What Are The Signs That I Should Change Personal Injury Attorneys?

Most South Carolina residents have little or no experience handling a personal injury case. 

Choosing a lawyer after an injury is a difficult decision for many injured people. You’re already struggling to recover from serious injuries, and you’re trying to choose an attorney with little information or experience to guide you. You may rely on an internet search or TV ads or online reviews. Or maybe a friend refers you to their attorney.

It’s not unusual to question whether you made the right choice in hiring your personal injury lawyer. Here are three signs that you may not be getting the best possible representation – and it’s time to consider looking for an attorney who is truly on your side. 

Sign 1: You Haven’t Heard From Your Current Attorney

Communication is the heart of every successful personal injury case. Communication is also the heart of what attorneys do every day. If your lawyer isn’t keeping you updated on every step in your case, it may be time to consider changing your representation. 

Signs that it’s time to look for a new attorney include:

• Your attorney or their staff hasn’t reached out to you in months – not even to tell you that nothing has changed in your case. 
• When you call your attorney’s office for an update, you can’t get an answer. If you do receive an answer, it’s often weeks or months later. 
• If a family member asks, “How is your case going?” you think “I don’t know!”
• You’re beginning to wonder if your attorney has forgotten they took your case. 

Lack of communication raises concerns about an attorney’s commitment and reliability. It can also leave you feeling anxious about how your case is progressing. 

An experienced personal attorney will communicate with you regularly about your case. If you contact them for an update, they will give you a clear, precise answer about the status of your case and the work that has been done to date. 

Sign 2: There Hasn’t Been Any Progress on Your Case

What if your attorney does respond when you reach out, but the response is always “there hasn’t been any progress”? If this is the case, it may be time to consider looking for an attorney more dedicated to moving your case forward. 

Some personal injury cases drag on due to delays or deliberate stalling on the part of insurance companies. However, if this is happening in your case, your attorney should be able to tell you what they have done to overcome these roadblocks. Your attorney should provide examples of phone calls they’ve made, letters they’ve sent, or documentation they’ve filed with the court to get your case moving. 

An attorney who can only say, “We haven’t made any progress,” may not be working your case as they should.. The attorney may not care about your case, be overwhelmed, or disorganized to handle it effectively. 

If you haven’t seen any progress on your case, it may be time to look for an attorney with more motivation to resolve matters for you. It is also important to be sure if this is the case, that deadlines to file a lawsuit is are not missed.

Sign 3: The Statute of Limitations is Approaching, But There’s No Sign of Resolution or Filing

South Carolina’s statute of limitations sets a deadline for filing personal injury claims. The deadline is typically three years from the date of the accident. 

This deadline has serious consequences for those injured in South Carolina. If your personal injury case isn’t filed by the deadline, you lose the opportunity to bring the claim to court. You can no longer seek compensation through a lawsuit. You also lose the chance to use the promise of a lawsuit as leverage in settlement negotiations.

Most personal injury claims in South Carolina do not go to trial. Instead, they’re resolved before trial through a settlement agreement. The ability to take your case to trial, however, is a powerful tool in settlement negotiations. Losing this ability can undermine your ability to receive a full and fair settlement or verdict. 

If the three-year deadline is approaching, but your current attorney has not resolved your case or filed a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf, it may be time to look for a new attorney. An experienced lawyer will take the statute of limitations seriously and work to protect your rights – including your right to file your claim before that deadline expires. 

If you’re having second thoughts about the personal injury lawyer you hired, talk to the team at the Steinberg Law Firm. Our deep experience handling South Carolina personal injury cases gives us the knowledge, perspective, and compassion our clients need. To learn more, contact us today to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.