When to Hire an Attorney

When do I hire an attorney is a question that is asked often. If you have been injured on the job, especially if you are a maritime worker, you should seek the assistance of a skilled, reputable maritime lawyer as soon after the injury as possible. There are issues early on in maritime claims that require the knowledge of an experienced maritime lawyer. Incorrect election of remedies can prevent full recovery under the proper division of the law and mistakes with your medical care can have life changing results. These are just two issues that require early legal intervention.

Hiring an attorney from the start can provide you with the assistance of someone who knows your rights regarding maintenance benefits, and the acceptable rate of pay for these benefits and also understands your rights to select your own doctors and the importance of this early in the process. A delay in seeking legal representation can be disastrous to your claim as can enrolling the assistance of an attorney unqualified to handle the claim. You cannot trust the benefits coordinator, insurance adjuster, or even nurse case managers assigned to your claim. All of these individuals serve only one purpose, to keep the claim costs down and cut off benefits as soon as possible. For this reason, you should be apprehensive about referrals to doctors selected by these individuals.

All lawyers are licensed to handle all cases but that does not mean you should consider hiring a lawyer just because they are licensed. If you have a maritime or Jones Act injury it is vital that you hire an attorney with experience in the field of maritime and Jones Act law. Experience alone is not sufficient criteria for you to select a lawyer. A good lawyer should be persuasive and able to communicate with everyday people, lawyers, judges, juries and you. If you talk to a lawyer and you don’t like them, don’t hire the lawyer. If the lawyer doesn’t have time to talk with you, go elsewhere. If the lawyer doesn’t want to help you with loans and with his time, don’t hire him. If you’ve already hired a lawyer and you are unhappy with him, consider firing that lawyer and hiring another.

The time to hire a Jones Act lawyer is immediately after your injury. If you’ve waited, then hire a Jones Act lawyer now. The sooner you act the less damage you are going to do to your own case. A good Jones Act lawyer can sometimes undo damage that unrepresented workers do to their own case. However, it’s better to avoid damage to your case and start off with the right kind of lawyer, a Jones Act lawyer.

Call the Ogletree Abbott Law Firm at 1-800-JonesAct and talk with us. Listen to how we talk to you, think about what type of people we are, time us and see how long we will talk to you, determine how well we communicate and if we seem concerned and willing to jump right in and help you immediately. We can help legally, financially and personally. Call us and find out the difference between the others and us.

Let Us Help You

No matter where you live, the lawyers and attorneys at the Ogletree Abbott Law Firm can help you get the help you need. If you would like, a lawyer or an attorney can contact you to answer your questions. There is no obligation and the initial phone call is always free of charge. Call toll free 1-800-Jones-Act (1-800-566-3722). You may send us an email. Call today and hire an attorney that is knowledgeable about your claim.