As an attorney, you know that not every client who walks through your door is ideal. There are a few key signs that you’ve found yourself a difficult claimant, even if the actual case may be a quick win. Here are some of the best ways to combat common client woes:

1. Your client is unresponsive

A common issue among attorneys of all case types: You’ll interview a claimant, decide he or she has a good case, and just when you mail out a retainer package, the claimant goes silent. No phone calls or emails seem to get through, and you’re left wondering if he or she has hired another attorney.

A great way to connect with an unresponsive claimant is to mix up the methods you use for communication. If phone calls haven’t worked, try sending an email, or even a text message if you think it might work. The same can be said for contacting a claimant at a specific time of the day: If your claimant has yet to answer a 10 a.m. phone call, try calling in the afternoon instead.

2. Your client demands wins

When a claimant hires an attorney, he or she often expects that this will be a “quick fix” and the claim is as good as won. As an attorney, you know this is not always the case at all.

A great way to reassure your claimant that speaking with an attorney is a good way to go is to present a claimant with the statistics of claims won without an attorney. Depending on what area of law you practice, some case types (family law, personal injury) are much more successful once a claimant enlists the help of an attorney. Claimants may also not be aware that as an attorney, you may be able to negotiate arbitration with the other party, bypassing the trial entirely.

3. Your client dislikes your ideas

Every so often you’ll find the claimant who knows it all: Exactly what to argue in court, what makes a good case, etc.

For example, you may receive a call from a Social Security disability claimant who wants to apply for bipolar disorder, a notoriously difficult claim to win benefits for. With your legal expertise, you can evaluate the situation and determine if the claimant has better chances applying for another disability. Some claimants will have other diagnoses, such as spinal disorders or vision loss, but not believe these are as “disabling” as a mental illness. By explaining how your first-hand knowledge of the legal system, you can assure claimants that your advice is the best to take.

4. Your client is oblivious to the process

Many claimants believe that once they file a Social Security claim or start a personal injury claim against an insurance company, they will receive benefits in a matter of days. As a legal professional, you know this is not possible.

Every time a claimant calls your firm or contacts you online, it’s important to outline the exact process: Claimants may not understand the workers’ compensation claims can take months to even schedule hearings, and the average SSDI or SSI claimant waits for nearly two years to receive benefits. An easy way to keep your claimants updates as the case develops is to send frequent emails, such as sending mass emails to everyone associated with a claim through case management software.

Finding qualified clients can be hard. Legal lead generation can become an affordable way for your firm to sign new clients and boost your profitability. To speak with us about potentially adding case leads to your current marketing efforts, give us a call today at 617.800.0089