Top Reasons People Are Skeptical About Hiring a Lawyer

The majority of what the average person knows or thinks they know about court cases and legal representation comes from what they see on television. Hollywood has a tendency to taint the image of lawyers. 

It can be scary to find yourself in need of an Atlanta personal injury lawyer after being involved in an accident, and some lawyers might come off as intimidating or harsh when you first speak with them during a free consultation.

The typical attorney stereotype generally doesn’t match reality. Personal injury lawyers are committed to fighting for the rights of injury victims going through what is often the most difficult struggle of their lives.

So why are people so suspicious of lawyers?

Personal Injury Lawyers Are Expensive

This is generally wrong. Your personal injury attorney won’t charge you anything to get started on your case. Personal injury and malpractice lawyers work on what’s known as a contingency fee basis. That means they represent you for free until they win your case. They will then be paid a percentage of the settlement they negotiate or the verdict they win on your behalf.

Contingency fees are good for clients in several ways. Most obviously it incentivizes personal injury lawyers to fight aggressively for their clients, as the bigger the settlement they get the more they will ultimately be paid.

Secondly, many people who have been injured are in difficult financial straits. They may not have had the money for legal representation even before they were injured. Now that they’ve been injured, they can’t work, have extra medical costs and still have all their pre-injury bills to pay.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident or slip and fall, you can stop worrying about how much a lawyer will cost. In many cases they won’t even ask you to pay for court fees. They’ll work for free until your case is successfully settled, and if they don’t win, they won’t get paid.

Lawyers Don't Tell People What They Want to Hear

If you are in trouble and someone tells you so, it can feel a lot like getting scolded. Having to deal with the law on a court level is not fun for anyone. Someone is always going to be in question. It can be difficult to be honest. On top of the anxiety of judgment, cases can be emotional to handle. Being vulnerable with someone you have just met isn’t easy, especially if you find the person intimidating.

If what a lawyer is telling you is not necessarily in tune with your emotions, you might not be very receptive. 

Sometimes lawyers have to give their clients bad news. If a client is not going to get as much money as expected, or the case has taken a wrong turn, it falls on the lawyer to let them know.

People tend to hold high expectations for their legal representation, even if those expectations are unrealistic. This can eventually result in disappointment. Personal injury lawyers are usually well intentioned, but they’re not miracle workers.

Personal injury attorneys often need to tell clients not to do certain things, or to provide information that they don’t really want to provide (like medical records). Clients should remember that lawyers aren’t prying to be mean – they’re trying to help you get the money you deserve for your injuries.

Confusing Legal Jargon

Feeling condescended to by someone using any kind of technical jargon is natural, and it happens a lot with personal injury lawyers and their clients. Understanding legal jargon is difficult. It tends to create a barrier between the client and lawyer if not well explained.

Latin terms are not what people want to hear; it can be intimidating. It is hard to trust someone when you can't understand the terms they are using. Attorneys should be explaining legal terminology to their client as best they can.

When you go in for your free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer, pay close attention to the terms they use and whether they take the time to explain them. Attorneys who are transparent and take the time to explain jargon are often preferable.

They Get the “Bad Guy” Rep

Lawyers are frequently portrayed as bad guys in television and movies. They’re the characters who don’t care about the victims, they’re just in it for the money. Or they’re only in the story to defend the bad guys or get them acquitted of criminal charges.

These narratives often unfairly color people’s perceptions of all lawyers, even personal injury lawyers. Personal injury lawyers don’t defend criminals or prosecute people who may be wrongfully accused. All they do is fight for the rights and compensation people who are injured by someone else’s negligence deserve.

If there was ever a real “good guy” lawyer, it would be personal injury attorneys.

Get Help After You’ve Been Injured

Skeptical or not, there may come a time when you need to hire a personal injury lawyer in Atlanta. Having a certified professional on your side to navigate the legal system is an advantage in any case.

At ATL Elite Lawyers we’ve strived to identify local Atlanta attorneys who truly care about their clients and don’t hesitate to fight for their rights. Visit our lawyers page to find local law firms staffed by good guys who will fight for you.