When you’ve been accused of personal injury, you should find a lawyer to defend you immediately. After all, personal injury settlement costs can be expensive. Minor injuries cost around a few thousand dollars. Settlement amounts can go over millions of dollars when it comes to severe injuries.
Hiring criminal defense lawyers can increase your chances of winning the case. That is if they’re doing their job properly. Most people with personal injury cases don’t have experience hiring lawyers.
Some decided to hire one after seeing their big-results promise on a billboard. But as time goes by, you begin to doubt their expertise. When this happens, you can’t help but wonder: Can I switch lawyers in the middle of a personal injury lawsuit?
Are You Allowed to Switch Lawyers During Your Personal Injury Case?
Yes, the law allows you to choose your lawyer even in the middle of your case. And changing your defense attorney during a case is not difficult. Almost always, doing so is free and can help you get the best result.
Why Do People Switch Lawyers in the Middle of a Lawsuit?
If you’re dealing with a lawsuit such as a personal injury, you need someone to defend you in court. To be specific, you should look for criminal defense lawyers who have dealt with personal injury cases.
These lawyers will fight for your rights and make sure that you get the best result for your case. They do this by building a strong defense around your case. They will also answer every question you have about your case.
In case they failed to do that, you can change your criminal defense lawyers during your case. There are other reasons why people choose to fire their lawyers, and some can be personal. But how do you know when it’s time to get a new lawyer for criminal defense?
Here are some that can change your mind about your current lawyer:
You Don’t Get Along Well With Your Criminal Defense Lawyer
As you go through the legal procedure, you must be able to communicate with your lawyer. If you and your lawyer do not get along, this can cause issues in the future. When this happens, it’s best to end the professional connection and move on with another one.
It’s Hard to Contact Them
Lawyers are often busy and have other cases to attend to. Nevertheless, they should still find time to call you and give you an update on the status of your case. If they don’t make themselves available for you, chances are they’re not focused on winning your case.
To win a case, your lawyer should work together with you. Failing to attend to your needs as their client is a sign that you need to let them go.
Your Criminal Defense Lawyer Is Doing a Poor Job
In most cases, it’s hard to fire an attorney that you’ve worked with for a long time. But if they miss appointments or fail to appear in court, that’s all the reason you need to look for another one.
They Often Make Mistakes and Errors
Mistakes are sometimes bound to happen. Your lawyer may have missed something about your case or given you incomplete forms. This is normal and you should still have faith in your lawyer.
But if they often make these mistakes, you should be thinking twice about keeping them. A criminal defense lawsuit requires a keen eye and attention to detail. Errors and mistakes can be a sign that your lawyer is not devoted to your case.
What Happens if You Switch Lawyers?
Many clients want to change attorneys mid-case but fail to do so because they think it will jeopardize their case. Some attorneys do threaten to bill the client for expenses incurred. Some would even argue that the client will damage their case by changing attorneys.
Even if you’re in the middle of the lawsuit, switching attorneys will often not cost you a dime. It also won’t hurt your current personal injury case. Some criminal defense law firms will even reimburse any money owing to your old attorney. So, it will save you a lot of time and money if you hire the right criminal defense lawyer.
Finding the Right Criminal Defense Attorney for Your Personal Injury Case
It will be best to fire an attorney as early as possible in the claims procedure. If you wait long enough, your first attorney will have enough reason to charge you an expensive fee.
On the other hand, rushing to hire a new criminal defense lawyer is also a bad idea. It takes some time and a lot of thought before you hire a lawyer. You don’t want to hire another unqualified attorney to handle your case. With that in mind, here are some qualities to look for in your defense attorney.
Has a Sense of Integrity
When looking for an attorney, consider a lawyer whose profession is guided by strong moral beliefs. Your lawyer is there to uphold your legal rights and make wise judgments on your behalf.
Has Good Communication Skills
Aside from being a strong communicator with the court and jury, your lawyer must also be a good listener. Having a lawyer who pays attention to your case and the people involved can get the right facts. This way, they can create a strong defense for your case.
Can Sympathize With You
Being involved in a crime is frightening and stressful. Having a lawyer who is sympathetic and aware of your situation helps reduce your emotional stress. Find a criminal defense attorney who looks out for your health and safety as well as for your mental well-being.
Knows How to Investigate and Research Facts
If you’re not aware, each personal injury case is different. That means there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy to your defense. An attorney who doesn’t have a plan will most likely fail and lose the case.
You should look for a lawyer who can conduct legal research on other cases similar to yours. They should also know how to explore your case further to find relevant facts that can help them win your case.
Has Experience With Personal Injury Cases
Criminal defense lawyers are those who handle a wide variety of cases. Almost all the time, they work with clients who have been charged with a crime. Personal injury cases are often civil lawsuits that involve negligence instead of crimes. Criminal defense attorneys can help you with your case if they have dealt with a similar case to yours.
Talk With Your Lawyer Before Finding a New One
Whatever the reason, you can change your lawyer for criminal defense and hire an efficient one. If you’re not sure if firing your lawyer is a good strategy, you can always get a second opinion.
Many people only work with the first lawyer they hire for their personal injury case. But, it’s not wrong to talk to another one and compare lawyers. Get a sense of what services other criminal defense firms can provide and how they can approach your case. They can also tell you if switching lawyers is good for your case.
But before you decide to look for another lawyer, communicate with your current one. Inform them about how dissatisfied you are with their performance. In some cases, lawyers are not aware of your worries or are working on a different plan.
Give your lawyer the opportunity to right their wrongs and improve themselves. If they continue to fail, then it’s time to find a new criminal defense lawyer.
