My Lawyer Is Not Communicating With Me In Michigan, Now What?
If your lawyer is not communicating with you about your case, you need to hire one who will. You deserve to have an attorney who answers your calls and emails, and always keeps you informed about your case. A good lawyer should always be there for you when you need help or have a question. It is, after all, your case.
Your attorney works for you. You do not have to put up with being ignored. You have the right to expect regular, open and honest communication with your attorney.
If your lawyer is not communicating with you about your Michigan case, then you have the absolute right to discharge them at any time and find one who will make you and your case a priority.
The car accident attorneys at Michigan Auto Law emphasize great communication with the people we are entrusted with helping. Our Michigan lawyers know that communicating with you about your Michigan car accident case is not only is this the right thing to do, but it is a huge driver to achieving the best settlements for our clients. Communication prevents small issues from becoming big mistakes that can derail a case. We work very hard to help our clients and their families get through what is likely one of the most difficult, emotional and stressful experiences in their lives.
To a large degree, we accomplish this – along with obtaining record-setting car accident settlements for our clients – by working hard to always keep the lines of communication open.
We pride ourselves on going that extra mile to make sure we are always “there” to support our clients. Our goal is to treat every person we help with the utmost respect, compassion and consideration.
We know and understand how tumultuous and stressful the period following an auto accident can be. As such, our Michigan lawyers are committed to communicating with you about your case keeping you informed about your case so you understand what is happening and you have all of the information you need to make the best decisions for you and your family.
Michigan Auto Law’s special approach to caring for, protecting, and communicating with our clients about guarantees you a level of service that no other personal injury lawyer in the state can match.
If those are qualities you want in your attorney, then you can use our Proven Attorney Transition Plan to get help and be heard from a Michigan Auto Law attorney.
Is it normal to not hear from your attorney?
No. It is not normal for you to not hear from your attorney. It is also not right. Although a good attorney will want to maintain regular and open communication, all Michigan attorneys also have an ethical duty to keep clients informed about their cases and to promptly respond to client questions and concerns.
Importantly, Rule 1.4 of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct, which is the set of ethical rules that attorneys are required to abide by, provides that an attorney “shall keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter and comply promptly with reasonable requests for information.”
An attorney must also “explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation.”
What To Do If Your Michigan Lawyer Isn’t Communicating: A Step-By-Step Guide
If your Michigan lawyer has stopped communicating with you, take these five steps in order before deciding whether to fire them.
1. Document every attempt to reach them. Keep a simple log of every call, email, text and office visit — the date, the method, and what you asked. This log matters if you later need to show a pattern of neglect to a new attorney or file a grievance.
2. Send one written request with a deadline. Email or text your attorney directly. State what you need (a case status update, an answer to a specific question) and give a firm deadline, such as “Please respond by [date] at [time].” A written deadline makes it much harder for an attorney to keep ignoring you.
3. Contact the paralegal or office manager. If the attorney still isn’t responding, call the office and ask for their paralegal or legal assistant. Support staff often know whether the attorney is in court, on leave, or simply behind — and they can often get you an answer faster than another voicemail.
4. Send a certified letter if a week or more has passed. If you’ve tried multiple methods with no response, send a letter by certified mail with a return receipt requested. State that you’ve attempted to reach them multiple times and that you need a response within five business days.
5. Know your options. If the silence continues, you have three rights as a client:
- Request your file. You have the right to your complete case file at any time, whether or not you switch attorneys.
- Discharge your attorney. Clients have the right to fire an attorney at any time, with or without cause, and hire new counsel.
- File a grievance. If the lack of communication has caused missed deadlines or harmed your case, you can file a Request for Investigation with the Attorney Grievance Commission.
Attorney not responding to emails
You do not have to put up with your attorney not responding to emails. Your lawyer has a duty to communicate with you about your Michigan car accident case – and should want to – respond to your emails to make sure you are informed about the status of your case and to make sure your questions are answered so you understand what is happening and why.
Our attorneys treat every person we help with dignity, respect, compassion and caring. That means that our Michigan lawyers always communicate with you – and we do so promptly – to all emails from our clients.
Attorney will not return calls
There is no excuse for why your attorney will not return calls. If you are calling, it is because you have a question or you need information. Perhaps you need to know about your insurance benefits or about an upcoming deposition or why your adjuster said or did something – or most likely didn’t do something timely. By not returning your calls, your lawyer isn’t communicating with you about your Michigan case and is leaving you in the dark.
The car accident attorneys at Michigan Auto Law will always return your calls. We provide our clients with unlimited and open lines of communication at all times. Phone calls are always returned within one day at most – although almost all are usually returned much sooner than that. We are here to answer your questions, even on nights and on weekends.
Should I Fire My Lawyer If They Stop Communicating With Me About My Michigan Case?
When your lawyer stops communicating with you and ignoring your calls, emails, texts or letters or when he or she fails to regularly keep you informed about the status and developments in your Michigan case, you can and should fire your attorney, seek a second opinion and hire a new one.
You have the right to discharge your attorney at any time and for any reason. The comment to Rule 1.6 of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct states that a “client has a right to discharge a lawyer at any time, with or without cause . . .”
Is your lawyer not communicating with you about your Michigan car accident case? Call Michigan Auto Law to talk right now
If you were injured in a car crash in Michigan and the lawyer you hired is not communicating with you about your car accident case and is refusing to return your calls or answer your emails, then the car accident attorneys at Michigan Auto Law can help. We are here and available for our clients around the clock. If you have questions about your legal rights to pain and suffering compensation, economic damages and auto No-Fault insurance benefits, we are here to always answer those questions. In almost all cases, our clients get a response from us that same day. To take advantage of our Proven Lawyer Transition Plan in order to switch from a lawyer who is ignoring you to one who cares and who will be responsive and available for you, you can call toll free anytime 24/7 at (800) 968-1001 for a free consultation about getting the process started. You can also get help by visiting our contact page or you can use the chat feature on our website.
Written By
Steve M. Gursten,
Attorney,
License#: P53632
Steven Gursten, attorney at Michigan Auto Law and one of the most successful auto accident attorneys in Michigan. Michigan Auto Law represents people seriously injured in car, truck, motorcycle, and bus accidents, including catastrophic injury, traumatic brain injury, and No-Fault insurance cases. Steven has recovered the largest reported auto and truck accident settlement of any Michigan lawyer, and has been named Michigan Lawyer of the Year and a Top 50 Michigan Super Lawyer.
Read Steven Gursten’s full attorney profileLegally Reviewed by Todd Berg, Attorney
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. See our Community Guidelines.