Do you have an understanding of the difference between an attorney who handles cases and an attorney who refers cases? The following is information that you should be aware of if you are searching for an attorney to handle the lawsuit involving your vehicle accident:
Definitions
An attorney who does not take the lead in the advancement of litigation is known as a referral attorney. Some referral attorneys may just get the client’s contact information and then send it on to another attorney, while others will handle only a tiny aspect of the case, such as conducting research and obtaining information.
The attorney who is in charge of handling a matter is referred to as the “handling attorney.”
How am I supposed to tell the two apart?
- If a significant number of cases involving automobile accidents are sent out — Many attorneys who refer cases are willing to refer out particular sorts of cases, such as those involving car accidents. Asking the prospective attorney what percentage of overall cases he refers out as well as what percentage of car accident cases are comparable to yours that he refers out is a smart approach to establish whether or not the attorney is a referral attorney and whether or not you should choose him.
- What kinds of court cases does the attorney have scheduled for the near future – It is common practice for some attorneys to advertise that they handle a diverse variety of matters when, in reality, they hand off specific cases to other attorneys. You should make a request to the attorney in question that he or she supply you with a rundown of all of the cases that they are currently working on. It seems likely that a significant proportion of those cases are going to be quite comparable to yours. If he does not currently have any cases involving vehicle accidents on his caseload, he will most likely recommend that you hire a lawyer who specializes in representing clients in matters involving this particular type of dispute.
- Simply ask them about your position. The vast majority of lawyers adhere to the ethical need not to deceive their customers, so if you simply ask them whether your case will be referred to another location, there is a good probability that they will give you the truth.
- Make sure that everything is put in writing, and read it over carefully — The majority of legal representations will include a clause in their contracts declaring that they aim to hand off their clients’ matters to other professionals. If you sign this contract, they will be able to recruit co-counsel or refer the matter to another attorney if they so choose. You are under no obligation to provide your consent to anything, and you are free to make any modifications to this basic contract that you see fit. If you are absolutely certain that you want this attorney to handle your case and no one else’s, you can request that a clause be added to the contract that gives you the right to terminate the contract and causes the attorney to forfeit the right to any fees if the case is referred to another attorney. You can make this request if you are absolutely certain that you want this attorney to handle your case and no one else’s.
Which one would you recommend I choose?
Only you can decide whether or whether your current circumstance calls for the assistance of referring counsel. To arrive at the choice that is ideal for you, you need to have as much information at your disposal as possible and consider all of the possibilities. An attorney who acts as a recommendation can facilitate contact between you and the attorney who is handling your case; they can also assist you in selecting the attorney who is best suited to handle your case; and they can provide you with further guidance regarding your case. On the other hand, there are a number of good factors why you ought to think about employing the services of a managing attorney.
- There is a charge that must be paid by the attorney who referred the client. If you retain the services of both a referring attorney and a handling attorney, the latter will be less inclined to take on your case due to the fact that he will be required to share in the proceeds of the case. If, on the other hand, you hire a good attorney from the beginning, he will be aware that your case requires a significant amount of his time and will be more eager to take it on.
- You most likely have a lot of questions concerning your situation, and you would like answers to all of them as quickly as possible. If you retain the services of a referring attorney, the person who ultimately makes the decision on your case will not be the one to respond to your inquiries; rather, the attorney will do their best to address your concerns and then hand off your case to another individual who may have an entirely different perspective on the situation. If you keep working with the same attorney to handle your case from beginning to end, you may have confidence that any questions you have will be answered quickly and thoroughly.
- Relationships between clients and attorneys are very crucial. You should absolutely look for a someone in whom you can place your faith, and the best approach to accomplish this goal is to cultivate a relationship with your legal counsel. As a result of this, it is probably in your best interests to hire a handling attorney who will be with you from the beginning to the end of the case, rather than putting your trust in a referring attorney who you may never meet. This is because the handling attorney will be more familiar with the details of the case and will be able to answer any questions that may arise.
If you are involved in a car accident, it is entirely up to you to decide whether you want to hire a handling attorney or a referring attorney to represent you in the case. Before you can make the intelligent and best choice for you, you need to first grasp the benefits and drawbacks associated with each option. When it comes to hiring legal representation, you will be able to make an educated choice if you keep the aforementioned advice in mind.
