If you read my blog regularly you know that I hate lawyers who will tell their clients what they want to hear in order to get them to sign up or stop them from “bugging” them after they’ve been hired.
A reader of my site sent in the following which shows how these lies can impact a person and their case.
I had a job injury on my back work related, I hired an attorney , the work comp insurance want to settle my case for money, when I hired him my attorney told me that my case its worth between 60K to 80K, yesterday he told me that he gonna take the defendant attorney offer for 20K, my injury is permanent and there is a surgery pending and that surgery was recommended by the insurance work comp Dr. what can I do?
Well there’s the obvious problem that this case shouldn’t be settled with a surgery recommendation pending, but beyond that, let’s assume for a second that the case is really only worth $20,000.00 (I have no idea because I didn’t personally talk to this worker). If I’ve been telling you for over a year that you are going to get between $60,000.00 and $80,000.00, how could you believe me when I tell you know that the case should be settled for $20,000.00?
The answer is that you couldn’t. You also wouldn’t be able to trust me to take your case to trial nor would you believe me when I told you that all of your medical bills have been paid. You also probably would now think that all lawyers are lying assholes and I really wouldn’t be able to blame you if you did.
For whatever reasons there are a bunch of Illinois work comp attorneys who think this strategy is a good one. Lie now, clean up the mess later on. I’ve heard of at least one who stops taking his client’s calls and makes his secretary deal with all of the abuse. It’s so pathetic.
In general I’m not in favor of any nanny state rules, but there are some that exist to discourage bad behavior. For example, an Illinois lawyer can’t advertise themselves as a specialist or expert. It seems we need a rule that prevents attorneys from promising you the moon at the beginning of the case too. Because too many firms can’t sell themselves and their abilities or track record of success. Instead they act like sleazy used car salesmen and do whatever is needed to close the deal.
And of course it’s only the clients who get hurt. I’ll never promise you a result, but I will promise that our state wide network of lawyers are all experienced, fight for their clients and will do the best they can for you.
