Legal Issues? These Tips Could Help You
There are as many reasons to hire lawyers as there are legal situations. If you're choosing a lawyer for this first time, you may be a little overwhelmed. How can one keep it all under control? Use the tips below to help you understand what you can expect when dealing with lawyers.
Do not hire a lawyer without doing some background research. Look their name up on the Internet and talk to friends or relatives who might know the lawyer you are interested in. It is always in your best interest to choose a lawyer with an excellent reputation and good ethics.
Do not hire a lawyer that is searching for you. This is likely to be some sort of scam, particularly if you are dealing with an expensive issue. Take the initiative to reach out to prospective lawyers and exercise your right to control the situation.
Whenever you're dealing with real estate legal issues, hire a lawyer who only does real estate. This will ensure you get the best person to handle your case.
It is important to discuss fees with your lawyer up front, before signing any contracts with them. Find out the fee structure that they use to make sure that you can afford their services. If it is out of your price range, then you can look around for a more affordable lawyer.
It is hugely important that you know exactly what your lawyer plans to do for you. They should lay it out in writing, preferably, before you sign on the dotted line. If they get you to sign a legal document they have drafted without explaining it, run the other way.
When looking for a good lawyer, it can be very helpful to ask friends and family for their recommendations. It seems as though there is a law firm around every corner, so referrals can steer you towards a great lawyer. Even if they do not specialize in your type of case, they can recommend someone like a colleague to you.
If you're trying to get a lawyer, be sure that they're a specialist in the case type you're dealing with. Lawyers are good at everything from real estate law to things like criminal law. Making this distinction early can save you a lot of time and effort later on down the road.
Talk to your attorney about jobs you can complete on your own. Maybe you could be of assistance in getting the paperwork ready for your court date. Also, inquire as to whether you can run certain errands for your case so that you aren't billed when someone else has to do them.
Do not underestimate the importance of your lawyer's personality. An aggressive lawyer can be an advantage but an experienced and confident lawyer could help you win your case too. You should meet with different lawyer and find one who has the kind of personality and philosophy you need for your case.
If a lawyer is nothing but confident that he or she will win the case, find a new lawyer. A good lawyer should know that nothing is simple, and there is no guarantee of success. This is something that must be looked out for when you're going to hire your lawyer.
Talk to friends and family. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a lawyer. You get first hand information from someone who has been through the legal process with your potential attorney. Even if your friends or family have had a bad experience, that information is valuable so you don't make the same mistake.
You will never find a lawyer who is selling you positive results. If you do, they're lying. You need to look for a lawyer who doesn't stay in the office day and night as this is truly a guarantee that they know what they're doing and will do a great job.
Do not select the first lawyer you see in the yellow pages or directory search. Find a lawyer that fits your needs and is right for your claim. Avoid ambulance chasers. They do not have your best interests in mind and are not concerned with winning the case for your needs.
Don't let money be the motivator when you hire a lawyer. Think about it this way: if your case does not work out, will it matter how much the lawyer cost? You need a lawyer that can help you prevail, and one who can do that better than anyone else. Money should be a consideration, but not the only one.
Ask your lawyer for more details regarding their fees. If your lawyer is only quoting a total fee and not giving you any details, they might be overcharging you. Ask your lawyer for a detailed bill including hourly rates and communicate with your lawyer regularly to keep track of how much time they are spending on website your case.
Make sure that you know how you can fire your lawyer in the beginning, not when it may be necessary. If you have to fire your lawyer, make sure you understand if they will still have to be paid out of any settlement you may receive. You do not want to pay someone after the fact for not doing any work for you.
Just because they have commercials on TV doesn't mean a lawyer is any good. Advertising is certainly flashy, but it may conceal the fact that the person running the ad isn't a very good lawyer. There are better ways to find a good lawyer.
Look every prospective lawyer you meet up online through your state's web site. There are good lawyers and bad lawyers out there, and if you want to be sure that you are going to get what you are paying for you should certainly take the time to research them. If they have complaints filed about them, you should easily be able to find that information online.
The legal system is pretty scary, that's why lawyers are there to help us figure it all out. Winning a case or your freedom is much easier to accomplish when you've got the right lawyer working for you. Use the above advice for your legal matters and the results will be much more favorable.
Auto insurers play hardball in minor-crash claims
Profitable strategy
The cases, CNN found, illustrate a carefully developed strategy to make the victims look like they are trying to defraud the insurers.
But documents CNN obtained indicate profit, not fraud, is the reason companies decided to play hardball in small accidents.
For Allstate and State Farm, according to documents obtained by CNN, the strategy was developed in the mid-1990s with the assistance of consulting giant McKinsey & Co.
Looking for a way to boost profits, McKinsey focused on soft-tissue injuries incurred in minor crashes.
While the McKinsey documents -- numbered in the thousands -- are under seal in courts around the country, CNN saw several of them during a court hearing in Lexington, Kentucky.
Playing off Allstate's signature slogan, one document recommends the insurer put boxing gloves on its "good hands" for those who insist on going to court.
The strategy, according to former Allstate and State Farm employee Jim Mathis, relies on the three D's -- denying a claim, delaying settlement of the claim and defending against the claim in court.
"The profits are good, and as long as the community, the public allows this to occur, the insurance companies will get richer and people ... will not get a fair and reasonable settlement," Mathis said.
Both Allstate and State Farm declined requests for interviews.
In an e-mail, Allstate wrote it did not believe it would "have any real opportunity of being successful in getting you (CNN) to do a balanced report."
State Farm wrote: "We take customer service seriously and seek to pay what we owe, promptly, courteously and efficiently, and we handle each claim on its own merits."
The company also said, "Any attempt to generalize that State Farm adopted consultant recommendations as other insurers is just plain wrong."
A company spokesman sent an additional e-mail, saying that the company did work with McKinsey to improve claims handling but State Farm stopped using the McKinsey program in 1999.
Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, told CNN insurers do not have a strategy of blanket denial of claims. He also said strategies to limit expenditures on minor-impact crashes are needed to fight fraud.
Hartwig specifically singled out lawyers who he claims make a living on car accident victims, saying those lawyers are upset because "the gravy train is over."