What to Do When Your Pennsylvania Car Accident or Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer Fails To Communicate With You
When it comes time to representing clients in Pennsylvania personal injury and Pennsylvania car accident cases, the communication between the lawyer and his client should be seamless. If it is not, clients suffer. Ineffective communication by and between a client and their lawyer is one of the most frequently cited causes of client dissatisfaction and poor results. The more complex the client’s case, the more likely it is that there will be an error in communication. All Pennsylvania lawyers are bound by the Rules of Professional Conduct and lawyers as representatives of clients are officers of the court and have a special responsibility for the quality of justice. A Pennsylvania lawyer must provide you with an informed understanding of your legal rights and obligations, as well as their practical implications.
The laws require the lawyer to maintain communication with a client concerning representation in a competent, prompt, and diligent manner. Unfortunately difficult ethical problems arise from a conflict between a lawyer’s responsibility to his clients and the system. Rule 1.4 of the Pennsylvania Rules for Disciplinary Enforcement state that with regard to attorney/client communications:
(a) a Pennsylvania lawyer shall:
(1) promptly inform the client of any decision or circumstance with respect to which the client’s informed consent is required;
(2) reasonably consult with the client about the means by which the client’s objectives are to be accomplished;
(3) keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the matter;
(4) promptly comply with reasonable requests for information;
(5) consult with the client about any relevant limitation on the lawyer’s conduct when the lawyer knows that the client expects assistance not permitted by the Rules of Professional Conduct or law.
(b) A Pennsylvania lawyer shall explain the matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding representation.
Reasonable communication between the Pennsylvania lawyer and his or her client is necessary for the client to effectively participate in representation. At the Pennsylvania car accident and catastrophic personal injury law firm of Reiff & Bily, we believe that the client comes first and all phone calls must be returned within 24 hours and we regularly meet with our clients to keep them informed of the status of their case. If this is not being done, there is a serious chance that an error can occur and the client will not be protected to maximum of our legal abilities. If you are involved in a significant Pennsylvania injury case or Pennsylvania car accident case, you should insist on regular conversations and meetings with your lawyer as “you get one bite at the apple” in the litigation process and chance favors the prepared man.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a catastrophic injury or Pennsylvania car accident, please contact one of our lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.
