicago personal injury lawyers.
Usually what happens is an attorney handles basic stuff like traffic tickets. They help out a client who then says, “My cousin was hurt in a car accident as a passenger. Can you help him?” What the lawyer should do is say, “I don’t handle those cases” or “I don’t handle those cases, but know someone who does and can refer you.” Instead in their mind they think, “I’m not making a ton of money and since they were the passenger, how hard can it be?”
The truth is that it’s a lot harder than they think. First off, it takes skill and experience to identify all the proper insurance available, especially when a commercial vehicle is involved. Second, there’s the matter of making sure the client is treating with a proper doctor and getting the care they need. Third is having the experience needed to investigate an accident scene and/or document an accident properly. Most of all though, the first thing an insurance company does when they get a new case is look up the lawyer. If they realize the attorney is inexperienced, they will play hard ball and if they make an offer it will usually be a low ball one.
On the other hand, if your attorney has a track record of success and experience in dealing with that insurance company as well as a history of taking cases to trial when needed, the insurance company is more likely to be fair.
The other issue we see is that some lawyers who take these cases really need money. You might think that most attorneys are rich, but the truth is that many are struggling. A recent caller to my office needed a surgery from a car accident and her lawyer was trying to get her to settle the case for a low dollar amount. He wanted money now and didn’t care that the case would be worth more to him and the client by waiting. He didn’t care that it was best for the client to do nothing now. Fortunately she sought a second opinion.
So when you get an attorney who dabbles in personal injury, the client gets screwed. These lawyers are frauds. Do not hire the first lawyer you can hire. Get the best one you can hire. You wouldn’t have a doctor who delivers babies operate on your back. You don’t want a general practice lawyer for a serious injury case. Any attorney who takes this case without a track record of success is looking out for themselves, not you.
If you need help finding the right personal injury attorney or just have questions, call us any time at 312-346-5320 to speak with one of our lawyers for free. We cover all of Illinois and tell it like it is. We don’t promise a result, but do guarantee we will look out for what is best for you and you alone.