The pandemic has us adjusting almost every aspect of our daily lives. Our home, work, and even visiting friends and loved ones have changed. One concern you may have is how this pandemic will affect your case with your personal injury attorney?
What are personal injury attorneys doing to handle these changes?
Attorneys are working hard to adapt and continue to process cases. The time it takes to move a case forward has drastically slowed down, but many attorneys are still processing documents and moving forward. Some things are expected: with delays being the main obstacle.
Delays
The courts were closed for several months, and while they may have cleared up much of their backlog, they are still experiencing delays in processing cases. Insurance companies are changing their processes and are also experiencing delays in processing claims and working with attorneys.
We must expect and adapt to the delays. Attorneys are watching the constant changes to court schedules and adjusting the calendars as needed.
Here are steps that are still being done, even during delays:
- Preparing documents
- Filing documents online with the courts
- Responding to discovery
- Maintaining and updating client’s files
- Constantly verifying the court calendars
- Communicating with the opposing counsel
- Communicating with the client
How to Manage During the Delays
Many businesses, including personal injury attorneys, quickly learned how to change their typical working environment and are now doing ‘business as usual” in a new way. Many documents are electronically updated, allowing all employees within the office to view any document in any case file easily.
We are seeing more employees work remotely, and clients are benefiting from this. So what is the key to moving forward?
Communication. Your personal injury attorney should keep in touch
Effective communication is the key to working together through the pandemic. More people are working from home or other remote locations. But with technology, legal cases are still being handled efficiently.
There are various ways the client can keep in touch with their attorney:
- Phone calls – Even if the legal secretary is working at home, they still have access to all the client’s files and can answer any questions or update the case.
- Video calls – Some clients are becoming comfortable with video meetings with their attorneys. Videoconferencing allows the client to attend a meeting with the attorney, often making the client feel confident with the status of their case.
- Online portals – Submitting questions online makes it possible for a client to submit a question to the attorney’s office day or night, and someone will get back to the client as soon as possible.
But communication is not the only important aspect of a law office successfully working through this chaotic time. We know that confidentially and technology are critical.
While remote working has benefits, we always ensure the confidentially of our clients. For instance: each employee handles all paperwork with the same care as in the office. Documents that are old or not of use are shredded and disposed of properly. And, when speaking with a client, the worker uses headphones when they are not in a private area. Respect for the client should always come first.
The pandemic has changed the way we all do business, but that is not always bad. This change has forced attorneys to look at the way the office is run and make needed updates. Employee efficiency can improve during these times, and that is always good for clients. When your attorney’s law office can adapt, they can also make decisions quickly and change when necessary.
Technology allows all of us to work together, no matter where we are. But it’s still the human touch that matters most. Being able to talk with an attorney or their paralegal is what the client wants and needs. We keep our clients informed of the status of their cases, and that will never change.
If you have been in an accident and you are concerned about how we will handle your case during the pandemic. Rest assured that we will make sure our clients have top-notch communication from our team and will take every precaution to make you feel safe.
Contact us today for a free case consultation.
