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Can A Lawyer Contact Me after an Accident?

After being involved in a car accident, injured victims are often urged to contact a lawyer. Seeking legal guidance after suffering injury due to the fault of another individual is advice that our law firm gives to victims on a regular basis. When it comes to a car accident claim, every detail matters, so it is imperative to have a professional guiding you through the process.

Car Accident Lawyer: Direct Contact with Prospective Clients

While we recommend that victims contact a car accident lawyer following an accident, it is a violation of professional conduct for a lawyer to contact an individual in need of legal services via phone, in-person, or in real-time electronic communication after their accident.  The below information has been paraphrased from Rule 7.3: Direct Contact with Prospective Clients from the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct

(a) A lawyer shall not meeting someone in person, call them on the phone, or contact them through electronic media if the lawyer’s motive is to make money on that person unless the person contacted:

(1) is a lawyer; or

(2) has family, close personal, or prior professional relationship with the lawyer.

If the individual has made it known that they do not wish to be solicited, and the communication is not prohibited by the points made in the above paragraph (i.e. if the individual has had a previous relationship with the lawyer, but they have made it known that they do not wish to communicate further with them), the lawyer is not able to solicit professional employment. This is explained by the below components of Rule 7.3: Direct Contact with Prospective Clients:

(b)  A Lawyer shall not solicit professional employment by written, recorded or electronic communication or by in-person, telephone or real-time electronic contact even when not otherwise prohibited by paragraph (a), if:

(1) the target of the solicitation has made known to the lawyer a desire not to be solicited by the lawyer; or

(2) the solicitation involves coercion, duress or harassment.

Advertising Materials from Car Accident Lawyer

While a lawyer may not contact an injured car accident victim by phone, in-person, or real-time electronic contact, they are able to send letters to the victim, as well as recorded or written electronic communication. An example of this would be in the form of a pamphlet sent to your home with information regarding car accident claims, or an email that explains the legal options available to you. However, if a form of communication such as this is received by a car accident victim, it must clearly state the words “Advertising Material” on the envelope, or at the beginning and ending of electronic communication. This is explained in paragraph (c) of Rule 7.3: Direct Contact with Prospective Clients.

Receiving Calls from Unknown Numbers

Attorney Charlie Contrada has heard from various clients that have received multiple calls from “Unknown” sources soon after their car accident. One injured car accident victim said she received upwards of 50 phone calls. It is likely that these calls were made on behalf of a personal injury attorney as some utilize secondary services to contact perspective clients on their behalf.

Our law firm does not operate on the basis of soliciting business in a manner that is unethical and intruding on the privacy of car accident victims. Attorney Charlie Contrada believes that by posting helpful information through our blog, we are able to offer useful legal advice to retain clients. Contrada & Associates does not send letters (i.e. Advertising Material) because we feel it is a burden. In our opinion, the only reason that this type of communication following an accident is allowed is because the insurance companies can contact you and no one trusts the insurance companies to be fair to injured individuals.

To speak to a lawyer regarding the injuries sustained in a car accident, call 419.841.4400. Attorney Charlie Contrada is happy to speak with you directly to review your car accident and explain the steps that you should take toward filing a car accident claim.

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Attorney Charlie Contrada has been practicing law since 1979, focusing his career on personal injury, car accident, and mesothelioma cases. Over the years, Charlie has helped thousands of clients throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan to receive the settlements that they deserve.

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