One of the most frustrating parts of the personal injury claims process for clients is feeling as though they are left “in the dark” in that process. Clients often have questions that come up throughout the case, such as:
- How long should I continue to receive treatment for my injuries?
- When will I be able to get my car fixed?
- Should I be using my health insurance for the doctors I’m seeing?
- Can I claim time that I missed form work as part of my case?
- What is happening on my case right now?
And of course, the biggest question for most clients….
- When will I finally get some much-needed MONEY out of all this?!?!?
Of course, there is a person who is perfectly qualified to answer any question a client might have – the attorney that was hired to give them legal advice! The problem is actually being able to get that attorney on the phone. Attorneys are well-known for being incredibly busy, and may not be able to answer a client’s call or return it right away.
Paralegals can be a godsend in this regard. While they do not possess law degrees, a sharp paralegal will know all the steps of the process, can provide updates on a clients’ cases, and answer most of the questions that clients have. In fact, great paralegals can sometimes answer questions that even the lawyer may not have the answer to!
However, as knowledgeable as paralegals may be, they are not the people ultimately “in charge” of the case. They are also not the people with whom clients signed up to work their case. While certain updates and questions can be fielded by paralegals, clients have an expectation that they should be able to speak with their lawyer directly when they really need to do so. As well they should!
In fact, there are rules in place that govern how attorneys are supposed to conduct themselves regarding client communication. Nevada Rule of Professional Conduct 1.4(a) states:
A lawyer shall:
- Promptly inform the client of any decision or circumstance with respect to which the client’s informed consent is required by these Rules;
- Reasonably consult with the client about the means by which the client’s objectives are to be accomplished;
- Keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the matter;
- Promptly comply with reasonable requests for information; and
- Consult with the client about any relevant limitation on the lawyer’s conduct when the lawyer knows that the client expects assistance not permitted by the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law.
While all lawyers are expected to adhere to these rules, it is certainly true that some lawyers are better about communication than others. Client stories about seeing their lawyer one time when they first signed up, then never seeing nor hearing from their attorney again, are unfortunately all too common.
If you have had difficulty reaching the lawyer handling your case, let them know your frustration! As a person injured in an accident, you deserve an experienced car accident attorney that will listen to you. Call the office and tell them that you need to speak to your personal injury attorney. If you leave a message and do not hear back in a couple of days, call again! Quality Las Vegas car accident injury lawyers may not be able to respond to you right away, but they will respond soon enough to meet your needs.
The Las Vegas car accidents attorneys at D.R. Patti & Associates take pride not only in the fantastic results they achieve for their clients, but also their commitment to client communication. Our Google reviews show a sampling of the tremendous experience other clients have had with our car accident-focused law firm. If you or someone you know were injured in a car accident, please give us a call. One of our Las Vegas car accident attorneys will be available to speak with you – not just today, but throughout your case.