Case Managers And Talking To My Lawyer

We get phone calls from people working with other law offices asking us, “Why do I always talk to a case manager when I call my lawyer” or “Why won’t my attorney call me back.” These are common frustrations of people that hire those large firms that advertise on TV and highway billboards. Our office does not use case managers because we believe you have the right to speak to your attorney and get direct answers to your case.

So What is a Case Manager? And Why Our Office Does Not Use Them.

Case Manager is a made-up title for an assistant at certain law firms. Some law offices in Georgia are set up more as a business to handle lots of cases rather than having enough attorneys to give personal attention to their clients. Case managers are just assistants that help TV advertising and low-quality law firms keep clients from bothering the attorneys. There is no formal case manager degree or specialized training program so their skill level can widely vary. Case managers rarely hold a paralegal degree or certificate. If you hire one of those TV law firms, you will be assigned a case manager. Those firms actually don’t have that many lawyers so they have lots of case managers to handle the lawyer’s cases. Case managers come and go at those firms. You may start your case with one case manager but be assigned a new case manager later.

Case managers cannot give you legal advice. A licensed attorney is the only person that can give you legal advice. We believe clients should be able to speak to their attorneys and get direct answers to their questions. There are many issues to consider in your case that a case manager is not qualified to answer. If you are not able to speak to your attorney and are becoming frustrated only speaking to a case manager, you should speak to our attorneys about your case.

What To Do If You Are Unhappy with a Case Manager

Are you frustrated with only talking to a case manager and never being able to speak to your lawyer? Some clients call our office months after hiring a law firm and they have never met their lawyer. If you’re having these problems, call your case manager and request an in-person meeting with the lawyer. If the case manager does not set a meeting or delays trying to set a meeting, you need to begin looking for a new attorney. If the case manager asks why you want a meeting tell them you want to meet the attorney and have specific questions you want the lawyer to answer, including questions about case value, strategy, and timelines for settlement or court. Here is a list of questions you want to consider asking:

  • Does my case manager have a paralegal certificate? How long has he/she worked for you?
  • What is my case worth? What is the settlement value and what is the value at trial? Is it worth going to trial in my case?
  • What are the next steps in my case and how long will it take to get to settlement?
  • What factors may delay a settlement? Is there anything I can do to get to a settlement quicker?
  • Do you have all of my medical records? Is anything in my records going to be a problem?
  • Do you have past experience with the insurance company in my case?
  • How many cases do you currently have going to trial? What was your last jury verdict?
  • How many expenses are there in my case? After expenses and medical bills, how much do I get to keep in my pocket?

If your lawyer cannot answer these questions or if the lawyer does not want to set an in-person meeting then your case is not receiving proper attention. If you’ve hired a low-end TV firm and you only get to speak with a case manager, you want to consider talking to a lawyer. A lawyer is a person most qualified to handle your case and if your lawyer won’t return your calls then make a switch. Your lawyer treats your case the way they treat you. If your lawyer does not care about answering your questions, FIRE YOUR LAWYER!

Our attorneys are here to speak with you and answer your questions. We believe each client should be informed about their case and get direct answers to their questions. If you’re not sure how to fire your attorney, call our office or read our post about “Can I Fire my Georgia Car Accident Attorney and Hire a New Attorney?

If you have been seriously injured in an accident, then your case needs attention from a qualified Atlanta car accident attorney. If you call your lawyer and the only person you speak to is a case manager, your case is not getting the attention it needs and it is time to fire your lawyer. You’re likely reading this post because you are second guessing why you hired your current lawyer in the first place. If that’s the case, please read our next blog, Can I Fire My Lawyer?

Nick Martin

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