As a victim of someone else's negligence, one of the worst fates you can face, other than your injury, is if you have to play "Where's Waldo" to find your lawyer.  You hired a lawyer to simplify your life after the crash or fall resulting in your injuries.  To have to chase your lawyer or his assistant for information about your case is frustrating for you and shows an improper method of the practice of law by your attorney.  To ensure your right to know about your case is always upheld, look for these traits in your lawyer:

1.  Return Phone Calls

 The most frequent complaint I hear from people is "my lawyer doesn't return my calls."  As the client, if this happens to you more than twice, I'd recommend thinking about getting another, more responsive lawyer.  As the lawyer receiving the calls, I can tell you from personal experience that nothing is more frightening to the practitioner with a conscience than having a bunch of unreturned message slips on your desk.  In that case, what you don't know can hurt you.

2.  "CC" Me on Everything

  The client should get a copy of whatever gets sent to an adjuster, doctor, adversary or expert.  The client who reads everything knows all there is to know about an issue and is as fully informed as the attorney and letter recepient.  This leads to less phone calls from clients seeking to be informed, which reduces the problem of return phone calls, as noted above.

3.  Involve Me In My Case

At certain critical junctures in the personal injury litigation process, the client's participation is mandatory, such as at deposition, arbitration and trial.  Oftentimes however, a client's input is not mandatory but is extremely helpful in focusing the lawyer's approach to trying to get the case settled or best prepared for trial.  A conscientious lawyer will visit the client's home or work to get a real feel for how the accident related injuries have affected the client's lifestyle.


Communication is a hallmark of the legal profession and the advocate's proficiency in effectively reaching his audience often equates with the degree of success the client obtains.  While the client should rightfully expect her attorney to speak strongly on her behalf, the client is also entitled to a lawyer who speaks to her whenever she calls.