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I'm not sure of my Lawyer's follow thru.
Washington, DC
Viewed 52 times.
Posted 5 months ago in Car / Auto Accident
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A year ago I was a passenger in a car. A garbage truck ran a red light and rear-ended us. The license of the truck driver had expired. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. One month later I had to have 3 pins placed in my hip, after 6 months it became infected, another surgery to remove the pins and 6 weeks at home antibiotics. Without the pins, my hip fractured clean through and resulted in a partial hip replacement. I've now had 3 surgeries, 6 weeks in the hospital, months of painful physical therapy with six more months to got. It has been a year of chronic pain with at least 6 more month to go.
My lawyer says very little to me. His only advice is "wait until you are done with everything" Is this the right thing to do? just wait? What $ should I hope for? Answers (3)
Michael Raphael Cowen
This attorney is licensed in New York and 1 other state.
Posted 5 months ago.
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It is difficult to second-guess another lawyer without looking at his entire file. That being said, the value of your claim will depend on the amount of insurance the garbage truck carried, as well as the amount of your medical bills, lost wages, and how you end up after you finish getting medical treatment. If there is a large insurance policy on the other side, then the lawyer may be correct that you should wait and see how your treatment turns out before trying to settle your case. The problem is that once you settle your case, you cannot go back for more if it turns out that you need more medical treatment or you don't heal like your doctors had hoped.
That being said, it is important for lawyers to keep their clients informed. One way to get more attention from your lawyer is to put your questions and frustrations in writing. Lawyers freak out when they get something in writing from a client, because they often suspect they are being set up for a bar grievance or an attempt to fire them and take the file somewhere else. Also, in a wreck involving a commercial vehicle, there are things that your lawyer should be doing while your medical treatment progresses, such as investigating the other driver's background and the company's safety record. You might want to ask if anything has been done on that front. 
Lars A. Lundeen
This attorney is licensed in Florida and 1 other state.
Posted 4 months ago.
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As I am licensed in Florida and Vermont, I cannot offer you specific legal advice as to Washington DC law. However, generally, what I think your attorney is trying to tell you is that you need to wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement before you can fully assess all of the ramifications of your injuries.
You do not want to settle a claim before you have a good idea as to whether or not you are likely to have future medical treatment needed. I would suggest that you request a face to face meeting with your attorney to be brought up to date on the status of your case and what additional information he may need before he is in a position to either negotiate your claim or file suit. 
Jonathan H Levy
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