5 Reasons a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer May Say ‘No’ to Your Case

Just like every person in life, no two lawyers think the same. When you are on the hunt for spinal cord injury lawyer, you may experience being rejected by a lawyer, and you may be confused as to why this occurred. The fact of the matter is that each lawyer will see your case differently. Some may feel your case has merit, while others may feel it will only be a waste of time and money. If you have been rejected by a spinal cord injury lawyer, do not give up on your search. Just like finding a doctor, you must always get a second opinion.

Here are the five most common reasons a spinal cord injury lawyer may reject your case:

5. Not Enough Experience

A spinal cord injury lawyer may reject your case simply because they do not have enough experience in personal injury cases involving a spinal cord injury. They likely know that a spinal cord injury case will involve a lot of paperwork, which they may not have the time to do. Managing a spinal cord injury case can include looking through thousands of documents and dozens of claims related to a client’s injury. In addition, they will need to hire expert witnesses and medical professionals to lend their expertise. All of this can be overwhelming to a new lawyer, or a lawyer with little experience with SCI. If they reject your case, they very well may not have enough experience. If you are rejected, do not believe your case has less merit. Always get a second opinion.

4. Taking On Your Case Will Be Too Expensive

Unfortunately, many personal injury lawyers will reject your case because they know it will be expensive, and even if they do win your case, they may not make much money. This is because litigating your spinal cord injury case will be expensive. These extra costs of litigation can stem from depositions, hiring expert witnesses, travel time, and all of the extra research it will take to collect the necessary details for your case. For example, if a lawyer believes you will only win $10,000 in financial compensation, it may not be worth their time to take your case.

3. Too Many Legal Challenges

Sometimes a lawyer will reject your case because the legal precedents (jurisdiction, liability) may not be in your favor. However, this should not be enough reason to reject your case altogether. Always make sure to get a second opinion if a personal injury attorney claims that there are simply too many legal issues surrounding your case to take it on.

2. Statute of Limitations Close to Expiring

Every state has a statute of limitations, which is a time limit on when you can bring your case to trial. In most states, personal injury cases have a statute of limitations of two years, but in other states this can range from 1 to 3 years. Make sure to check your state’s statute of limitations so you know when exactly you need to file your claim. If you wait too long in bringing your case to a prospective lawyer, and your statute of limitations is only months away from expiring, a lawyer may reject your case because there is not enough time to successfully litigate your claim. Additionally, a lawyer may reject your case because the statute of limitations may have expired, which means it is impossible for any lawyer to take on your case.

1. Conflict of Interest

A lawyer may reject your case because it is not a good fit for their personality. Your case could bring up bad memories for the lawyer, as a friend or family member of theirs may have suffered a spinal cord injury. Whatever their reason is for not wanting to take your case, it is their legal obligation to tell you if they have a conflict of interest that may affect your case. Also, lawyers are obligated to tell you if they cannot take your case for personal reasons. They may be going through something in their personal lives, such as a family illness.

In your hunt for the perfect spinal cord injury lawyer for your case, always get a second opinion if you have been turned away by prospective lawyers. There are many great lawyers out there that are experienced in helping people with spinal cord injury cases. Contact us today with any questions about getting representation for your case.