My Athens GA Car Accident Lawyer Will not Return Phone Calls!

What Can I Do if My Car Accident Lawyer is Not Calling Me Back?

Unfortunately, last week over 10 people with car accident injury cases in Georgia called us to say, “I haven’t heard from my lawyer, and I have no idea what is going on with my case.” In our experience, this happens all too often in Athens, Georgia, and in this article, we will explain three important things: why this happens, how to have better communication with your lawyer, and what to do when you finally decide to fire your lawyer.

Why Isn’t My Accident Lawyer Returning My Calls?

Simply put, most Clarke County Georgia car accident lawyers base their business models on high volume and low quality, including TV lawyers. Advertising helps these firms recruit a high number of clients, and some firms even approach victims of car accidents with promises that they cannot really fulfill. Keep in mind: recruiting victims’ business is illegal.

Unsurprisingly, firms that operate this way are usually incompetent, and most of their daily operations are carried out by office staff, not actual lawyers. If you have been assigned a “case manager”, for example, this is a good sign that you are not receiving high-quality legal service.

So if they are so ineffective, how do TV firms make money? While you may see a commercial boasting $100,000 injury awards, the reality is that most of these firms count on high-volume, low-award cases in the $3-5,000 range. After taking on a case, they generally fire off stock letters to insurance companies, tell clients to go to a chiropractor, and “advise” their clients to take whatever is offered. Only rarely do they actually file a lawsuit, and many firms end up cutting the chiropractor’s bill to create a convenient, three-way split. Who loses out on this business model? The client.

What Can I Do to Have My Calls Returned?

OK, so let’s say that you still want to move forward with the lawyer who is not calling you back, for whatever reason. What can you do to improve communication?

1. Insist (politely) on having a face-to-face meeting. Generally, you will receive more attention once you meet personally with your lawyer.
2. Act quickly. The majority of TV law firms send demand letters to insurance companies without actually presenting their demands to their clients. The demand letter is very important since it includes all of the client’s medical and accident records. Insurance companies make their offers to victims based on this information, but after a demand has been sent and an offer received, the client no longer has any leverage. This all works out for the lawyer, whose percentage of the deal is guaranteed, and it is almost impossible to find a new lawyer to take on a case after an offer has been made. So remember: if you have any doubts about where you stand, act early.
3. Let’s say that your efforts to improve the situation have failed. At this point, you should warn your lawyer that you will be contacting the Georgia State Bar. Once you call the Bar, inquire about the Georgia Bar Consumer Assistance Program, which will have you send a certified letter to your lawyer’s firm. If you do not receive an acceptable response, the Bar will become involved.

How Do I Fire My Georgia Car Accident Lawyer?

We have already covered this information in a previous post—click above to browse through your options. Our Athens Car Accident attorneys are here to help.