Yes, astute consumer, and many lawyers who barely handle any personal injury cases at all will have an uninformed client choose them to handle an auto accident case. The lawyer may accept a case outside his area of expertise because there is a large potential fee for the lawyer. There are a number of lawyers who call me regularly to ask me how to handle certain aspects of a claim they should not even be handling. I have suggested that they simply refer the case to my office. I routinely pay a referral fee to a referring attorney as is permitted under our rules of professional conduct and if justified.

One mistake by an inexperienced lawyer can destroy the case, diminish its value or prevent medical bills from being paid. It can be a real “mine field” for an inexperienced attorneys. Occasionally, I will get a case transferred by the client to my office because of client dissatisfaction with the handling of their case by some other lawyer. Often the lawyer doesn't return phone calls, doesn't keep the client “in the loop” or simply doesn't know what he or she is doing! I once had a case brought to me by a client whose lawyer had accidentally tried to file a personal injury case in the Recorder of Deeds office of my county, rather than the Prothonotary. Thankfully, the statute of limitations had not passed and I was able to correct this problem which would have caused the client to lose the case and then, justifiably, sue her lawyer for malpractice for allowing the statute of limitations to pass.

For more information on Personal Injury visit the Worthington Law Group website.