The Plain Truth About the Practice of Personal Injury Law

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Everyone Claims to be a Personal Injury Attorney!

Visit our website at:  http://www.rickgrossman.com/ for more information on your potential injury case.

The longer that I have been in practice as a 
Chicago personal injury attorney the more it appears that every lawyer thinks that he or she knows how to properly handle a personal injury case.  Attorneys that concentrate their efforts in other areas of the law take on these matters, ranging from a simple motor vehicle crash to a complex medical malpractice case.  For some reason they think that if they file a lawsuit the insurance company representing the defendant will visit their office with a blank check. What they fail to understand is that insurance companies keep a "scouting report" on attorneys that handle these cases.  When insurers' learn that the attorney representing the plaintiff in a particular matter is well known and formidable, there is a greater likelihood that the case will be settled at an early date. At the same time when the attorney is a "rookie" or unknown the case will be delayed and likely proceed to trial.

These inexperienced attorneys fail to propound interrogatories to secure witness statements nor do they request the production of documents. Medical records are not ordered because they seem too expensive and depositions are not taken.  In short they do not know how to win the case.

As the case nears the trial stage these attorneys usually panic and attempt to get their client to accept a token settlement amount far below the true value of the case.  In other instances they run to the office of a professional personal injury trial attorney and plead for them to take over the case.  The problem is that the first attorney did so much damage to the case that the second attorneys "hands are tied". Treating physicians evidence depositions have not been taken.  Necessary expert witnesses have not been hired. Attempting to avoid malpractice becomes the order of the day. In many instances the trial attorney is forced to voluntarily dismiss the case.  They must then re-file the same at great expense effectively starting over.  Years go by and the client is left without compensation.

When retaining an attorney to represent you in a personal injury matter do not be afraid to ask him or her their experience handling such matters.  Check their responses and ask for the names of other clients that they have successfully represented in similar matters. Visit the web page or visit the clerk of the courts office to research how many personal injury lawsuits they have filed.

It is much easier to perform your "due diligence" before the start of the case than it is after fatal mistakes are made.
Visit our website at:  http://www.rickgrossman.com/ for more information on your potential injury case.

Rick Grossman

No comments:

Post a Comment