Q: My husband was badly injured at work on 10/9/00 and as a result his legs were both amputated above the knee. He had about 23 surgeries, loss of half an ear, loss of hair forever, not to mention the scars left on his head, face, back, and buttocks from the skin grafts. I have obtained a lawyer.
I met with the lawyer on January 9, 2001. It is now July 10, 2002 and I've seen him twice. I have spoken with his paralegal several times. I have explained to her as I am to you that whatever comes of this is our life.
Maybe there isn't a reason for the lawyer or paralegal to call but to never call or RARELY return phone calls seems like my husband's case means nothing.
Is this normal to never hear from your lawyer, or basically not have any type of relationship with him? It's very frustrating not knowing what is right and wrong in the legal world.
--Tabitha, Ridgeley, WV
Attorney Cliff Horwitz: The question you pose is a common one. Why doesn't my lawyer return my calls? I think it is the most common client complaint. A lawyer can achieve a large verdict for a client and the client will be upset that his/her calls were not returned. A lawyer can obtain a terrible result and the client will be happy because the lawyer returns the phone calls. The number one policy we have in our office is to be our client's advocate; to be his/her voice and to protect our client. The number two policy is to return the client's calls.
Considering the devastating and brutal injuries that your husband has suffered, it is shocking that the attorney wouldn't return the calls. However, remember that attorneys can be extremely busy. They can be in court, in depositions and be called away from the office. Generally attorneys do not have a routine of calling clients once a month or even once a year. Generally, the policy of attorneys is to return a call when a client calls or to call the client when the attorney has something to report.
The law in Illinois and probably in your state is that a client can discharge his attorney when he has lost trust or faith in his/her attorney. My suggestion to you is: Meet with your attorney. Tell him your concerns. If he does not satisfy you to the point where you have regained your trust and confidence in him, then discharge him and get another attorney.