Can You Switch Lawyers in the Middle of a Car Accident Case?

It's hard enough to live through a serious accident and to seek compensation for your injuries, but what happens if you're not getting along with your lawyer or are disappointed in the management of your case? It can feel impossible and overwhelming to get your case back on track, but this is a concern you can take to Morgan & Morgan.

Some victims of an accident seeking justice may ask, "Can you switch lawyers in the middle of a car accident case?" If this applies to you and your case, you may need the support of a qualified and dedicated attorney to help guide you through the legal process for recovery of maximum compensation. Knowing that you're not alone and that you have the right personal injury attorney in your corner can make a big difference in the handling of your case.

If you're not feeling confident in your current legal representation, you need to remember that you must do what is best for you in this situation and be prepared to move forward with your suit, allowing an experienced and qualified lawyer to take over from here. You deserve to have someone who is going to work as hard as possible on your behalf so do not feel guilty about deciding to work with a different personal injury lawyer.

For a free, no-obligation case evaluation, contact Morgan & Morgan today to learn more about your options.

What are Reasons to Switch Lawyers in the Middle of the Case?

If you're curious about whether you can switch lawyers in the middle of a car accident case, there's likely an issue with your current representation, motivating you to ask this question. You may be concerned about the current handling of your case or believe that you may not get the results that you need. 

Deciding who to work with as a personal injury lawyer is important, but if for some reason this does not proceed the way that you intended, you may need to switch attorneys and work with someone else. There is a lot on the line for your future when it comes to a personal injury case, and you need to feel confident that you've made the right decision for yourself.

When Can I Switch Auto Accident Attorneys?

Even if you're in the middle of a current personal injury case, you can switch auto accident attorneys. If your current attorney is trying to tell you that you'll still owe fees if you switch to a new lawyer or that you'll make a big mistake by changing, you need to trust your intuition. It is true that if you decide to move to a new lawyer in the middle of a case, your prior attorney may be able to set a lien against any settlement you win at the end of your case. 

This all comes down to what is considered a reasonable amount for the services that the attorney rendered. This may be covered by your new personal injury lawyer or come out of your settlement amount, so you should always discuss this with any new attorney that you consider moving your case to. If you are unhappy with your current car accident attorney, however, this may be because you don't believe they will get you a fair number. By choosing to switch to a new personal injury lawyer, you may get a better outcome in your case overall. Weigh the pros and cons when you're thinking about how to answer the question, "Can you switch lawyers in the middle of a car accident case?".

The bottom line is that if you do not feel comfortable with your current legal representation and there are no significant consequences to switching to a new attorney, you may be able to get a better case result for yourself. There is a lot at stake for you when you need compensation, and you cannot afford to move forward with an attorney who is not working for you. There are multiple reasons why a lawyer may not work out for you, including their communication style, their approach to your case, the decisions they have made to represent you, this organization, or difficulty scheduling. There are many other reasons why you may wish to switch to another attorney as well. Ultimately, you deserve to have a lawyer who works for your personality and for the goals of your case. 

At Morgan & Morgan, our lawyers work hard to keep the reputation we've earned over the years and we believe it's very important to do right by our clients. It's why so many people know the Morgan & Morgan name. 

Are There Any Exceptions to Switching to a New Car Accident Lawyer?

You may have researched if you can switch lawyers in the middle of a car accident case because you're concerned that there may be an exception that blocks you from making a change. Actually, there are some circumstances in which you're not able to switch auto accident attorneys in the middle of the case. For example, a judge could deny your request to switch to a new personal injury lawyer if switching attorneys would delay the case. If switching attorneys would also generate some cause of a conflict of interest in the case, your decision to try to move to a new lawyer could be blocked. For example, if your new lawyer has awareness of the other involved parties or is in some other conflict of interest, you may not be able to switch auto accident attorneys. However, outside of these exceptions, you should be able to switch auto accident attorneys without a problem.

If I Want to Switch Lawyers, What Should I Do First?

Your new attorney should be confident in your case and should be prepared to step in as soon as possible. The most difficult part of this process is finding a new personal injury lawyer to represent you. Do not switch auto accident attorneys or fire your current personal injury attorney until you have found someone else to represent your interests. You will then sign an agreement with your new auto accident attorney to ensure that there is no point at which you are not legally represented. You will need to inform your new attorney about your previous agreement. Your new attorney will then submit a consent to change attorney to the court and inform the other lawyer to stop work. This lets your current lawyer know that they should no longer represent you and to discontinue work immediately. All details and evidence that you've collected for your case should be provided to your new attorney.

What Should I Look for in a New Auto Accident Attorney?

It's very hard to realize that you need to switch auto accident attorneys in the middle of a case. You may already be dealing with substantial medical bills and the pain from the accident. You may also be concerned that you made a poor decision regarding your attorney, leading you to wonder whether or not you did enough research or if there was something wrong with the handling of your original case. 

Make sure that you spend additional time researching your selection for an auto accident attorney before switching your case. Your attorney should be very prepared to step into the situation, especially given the complications associated with your current problem. If you're frustrated with your current attorney's management, you need to express some of these concerns when speaking to your new lawyer. 

For example, if you're concerned that your current auto accident attorney has not kept you in the loop, bring up how important communication is to you and ask for further details about how the law firm and any staff handling your case will be able to help you in this manner. This will give you a great deal of peace of mind as you choose to move forward.

What if My Other Attorney Is Angry?

It's not always an easy transition to work with a new attorney in a car accident case. However, you certainly hope that your original attorney will be as professional as possible even when you choose to terminate their services. It is always best to let additional communication be handled by your new attorney so that you feel confident about your decisions. Your new lawyer can help you move through the process of recovering compensation and can handle closing out any additional details or conversations with the previous lawyer.

It is hard enough recognizing that your current legal representation is not meeting your needs. It can be even more frustrating to think about the prospect of confronting your attorney about the situation not working out. It is often best to work with another personal injury lawyer who can step into your case and can notify the previous attorney about your decision. If you have been having consistent issues with your current representation, it will likely not come as a surprise to that other person. Ultimately, your case is very important for your own future, and you deserve to have a lawyer at your side who is working for your personality and your underlying goals for the case. 

Contact the legal team at Morgan and Morgan to learn more about how to handle your injury claim and what you can expect going forward in that process.