After car accidents, Griffin residents often suffer a lot. The physical pain and financial losses are usually unbearable. Therefore, many people rely on professionals to deal with their struggles. For instance, they trust doctors to treat their injuries by mending broken body parts and their minds.
Similarly, victims of car accidents rely on their lawyers to get compensation from the fault party. In all these relationships, communication is crucial. You shouldn’t have to wait for ages before your lawyer responds to you. That’s why you should know how long to wait for a Griffin car accident lawyer’s response. This way, you can judge your legal representative’s responsibility.
Does Your Griffin Attorney Have a Responsibility to Communicate With You?
Yes, every American attorney has a duty of proper communication with their clients. The American Bar Association’s Rules of Professional Conduct imposed this responsibility. Rule 1.4 provides that the lawyer shall:
- Promptly inform the client of any decision or circumstance that requires the client’s informed consent.
- Keep the client reasonably informed of their case’s status
- Promptly comply with reasonable information requests
- Explain matters to clients to help them make informed decisions
From the above, it’s clear that your lawyer should speak to you often. Furthermore, the Rules demand “promptness” from the attorney. Consequently, you shouldn’t ever have to wait for long before hearing from your Griffin car accident attorney.
How Long Should I Wait for My Car Accident Lawyer’s Response?
When you contact a Griffin car accident attorney for the initial consultation, they should send you a reply quickly. Typically, an excellent attorney would get back to you within 24 hours. Lawyers are usually this fast, even if they don’t have a complete analysis of your case yet. The attorneys do this to prove that you’re essential to them.
However, after this stage, things may slow down a bit. This time lag may be because the car accident lawyer has many things to do to get your case on track. For instance, they may have to track down witnesses, the fault party’s insurer, and hire expert analysts. Therefore, at this point, it’ll be best to be patient with your lawyer.
What if We Go to Trial or Settlement Negotiations?
When the case gets to court or during settlement negotiations, your attorney may not have much control over how quickly it moves. For example, the judge fixes court dates. Also, the other party and their insurer may employ delay tactics. Consequently, your attorney may not have anything to report for a while.
However, your Griffin car accident lawyer should still stay in steady contact with you. Regular communications from lawyers or their staff can significantly boost morale. For example, they could try discussing their trial strategy with you. Furthermore, they can inform you of even the tiniest developments in your case. Therefore, a lawyer that doesn’t respond to you early is a wrong choice.
What Could Be Delaying My Lawyer’s Response?
A good lawyer dealing with car accidents knows they shouldn’t delay responding to client requests. So, if they delay, these could be some of the reasons.
There’s Nothing to Report:
This should be the first reason you consider for an attorney’s delay in communication. For instance, the lawyer may not have any information on the question you asked. Furthermore, it could be that they’re waiting on something so they can give a comprehensive response.
Your Chances of Success Have Dropped:
Lawyers dealing with car accidents usually take only cases they’re sure to win. So, if the case’s prospects drop later, they may think of leaving you. Therefore, the delay in communication may be because they haven’t figured out how to tell you.
You’re Not a Priority:
Let’s face it; there are different classes of clients. Some have larger potential payouts than others. Therefore, although it’s wrong, the lawyer may be focusing on their more prominent clients at your expense.
Choose Griffin Car Accident Attorneys That’ll Never Ignore You!
You have only two years to file a car accident claim in Griffin. Therefore, it would be best to choose Griffin car accident lawyers who don’t ignore your information requests. Our lawyers at The Weinstein Firm are available 24/7 for their clients. We take communication seriously, and we don’t abandon our clients.
Furthermore, we offer free case reviews and consultations to prospective clients. In addition, if you don’t win, you don’t have to pay for our services. Also, we have won several car accident claims that we’re confident of adding yours to the list. So, it’ll be best to call our Griffin law office to schedule an appointment today.
