Hemet, CA asked in Personal Injury and Car Accidents for California

Q: Could I fire my lawyer, take the offer that my lawyer rejected on my own?

3 Lawyer Answers

A: you can always fire your lawyer and get a new one or handle on your own.

the lawyer's name will be on the settlement check and he would probably set up a hearing before a judge to determine quantum meruit..........payment for what work he did

A: Your lawyer has a "lien" on your case protecting the value of the work they have done. The insurance company would love you to do that because then won't have to pay anything until you and the attorney work it out. In all my years of settling cases with insurance companies I have only had this attempted once and when I explained everything to my client he backed down. Unless your attorney agrees to your plan it most likely won't be successful.

A: Your attorney does not have the authority to reject an offer, only you do, as the client. A client can switch lawyers anytime he or she wants.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.