I was sent an e-mail written by a lawyer at what I think is the worst Chicago workers’ compensation law firm. They lose clients all of the time and this was another unsatisfied customer due to their lies and terrible customer service.
In the e-mail that was sent after the client told the attorney they were firing them and getting a new lawyer, the crummy lawyer said,
“We are shooting for a HUGE settlement. It takes time to get the type of money we are seeking.”
This is shady law firm marketing 101. Which firm gets you more excited, the one who gives you an honest evaluation of what your case is worth or the one that leads you to believe your case could be worth a ton or money, way more than anyone else thinks you can get? They’ve made a living by over promising and under-delivering. Usually by the time the client finds out they are liars it’s too late because a settlement offer has come in and no attorney will take over. This wasn’t the case in this one.
Forgetting the fact they are liars and quite literally the worst attorneys I’ve come across, let’s take a look at this lie. How long does it take to get a HUGE settlement?
The answer is that it depends on the case facts. If someone is killed on the job, a “HUGE” settlement could be negotiated right away. How long it will take depends on the insurance company and how reasonable they are. If you have a major injury, the biggest time factor is the time it takes you to get healthy and return to work. We can’t work on a settlement during the time you are receiving medical treatment, or more accurately, we shouldn’t. You don’t want to settle before your medical care is done.
Is it easier/faster to settle a case that’s worth $5,000 than one that is worth $500,000? Of course it is. A low level insurance adjuster can sign off on a $5,000 settlement in almost any case. On the other hand, to get $500,000.00, which is a very high and unique result, you typically need the approval of multiple higher level executives and it will only happen after the insurance company has sent you to an IME doctor and likely done extensive video surveillance on you.
The bottom line is that to get a “HUGE” settlement you need a huge injury and by the nature of that, those cases just take longer. In this case, the lawyer wasn’t “working on it” or anything else and the client was smart enough to see through the b.s
If you have questions about an Illinois work comp settlement or anything else, get in touch any time for a free and honest consultation.
