Why Haven't I heard from my personal injury attorney?
When you've been injured in Georgia due to someone's negligence, it can create many hardships in your life, and getting fairly compensated for this is your right. However, getting a financial settlement is not going to happen overnight.
Although personal injury lawsuits do not generally require a trial, the process of getting an amount of compensation that is fair to you can be a drawn-out process.
Read more about how long personal injury cases take.
The at-fault party's insurance company is going to fight you every step of the way, and your attorney will need to do their due diligence to help you take on your insurance company and ensure a successful outcome.
Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.
Remember, your attorney's job is not to get you the fastest settlement. It is to get the fairest settlement. And this can take a lot of time and work.
Every case is unique, but the Georgia legal process that your personal injury attorney must go through is usually the same. Let's take an in-depth look at this process to better understand what is going on with your case.
What Type of Communication Should You Expect from your Attorney?
Your attorney will often have to request records from other third parties, which can slow down the process and put your case on hold.
When this occurs, your attorney will most likely not have anything new to report on your case and thus may wait to contact you until they have news.
Although there may be situations when you do not hear anything from your attorney over an extended period of time, your law firm should maintain an open line of communication with you.
If you are worried about your case's status, use one of the open lines of communication available to you so that you can speak with your attorney.
Attorneys are bound by a code of legal ethics that they are expected to follow regardless of the client or case. A part of this code of ethics involves active communication with clients in regards to their case.
The communication channels that you can use to contact your attorney include:
Calling the Law Firm and asking to speak with your attorney or case manager.
Writing a letter requesting contact.
Schedule an appointment
Send an email to your attorney and case manager
What is my Lawyer Doing?
During a Georgia injury lawsuit, there are many different stages and challenges that must be completed before you can receive compensation for your injuries, beginning with evidence gathering.
After the accident, your attorney must gather and review as much evidence and information as possible so that they can draft a demand letter and file a lawsuit.
Types of evidence and information your attorney will collect:
Police Report
Insurance policy information from you and the other parties involved
Pictures or videos of the incident
Medical Records
Witness Statements
Expert Opinions/testimony
Although gathering evidence can take a lot of time, it is vital to provide your lawyer with the resources to prove fault and ensure you receive a fair settlement offer.
What if my Attorney Won't Return My Messages?
If you have not heard from your attorney in an extended period of time, even after attempting to contact them yourself, you may be in a situation where you should look for a new attorney.
Any reputable law firm values its clients and is willing to maintain an open line of communication with them.
Although there may be times that you do not hear from them for an extended period, if they do not respond to messages or a written request for a meeting, that is a red flag.
Remember, you have no legal obligation to maintain your current legal representation. It is your decision who represents you and fights for your compensation.
Every Personal Injury Case in Georgia is unique and comes with its own challenges. A good personal injury attorneyunderstands the complexities of the legal process and does their due diligence to ensure they get adequate financial compensation for their client.
However, the legal process takes time, and courts are usually very backed up. So if it's been a few weeks or even months since you have heard from your attorney, don't panic.
Most likely, your attorney is simply waiting for notification or paperwork from one of the parties involved and will contact you once they have an update.
Your attorney wants to resolve your case as quickly as possible but not at the risk of jeopardizing a fair settlement.
Check out a related post: 6 Ways to Spot Fraudulent Personal Injury Claims
-back to top
Contact The Brown Firm Today
If you still feel uneasy about your case's status, feel free to reach out to a personal injury attorney and ask if they can further explain the process and update you on your case.
The best way to make sure you are at ease throughout your injury case is by hiring an attorney whom you are comfortable with that will answer your questions.
If you have been injured and would like to speak with a Georgia personal injury attorney in your area that will give you a quick response and return your calls, contact The Brown Firm and schedule a Free Case Evaluation today.