Having Issues with your Current Solicitor about your Injury Claim?

Can you change Solicitors? YES!

Always remember  that you are  the client and that you are entitled to have control over who represents you.

There can be many reasons why you might be worried about your Claim and the way it is being handled.

It often comes down to poor communication by the Solicitor involved.

What Do You Do to make the Change?

If you have worries , then the first  thing you should  do is make an appointment to see the person ; then prepare the questions that you want answered  and ask them.

If you do not get  that chance or you don’t feel that the answers are satisfactory , then you should think about getting advice from another Solicitor.

How do I find a new Solicitor for my Injury Claim?

I have already posted some information about choosing a Solicitor – have a look at it here.

If you want a different Solicitor to handle your claim , then once you have agreed terms with the new person, he/ she can write  to the first Solicitor with a form of Authority signed by you.

The Law Society has set out Rules  that Solicitors must stick to in this situation.If there is a continuing problem , you may have  an option of going to them  for further help. Have a look at their website on www.lawsociety.ie

Will it cost me to Change Solicitors?

You need to understand however  that if  the first Solicitor has done work on  the file  and if he/ she has spent money on your behalf on , say , Court Stamp Duty, Medical Reports  and such like , then those monies or outlays usually have to be paid  to the first solicitor before  the file is transferred. But remember, if the Claim is successful , then these costs should be recovered from the Defendant in your Claim.

In regard  to the Professional Fees due  to the first Solicitor, it depends on the initial agreement between you  and him – was it a “no foal, no fee arrangement” ; was it on the basis  that you would be charged  for time applied or was there some other arrangement?

Often the two Offices agree  that once  the Claim is finished , they would agree a division of the fees based on the work each Firm did. It is often best to get professional advice on this from a Cost Accountant , trained in measuring legal Costs  – your new Solicitor can guide you  with that.

So while  there may be some expense to be paid, most of it should be refunded to you at  the end of the Claim. You must also decide if it is worse to continue with worries about  the person who is handling the Claim for you , or to take control again and ensure you get quality service and advice to bring what is always a stressful experience to a finish as soon as you reasonably can.

We at Neil J. Butler & Co. have  many years in handling client affairs . We also have good relations with our colleagues – we believe  that we can manage any change such as described here in a way  that will minimise disruption and achieve a great result for you !

Contact us today

Our  Solicitors want to get to know you ; to support your legal needs, keeping you updated at each stage so that you feel you are served by a professional, efficient and customer-oriented Firm.

We do not charge for initial enquiries so please get in touch….

Complete our Free Enquiry Form , email neil@njbutler.ie or call on 0504-24173