Can I Change My Car Accident Lawyer
Reasons to Switch Car Accident Lawyers
Here are some common signs that reveal when you should consider switching your car accident injury case to a different attorney:
- You don’t trust the attorney’s professional capabilities to handle your case. If you felt pressured to hire the attorney and later realize their incompetency to win your case or at the least negotiate for the high settlement you can receive, then it is time to consider looking for a new attorney. Before hiring any attorney to handle your case, it is important to always research for honest testimonials, reviews, and recommendations of that attorney and their firm.
- The attorney doesn’t communicate with you. A lack of reliable communication with a client is a sign of unprofessionalism on the end of the attorney, or any professional for that matter. While attorneys are extremely busy individuals, their number one priority should be servicing their client well. This means answering any questions you may have and communicating with you about the processes of your case. If the attorney cannot speak to you directly, the office assistants at the legal firm should be able to assist you. If you feel a cold shoulder and silent treatment coming from both the attorney and their team, it is time to look for a new firm to handle your case.
- The attorney fosters a poor relationship with you and others involved in your case. A legal professional should always treat their clients and team with dignity and respect. If you feel that the attorney handling your case is purposefully disrespectful of you, other clients, other attorneys, or staff, this could be reason enough to seek out another lawyer to handle your case. It is important to foster a good attorney-client relationship to ensure that the case continues as smooth and well as possible without any added tension to the case.
- You question the lawyer’s ethics or legal judgement. If an attorney demonstrates unethical behavior or poor legal judgement when filing the processes necessary to move your case forward, this is a good reason to search for a new lawyer to handle your case.
Steps to Take to Switch to a New Attorney
There are proper procedures to take when making the switch to have a new attorney handle your case in order to have this new switch be recognized in a court of law.
- Step 1 - Thoroughly read through the legal contract you have signed with your first attorney. You need to make sure that you understand what payments and other legal binds you have agreed to upon hiring this attorney and their filing of paperwork to the courts.
- Step 2 - Thoroughly research for, meet with, and hire a new car accident injury attorney that you believe can continue handling your case. You can research for new attorneys through legal search engines, such as FindLaw and read through the testimonies and reviews left for those attorneys. You should contact the attorney that you are interested in to set up a consultation (the best team of Los Angeles Car Accident attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers offers free consultations). If you are satisfied with their service and confident that they can successfully continue their case, you should then hire this new attorney.
- Step 3 - Write a formal letter to your first attorney that you will send to them as certified mail. In the letter, you explain the termination of their services for you, you request that your file be sent over to your new attorney, and you include the new attorney’s name, contact information, and mailing address.
- Step 4 - If your case is pending in court, you are legally required to notify the court of a withdrawal or substitution of attorney. This step can be done at the same time or immediately after you send the letter of termination to the first attorney. The first attorney may put in the request to withdraw after the receipt of your letter. The second attorney may file a substitution of attorney.
Available Damages
Your new attorney should ensure that you are compensated for all of the damages you are eligible for. The following are the available damages for injuries sustained in an accident:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are intended to compensate a plaintiff for monetary losses. They are calculated by determining the amount of out of pocket losses an aggrieved individual has or will expect to incur as a result of the injuries that were sustained in an accident.
A few examples of economic losses include:
- Loss of Earning Capacity
- Medical Bills
- Lost Wages
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are intended to cover losses that are thought of as subjective. Non-economic damages may include compensation for:
- Emotional Distress
- Pain and Suffering
- Loss of Enjoyment Of Life
Punitive Damages
The third type of damages a California court may award are known as punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended as punishment and are only awarded when a defendant’s behavior is especially harmful. Punitive damages are relatively rare and in fact are only incorporated in about 5% of all verdicts. Furthermore, there is no real set standard for calculating and awarding punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded at the court’s discretion and will vary depending on the specific circumstances of a case.
Need a New Car Accident Attorney? Contact the Best Team of Los Angeles Car Crash Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you have sustained injuries in the as a result of a car accident, our experienced team of car accident attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers can help you recover financial compensation for the losses you have suffered, including medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call us today at 888 341 9802 or email [email protected] to schedule a free consultation with our experienced, caring, and compassionate legal team.