Q: Can a lawyer put a lein on a settlement after he had been fired for not doing hes job and settling the case i did it
I had to go get medical bills, dr.reports, and contact the insurance company myself they tried for almost a year to settle case that being the insurance company but they could not get nothing from this worthless lawyer.
A: By statute, a lawyer has a lien for the reasonable time and costs expended on a personal injury claim. That lien will be enforceable against the insurance company, another lawyer who settles the case, and against the client who receives proceeds. The amount of the lien may be challenged. The lawyer is not entitled to a contingency fee necessarily (but the lien will be capped at that), and you may argue their fee is either unreasonable or the effort or services provided not worth the amount of fees under the circumstances. Depending on where you are located, you can request the fee dispute be mediated through the state or local bar association’s fee dispute process. Montgomery, Prince George’s and Baltimore City bar associations all have fee dispute programs, while other counties are covered under the Maryland State Bar Association. You can also try and settle the fee dispute with the lawyer directly. You should demand a time and expense statement for all time expended (date, description of work or service performed, time spent on the task, hourly rate charged). The burden is on the lawyer to justify their claimed fee.
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