Over-Zealous Attorney Offices

[Tuffcookie]

Youngest DS was involved in a minor fender bender last week. No one was hurt and it was not his fault and both cars were able to be driven away. I am retired from working at the PD where the report was made. I am well aware that attorneys have personnel that go to the police stations to look over the accident reports. However, yesterday, I found literature on my front porch from a local attorney's office! I thought this was kind of nervy, going to someone's residence! I sent them an email, this morning, to let them know I didn't appreciate their visit!

 

[kdonnel]

Glad your son is ok.

Personal injury attorneys are in an odd situation. Ideally they never have repeat customers. They are having to constantly find new business.

Other attorneys thrive on repeat business. Find a real estate attorney you like and you make an effort to use them in the future.

Same goes for estate planning and many other specialties.

They can rely on word of mouth and repeat business, lessening their need to aggressively advertise.

It’s personal injury and defense attorneys that are likely one and done.

I had always seen their advertising as almost predatory until listening to a podcast, The economics of everyday things, that had an episode on personal injury attorneys.

 

[sam_gordon]

Heaven forbid I'm ever in a situation where I need a personal injury attorney, I've told myself I'm going to have them "bid" against each other. They'll all claim they can get the most money, they don't get paid unless I get paid, they've fought the big corporations, blah blah blah.

OK, give me the best percentage of the verdict you'll accept, the amount of the verdict you realistically think my case is worth, and how long until I see the money. If you get me more money or a resolution quicker, your percentage goes up. If you get me less money or it takes longer, the percentage goes down.

Not sure this is practical, but I can dream.

 

[Mommb]

My son (who was in grad school and not living with us at the time) was in an accident 3 years ago, which our insurance covered completely -- they sent a check for the value of the 10-year-old car because that was less than the repair cost, and paid his medical bill when he was checked out after the accident.

Nearly every day for the past 3 months, I have had at least one phone call for a company saying their records show I was in an accident within the last 2 years for which compensation is still due. Sometimes when I say that's not correct, the person on the phone tries to argue with me that I just don't remember the accident.

If I were in need of a personal injury attorney, I would ask people I know for referrals and not rely on random phone calls. I might look at information received in the mail, or consider calls from companies that ask for the person who was in the accident by name and have some relevant information about what they could do to help.

 

[mjkacmom]

I love it, I have 5 adult kids who have been on our insurance and one careless driver of a husband, I know of the tickets they get before they tell me. I make them go to court if they get points, talk to the prosecutor, pay a higher fine and get those points dropped.

 

[Disneefun]

DH got hit by a city bus many years ago (bus driver's fault) and the avalanche of attorney's mail and calls was something else. No one was hurt and the car wasn't even damaged beyond a scuff that cleaned right off, but they were lining up ready to sue the city!

 

[princesscinderella]

We had a fire at our office years ago and it was put out by the sprinkler system and it happened late in the evening. When we arrived back the next morning to see all the damage in the light of day we had about 5 different insurance adjusters and restoration companies show up to try to get our business. When I asked how they even knew we had a fire since it just happened, we were told they listen to the police scanners. None of those "ambulance chasers" got our business, looking to profit off of our misfortune.

 

[barkley]

Youngest DS was involved in a minor fender bender last week. No one was hurt and it was not his fault and both cars were able to be driven away. I am retired from working at the PD where the report was made. I am well aware that attorneys have personnel that go to the police stations to look over the accident reports. However, yesterday, I found literature on my front porch from a local attorney's office! I thought this was kind of nervy, going to someone's residence! I sent them an email, this morning, to let them know I didn't appreciate their visit!

myself, dh and ds received checks in 2020 from one of the BIG personal attorney groups in our region (has offices in multiple states) b/c of a class action lawsuit that was filed for doing this. the state courts held that it is a violation of a federal law protecting the privacy of motorists to engage these practices-the u.s. supreme court ruled in 2013 specifically that law firms can NOT use police reports to solicit clients. law firms do it all the time b/c they *almost* never get called on it.

 

[cedricandsophie]

My husband is a semi retired attorney who specialized in personal injury cases. He absolutely hates those ads for attorneys that are prolific. He thinks it’s demeaning to the profession.
After 50 years of his law practice he never had one complaint and lots of referrals. That’s how he got his business through referrals. He never took a case that he didn’t feel was justified. He never chased cases. He was clear about the odds of winning a case assuming it was justified. He had horribly injured clients who often had no idea what their case was worth based on the negligence of the other party.
Insurance companies want to settle quickly to pay out the least amount and get it off the books.
Cases can be expensive to pay for experts, medical reports, depositions, etc. We always fronted the expenses because he knew most of his clients coujd not afford to pay costs up front. We paid out thousands of dollars in costs upfront. And In most cases, was able to get reimbursed. If he went to trial, which can take thousands of hours of work and many sleepless nights , his fee was 40% plus cost reimbursement. If he settled without filing a case, it was a third. Not a penny more. And he often charged much less if he didn’t think the amount of work he did didn’t justify the normal fee.
He made am excellent living because he did excellent work with integrity and honesty many clients became friends because he treated them kindness.
But in today’s world there are too many lawyers all trying to get the same cases. They are hungry and unfortunately can be aggressive. And can settle a case just to get a fee not because it’s in the client’s best interest.
If you need an attorney, ask friends and family for a referral. Make sure you meet,talk over the merits of a case, and feel comfortable.

 

[barkley]

My husband is a semi retired attorney who specialized in personal injury cases. He absolutely hates those ads for attorneys that are prolific. He thinks it’s demeaning to the profession.

I agree wholeheartedly-it's telling of the oversaturation of these ads when you can hum a few bars of music and any toddler in the region will start singing the associated law firm's jingle (down to reciting each firm's phone number) it's telling that the televised commercials are hyper run on the local channels to air during shows that are more likely to be the pre-sets on the waiting room screens at doctor's offices, urgent cares and e/r's.

 

[Tuffcookie]

myself, dh and ds received checks in 2020 from one of the BIG personal attorney groups in our region (has offices in multiple states) b/c of a class action lawsuit that was filed for doing this. the state courts held that it is a violation of a federal law protecting the privacy of motorists to engage these practices-the u.s. supreme court ruled in 2013 specifically that law firms can NOT use police reports to solicit clients. law firms do it all the time b/c they *almost* never get called on it.

I think I will have to look into this further!

 

[barkley]

I think I will have to look into this further!

us supreme court reference-

Maracich v. Spears, 570 U.S. 48 (2013)​

 

[SteveH]

I'd call attorneys like that a scum sucking pig, but that's insulting to pigs, so I will refrain from using that.