When you have been in a truck accident, it is important to hire a qualified attorney to help you get the settlement you deserve. However, there may be attorneys you do not know who approach you and try to take you on as a client. It is important to understand that this is personal solicitation, and it is highly unethical for attorneys to engage in this behavior.
Personal solicitation is when an attorney or someone acting on the attorney or firm’s behalf approaches someone that may be in need of legal help and offers their services. This can be done in many ways, but it is typically done in person to try and pressure or coerce someone into hiring the attorney. It is considered extremely unethical to try and gain clients in this manner, and the American Bar Association strictly prohibits it.
There can be exceptions, such as an attorney offering their services via mail, but that form of solicitation may be considered acceptable because mail can be ignored. Another example is if the attorney already has some form of relationship with the person. Ultimately, it is highly inappropriate for an attorney to solicit business from someone they have no prior relationship with.
Attorneys can personally solicit you in a variety of ways. It is important to know what solicitation looks like, so you are prepared to make an informed decision if it does happen. Everyone has the right to choose their own attorney, and after a truck accident, it is especially crucial that you hire a lawyer that is qualified to take on your case.
1. Approached in the Hospital
After a wreck, you may find yourself in the hospital dealing with serious injuries. Or you may be in the hospital visiting a family member that was severely injured. While you are vulnerable after this tragedy, an attorney or someone else acting on their behalf may approach you trying to offer legal services.
To solicit someone in this manner is unethical. During the aftermath of an accident, the victim and their family are distraught, looking for answers, and considering what steps to take next. For an attorney to personally solicit you in this setting means they are taking advantage of your tragedy for their own monetary gain.
Alternatively, it may not be an attorney that approaches you. Sometimes they may use a “runner” to provide you with their contact information. This could look like someone at the doctor’s office recommending you contact a specific attorney. They may also inform an attorney that you could be a potential client for them. Either way, this subjects patients to undue influence and harms the integrity of your healthcare services.
2. Approached with Your Police Report
When an accident occurs, those involved typically speak with the police to tell their story, which results in the police filing a report. What you may not know is that anyone can obtain your police report if they know how to request it.
If an attorney looking to solicit clients is informed of your wreck, they may have a runner acquire the report and approach you with it. This person may claim their business is collecting police reports and delivering them to those who may need them. They will typically include contact information for an attorney they recommend you hire, sometimes in the form of a business card stapled to the police report. If you receive a police report from a stranger, look closely to make sure the report is actually for your accident. Any attorney you hire will request a copy of your police report to help them build your case, but one used to solicit you may not be accurate.
Regardless of whether you have been approached directly by an attorney or someone acting on their behalf, this is still unethical solicitation. And if this attorney is willing to break the rules of ethics to solicit clients, then there is a chance they engage in unethical practices in other areas of their business.
3. A Stranger Contacts You to Refer You to an Attorney
Following an accident, you may be contacted by strangers via phone, text message, or email who claim they want to help you find legal representation. They could refer you to a specific law firm or attorney they say specializes in cases like yours and then provide you with more information about the attorney or firm.
These calls or messages will be very similar to solicitation or “spam” you would receive from other businesses, but the person on the other end might have information about your accident. The person contacting you may have found information about your wreck in the news, online, or through a lead generation company that sold them your information. If you are solicited in this manner, the simplest thing to do is hang up the phone and/or block the sender to prevent future messages.
Do Your Own Research Before Hiring an Attorney
After a wreck, you and your loved ones will likely feel vulnerable and confused, searching for answers and next steps. It is highly unethical for an attorney to personally solicit you in this state and could ultimately lead you to hiring someone who is more focused on making money from a case than helping you seek the justice you deserve.
Even if you are solicited, be sure to research the attorney who has contacted you, as well as other attorneys who may be better suited for you. Are they truly qualified to handle your case? Have they received board-certification in truck accident law? Do they regularly teach or write about their area of law? What do their reviews look like? It is important to keep in mind that those who obtain their clients unethically may break similar rules to quickly settle your case.
Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help
Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys.
Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.
Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.
David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
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