As a client, you might not enjoy the legal situation you’re in, but that doesn’t mean you should hate dealing with your attorney. It might seem strange to ask whether you enjoy talking to your attorney, but the answer can tell a lot, including whether you have the right attorney for your case. Not all lawyers will get the same result or give you the same experience.
If your answer is that you never actually get to speak with your workers’ compensation attorney, then that is a huge red flag. Your lawyer should call you back within a day or two. (We almost always return calls within 24 hours.) If they don’t, how do you know what’s going on in your own case? Your lawyer should be working hard for you, and part of that is communicating with you.
If you avoid talking to your lawyer because they intimidate you or talk down to you, that’s another red flag. There’s not excuse for that. If your answer is that you never get any answers – just more questions – that’s not good either. They should take the time and see it from your point of view. After all, it’s your case.
What we’re trying to say is that your relationship with your work injury attorney is important and it shouldn’t be a chore. You should be getting something out of it. Most importantly, you should be getting all the workers’ compensation benefits you’re entitled to, as well as a fair settlement at the end of your claim. But on top of that, you should be getting your lawyer’s personal attention, an opportunity to be heard, and useful answers to your questions.
Lawyers aren’t known for having good customer service skills, but that shouldn’t be the case. Don’t give your lawyer a pass because you think it’s normal for lawyers to be uncommunicative and aloof. You should expect more. If your lawyer is terrible at customer service, then how do you know they’re doing a good job at the legal stuff? We are in a profession that is supposed to help people. Doing that without good customer service doesn’t make any sense at all.
