Can I Switch Car Accident Lawyers Mid-Case?
Car accidents cause lasting trauma. First, there is the terror of the crash and the pain and fear of injuries. Then, there’s the long physical recovery period followed by the legal aftermath of an accident in a fault-based car accident state like Utah. Utah’s modified comparative negligence laws require car accident victims seeking compensation for damages like medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering to file a claim against the responsible party. This isn’t always straightforward and often requires a lawyer.
An experienced Salt Lake City car accident attorney protects their client’s rights and provides wise legal counsel throughout the process, but what happens if you have doubts about your choice of attorneys? Can you switch car accident lawyers in the middle of your case?
Contact us today at (385) 404-6398 to schedule a free consultation.
Changing Car Accident Attorneys In Utah
The car accident claim process typically requires an independent investigation conducted by an injury victim’s attorney.
If you’ve lost confidence in your attorney of choice, you may switch lawyers at any point in the process of the investigation or while your attorney is actively negotiating with the insurance company for a settlement; however, if your attorney did not achieve a settlement and has filed a lawsuit petition in court, you must submit a request to the judge of your jurisdiction for approval to change lawyers.
Once you’ve hired a new attorney, your new lawyer handles the process of disengaging from the previous attorney, including obtaining all evidence and documents in your case.
Do I Have to Pay Both Attorneys If I Switch Lawyers In Mid-Case?
Most reputable personal injury lawyers in Salt Lake City offer a free initial consultation and then use a contingency-based payment system. Under this system, a client only pays for their attorney’s services if and when they’ve recovered compensation for them through a settlement or a court award for their damages. Then, the attorney takes a percentage of the total amount recovered as their fee.
When a car accident victim hires a new lawyer during their case, their new attorney contacts the previous one not only to obtain the evidence compiled in the case, but also to determine how to split the payment according to the amount of work each lawyer did on the case. Then they divide the commission once the second attorney completes the case, whether through a settlement or a court award.
Common Reasons for Changing a Utah Car Accident Lawyer In Mid-Case
It’s crucial to trust that your attorney has your best interests at heart in every move they make on your case and that they are actively working to achieve the full and fair compensation you deserve. Common reasons that Utah car accident victims sometimes change attorneys in the middle of their cases include the following:
- The original attorney hasn’t made significant progress on the case
- There is a lack of communication
- The client disagrees with the attorney’s strategy
- The attorney has missed deadlines or made filing errors that caused delays and redundant paperwork
- There is a conflict of interest
- The client feels that their original attorney is pressuring them to accept a low settlement
- The attorney has engaged in unethical behavior, has questionable methods, or behaves unprofessionally
- The attorney has undervalued the client’s claim
A car accident victim is the plaintiff in the case and has every right to switch to an attorney who inspires greater confidence in their handling of a critical car accident claim.
How Can a Utah Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?
In most cases, hiring a new attorney is a legally allowable and straightforward process. Only in cases of court involvement does a car accident victim risk having their request for a new attorney denied by the judge. If you don’t feel comfortable with your lawyer’s progress, contact Handy & Handy for a free consultation so we can begin the strong strategy you deserve for your financial recovery while you focus on your physical recovery.