Second Opinions – You Have More Power than you Think
Personal Injury law firms are notorious for working hard to get your case, but in some cases, once you have signed up, the love shown to you earlier disappears.
Why, may you ask? It’s because law is a business and some businesses do things differently. If you spend a certain amount of money on marketing, you can generate new client leads representing very profitable cases. But what is important to remember is that marketing is not the same as having the skill sets needed to fight for your rights. You can judge a lawyer or law firm sometime by how they treat you 6 months after you are signed up
People forget that they are the customers and that they have rights and power in this arrangement. Sadly, many legal relationships make the client feel that they are bound to the lawyer… if they leave, their case will suffer they are told. This is often simply not true. Cases that have languished for years are often settled after a client changes lawyers and fresh eyes shake things up.
Whatever your situation is regarding your case, you are entitled to a second opinion to see if everything is as it seems. The most common complaint about lawyers is bad communication and not returning phone calls. If you feel like your case is languishing, if you feel like you are being ignored, or if you feel your case is not going well, trust your instincts…. Exercise your power as a customer to push back and demand answers or get a second opinion.
At Millars Law, we have seen files that have not moved for years while the client wonders what is going on and hopes someone will call them. As a firm, we believe our clients support our clients getting a second opinion. We do not own clients, we do not make them feel guilty for being an informed client, we support them to make sure we are on top of our game (we also do not lose many clients and often get attacked by other lawyers when their clients come here, Phillip’s response is maybe you should have called them or answered their questions before you get all dramatic).
If you are worried about your case, the first thing to do is ask for a meeting with your lawyer and be frank and honest about your concerns. If they do not take your concerns seriously, you can seek a second opinion. That is your right, and this is your life, so do not be shy and demand that you are treated like a valued customer.
At Millars Lawyers, we pride ourselves on radical transparency and putting the client before our own comfort. If you or someone you know needs to speak to a lawyer, please feel free to reach out to us to book a consultation.
