Was my lawyer unfair or “gold digging” me? Should I work with him again?
A few years ago when I got arrested(first and only time), I invested in a good lawyer so that I was more likely to get into the ARD probation program(a program for first time offenders that allows you to get your record expunged afterwards). It was for a nonviolent crime. He charged me 00 retainer. Being naive and desperately wanting to get into ARD and avoid criminal conviction, I told him that I would pay him 0-700/week on a payment plan…despite these large weekly payments putting me into abject poverty.
My case was put on the back burner for about a year, by both the court(having much bigger trials to worry about) and my lawyer. The lawyer had to recontact a few people, but nothing that was too much extra legwork. Nine months after I first started working with this lawyer, he dropped word that he would need another 00 IN ADDITION to the 00 I’d paid off months earlier. Here’s the thing that makes it really bad. Two weeks earlier, my mom died and right after that, I picked up a really bad case of the flu and strep throat. So I was already emotionally distraught about my mom, and I’d been out of work(unpaid) for the past 2 weeks, and this guy just sat in his chair and smugly said he would need another 00, AFTER he knew about my mom’s recent death. I repeated that I’d been out of work for two weeks and it would be hard for me to get the money but I would try my best, and he said, "Well, I need at least 0 by tomorrow morning".
Do you think he demanded the 0 based on my past record of being willing to make such large payments? Do you think I was a pushover to agree to pay 0/week in the past?
The good thing is, he helped me get into ARD though. So I’m happy about that. On the day I got into ARD, other lawyers(my lawyer’s friends/peers) kept telling me how great of a lawyer I had.
Other times, he made remarks I found to be condescending. For example, when a close friend of mine died shortly after my mother died and I told him, he quickly remarked, "What did he die from, drugs?" I didn’t think too much about the remark, but when I told my friends what he said, they were wildly offended and told me that I shoulda been too. Things like that.
So bottom line…do you think it was a mistake that I was so desperate and willing to "pay anything"? Also, I completed ARD and very soon I will be petitioning for expungment of my record. From what I’ve heard so far, a lawyer is not required but it might be a good idea. If so, should I go back to this guy, or to someone else?
Brianna, thank you for your very detailed response. The reason the lawyer charged so much was because: 1, he is a fairly big name lawyer(his father was a senator a few decades ago), and 2, because the technical name of the charges I had made the crime look worse than it really was, so for that reason my case was challenging at times. E.g., a charge called "terroristic threats" makes me look like Bin Laden, when in reality I was only verbally fighting with someone.
I agree that he took advantage of my over desperate willingness to pay him as much $ as I could. And no, I never received any billing details. However, I did get ARD as opposed to misdemeanor convictions, which I guess helps a bit.
The reason I mentioned my friend’s death is because my lawyer knew my friend through a mutual friend of theirs. In fact, it was this (deceased) friend that introduced me to my lawyer. I figured I’d be courteous and let my lawyer in on the bad news. Big mistake apparently.
Here’s more info. My arrest resulted in not only criminal charges but a related civil court summons as well. My lawyer told me that this was separate from the criminal charges, therefore, it would cost an extra 00 for him to accompany me to the civil hearing. A friend told me that I wouldn’t need a lawyer for that, so I went there alone…good thing too, since the civil charges got thrown out anyway, so it would have been a waste to pay for the lawyer since nothing happened with it.
So judging by that experience, I am wondering if maybe I should attend the record expungement hearing alone? Would a lawyer be that much more beneficial, or would it be as unnecessary as having a lawyer for a civil/tort hearing?
how long does it take to get a pain and suffering settlement?
i got in a roll over accident in july of 2009, as a third party, my friend was driving, no one was drinking,and my total bills including missed work were about 24000 dollars, the insurance company has more than the state min. but they wont tell me or my lawyer how much? it has been over nine months now, and i havent even had the first offer even though the insurance has had all my bills for seven months, i know they delay on purpose, but really? i mean make an offer already i already know what the case is worth? I had four diff adjuster’s so far!!!!! every month its somthing new, some code or number isn’t right on my bills and they have to be faxed again from chapel hill , oh i forgot the extent of my injuries, i spent four days in the hospital, bleeding on the brain, and dislocated shoulder, was out of work for almost two months.I don’t want any responses from adjusters lying, if u work for an insurance agency try to be a human being…..i also don’t understand why my lawyer doesn’t just take this to suit already?please help
How much compensation should I settle for in auto accident claim? Should I get a lawyer?
I was rear ended in an automobile accident over a year ago. My back hurt immediately. Over the past year, I have had over nine months of PT, 3 MRI’s (diagnosed disk bulging and ridging) and have had several steroid injections for pain. I am only 26 years old and am still in pain, a year+ later (mostly after basic activities, like mowing the lawn or carrying my son). I am still taking pain meds and inflammatories.
I consider myself to be fairly savvy and decided to pursue a claim with the insurance company myself. I collected all documentation (medical records, etc) and sent a demand letter. I had $20K in medical alone and $6K in missed wages. The fact of the matter is, I know I will need future treatment and I deserve to be compensated for this. The ins. co. offered me 40K. I feel thats way to low for how miserable I feel. Should I get a lawyer? I hate to think of paying them a third, when I’ve already done all the grunt work and am at the negotiation stage. HELP!
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