When you decide to hire an attorney to represent you during an injury claim, there are certain obligations he or she has to you and your legal case.
Below, we discuss what these legal and ethical obligations are and how they may benefit your claim for compensation.
If you were injured by someone else’s negligent actions and need help pursuing compensation for your damages, call our South Bend personal injury attorneys today. The confidential consultation is free and there are no upfront fees.
To Act in Your Best Interests
As your legal representative, your attorney has a duty to act in your best interests. This means he or she must provide sound legal advice to pursue the best possible outcome of your case. Depending on certain factors, this could mean different things.
For one, your attorney must not pursue a legal route that would not benefit the outcome of your case.
For example, settling a case with questionable liability may be a better option than taking the case to court where a jury may not reach a favorable verdict and the injury victim may not receive compensation. On the other hand, an attorney acting in your best interest would be willing to file a lawsuit when the facts of the claim support taking this step.
Acting in the best interest of the client also means an attorney should not coerce or manipulate a client into making a certain decision, especially if it would benefit the lawyer and not the accident victim. This could mean forcing a client to accept a settlement offer that would not meet his or her needs.
When you work with an attorney at Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak, your interests are our priority because we do not get paid unless we successfully recover compensation on your behalf.
To Competently and Capably Represent You During the Claim
Having a licensed attorney help you through the legal process of an injury claim is important, but as the client, you have the right to expect your attorney to be more than just licensed to practice. He or she should have the capability and competence to handle your case.
For example, you would want to work with an attorney who has prior experience handling a personal injury claim. If he or she does not, then you would at least want him or her working with an attorney who does.
It is also important that your legal representative be capable of taking on your case. Sometimes law firms take on more clients than their lawyers can handle and that is when mistakes are more likely to occur.
Our attorneys have decades of experience handling injury claims and are prepared to take on your claim once we validate it during a free consultation.
To Behave Ethically
Your attorney has a legal obligation to behave ethically and make ethical decisions about your case. This is more than just an obligation to you as a client, as violating ethics rules could result in serious consequences for an attorney.
This means your attorney must:
- Be honest when filing documents on your behalf
- Make decisions in adherence to state/federal laws
- Keep communications with you confidential
Your attorney should also be honest and upfront with you about your case. Not only to meet ethical standards, but to establish trust.
To Keep You Sufficiently Informed About Your Case
Attorneys also have an obligation to keep clients informed throughout the legal process of any case.
Injury claims tend to take months or years to resolve, so not knowing what is happening could result in unnecessary stress for accident victims. A good attorney should take the time to keep you informed.
Call to Set Up a Free Consultation With a Licensed Attorney
If you need help with your claim after an accident, call Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak today to learn more about your legal options. The consultation is free and there are no upfront fees.
We are prepared to handle every aspect of your claim and aggressively pursue full compensation.
Call (574) 444-0741 to schedule a free consultation.
