When I Won't Be Your Workers' Comp Lawyer

I offer a free consultation to injured workers, but I don’t accept everyone I meet or everyone who calls me as a client.  Here’s why:

1.   People with permanent, serious injuries, particularly those who might not be able to return to their old jobs, should probably have an experienced workers’ compensation attorney guiding them.  They can’t risk poor medical care, delayed or inadequate compensation checks, an incorrect PPD award, and not knowing about all of their benefits.  However, about 90% of Nevada’s injured workers just need a reliable source of information; not advice from co-workers or half-answers from adjusters.    I am happy to provide that information with free guides, free articles on my web site, and a free subscription to my weekly blog posts. My reputation is everything to me. If I don’t think you need a lawyer, or I don’t think I can add anything of value with my service, I won’t represent you. 

2.   The public may not be as familiar with my name as some of the celebrity attorneys who advertise, but I know the names of each of my clients.   I’m not looking for thousands of new clients like the large law firms.  While I have a state-of-art case-management system and now I work with a computer instead of a legal pad and law books, I provide old-fashioned personal attention to each client. That means that I simply can’t take every potential client who wants my services. However, just as I open new files every month, I also close files each month. You simply need to call to determine my current availability.  

 3.   Because I make my living as a lawyer, I can’t afford to represent injured workers without charging a fee.  I provide free information weekly on the internet, and I pay to publish a guide that I wrote specifically for injured workers.  I have distributed thousands of those guides for free.   If there isn’t the possibility of my earning a reasonable fee for providing a full service to you on your claim, I probably won’t agree to represent you.   I will however, direct you to the free legal services of the NAIW if I don’t think another private attorney will take your case, either.

 4.   I won’t take your case if you have already hired another attorney to represent you.  I will instead encourage you to meet with your existing attorney to iron out any communication problems.  Most attorneys have a provision in their representation agreements with clients that require the client to pay an hourly fee for the work done already if the client fires the attorney.  I won’t get involved in disputes between you and your existing attorney, and I don’t want you to be obligated to pay two attorneys on the same claim.  Hiring an attorney is an important decision. Go with your gut instincts, and if you feel pressured to sign by an attorney at the initial consultation, you should probably decline.

5.   My legal assistants are more than valued employees to me.  They have been with me for years, and are well-trained, extremely knowledgeable, and compassionate individuals.  They are essential in helping me provide solutions on the various claims problems that arise daily.    My assistants also understand that when someone calls us for help, they are usually very frustrated and angry with the system, and they don’t know who to trust.  I simply ask that all clients treat them with respect.

 6.    I try my best to only represent people who have legitimate work injuries or occupational illnesses.  If I suspect that you aren’t being truthful or are attempting to get benefits you know you aren’t entitled to receive, I will politely show you the door.  My clientele consists of hard-working, honest people who want to get well and get back to work as soon as possible.

 © 2/19/11 Virginia L. Hunt, Esq.