why is my lawyer taking so long

by Monique Grimes 6 min read

The competency and billing practices of some attorneys can also contribute to litigation delays. Lawyers who do not have the experience or knowledge to know how to handle the case often do nothing. Other lawyers may get paid on an hourly basis and thus benefit monetarily as the case drags out longer.

Generally, if your lawyer is taking too long, it could be for a good reason. Good reasons for the lawyer's delay include waiting for available court dates, lengthy negotiations, court delays, medical treatment to finish, receiving medical records, finding absent parties, and more.Jun 29, 2021

Full Answer

Why does a lawsuit take so long?

So, why does a lawsuit take so long? There are, no doubt, the cynics who believe any delay in a case is due to an attorney trying to milk the file and make more money. But, in reality, much of the delay of most cases is out of either party's hands. First, …

How often should I speak to my lawyer?

Sep 29, 2021 · Once your lawyer receives the check, they usually hold it in a trust or escrow account until it clears. This process takes around 5-7 days for larger settlement checks. Once the check clears, your lawyer deducts their share to cover the cost of their legal services. They also pay any outstanding liens or bills for you.

Is 2 weeks a long time for a lawyer to respond?

Below we outline the most likely reasons that your case is taking a long time to resolve. The Immigration Agency Handling Your Case Is Backed Up U.S. immigration authorities always seem to have more applications coming their way than they can possibly handle in a reasonable time.

Why do I need a lawyer for my immigration case?

How long does this whole process take? Usually four to six weeks, but sometimes longer and when that happens, we’ll let you know why it’s taking longer than usual. When in Doubt, Call Your Lawyer. And if you’re not sure what’s going on with your case, we’re not doing our job and here’s what you should do: call us.

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Why do attorneys take so long?

Once a case gets filed in court, things can really slow down. Common reasons why a case will take longer than one would hope can include: Trouble getting the defendant or respondent served. The case cannot proceed until the defendant on the case has been formally served with the court papers.May 28, 2020

How long should a lawyer take to respond?

A: The lawyer should be responsive to your questions within 24-48 hours after you left a message. If the lawyer is not responsive, perhaps he or she is on vacation and unable to return.Dec 28, 2019

How often should I hear from my attorney?

You should never be afraid or feel like an intrusion to contact your attorney every three weeks or so, or more frequently if there is a lot going on with your health or other matters related to your legal case. There is of course a limit to how much you should be contacting or sharing.Jun 17, 2020

Why do lawyers ignore you?

There's bad news your attorney doesn't want to deliver. If your attorney is not experienced or efficient, they may have missed a deadline or made another mistake and aren't willing to confess their error. There could also be some bad news that is entirely outside of the attorney's control.Mar 29, 2021

What should you not say to a lawyer?

9 Taboo Sayings You Should Never Tell Your LawyerI forgot I had an appointment. ... I didn't bring the documents related to my case. ... I have already done some of the work for you. ... My case will be easy money for you. ... I have already spoken with 5 other lawyers. ... Other lawyers don't have my best interests at heart.More items...•Mar 17, 2021

What can you do if your lawyer is not responsive?

If your lawyer still does not respond, you can send him or her a letter explaining the communication problems. If at this point you do not hear anything from your lawyer, you should consult with a legal malpractice attorney.Sep 27, 2018

Is it normal not to hear from your attorney?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.Oct 25, 2018

Do lawyers lie to their clients?

In California, the Rules of Professional Conduct govern a lawyer's ethical duties. The law prohibits lawyers from engaging in dishonesty.Jun 17, 2015

Can I call my lawyer everyday?

First and foremost, as a client you should have the ability to communicate with your attorney and/or your attorney's support staff in a timely manner. Telephone calls and e-mails should not go unanswered for days, assuming you are not contacting your attorney on a daily basis.May 7, 2015

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

Can I talk to another lawyer if I already have one?

Yes. You can replace your lawyer if you have lost faith or confidence in your lawyer to represent you, you have the right to change counsel. Ideally, it would be good to speak with your lawyer about what is making you unhappy or uncomfortable and give that lawyer the chance to fix the problem.

What do you do when opposing counsel won't respond?

In a nutshell, if opposing counsel isn't responding:Document your repeated efforts at contact, including your statement of the consequence of continued nonresponse.Wait a reasonable amount of time.To be safe, get a court order authorizing direct contact.More items...•Jun 22, 2018

What Factors Delay My Settlement Check?

Depending on the details of your case or your settlement agreement, the actual time it takes for your check to be delivered varies. While many sett...

How Can I Speed Up the Delivery of My Settlement Check?

If you need your settlement check as soon as possible, there are a few ways to speed up the process. Once you get close to a settlement, start draf...

Should I Get a Settlement Advance?

A lawsuit loan, also known as pre-settlement funding, is a cash advance given to a plaintiff in exchange for a portion of their settlement. Unlike...

What is a lawsuit loan?

A lawsuit loan, also known as pre-settlement funding, is a cash advance given to a plaintiff in exchange for a portion of their settlement. Unlike a regular loan, a lawsuit loan doesn’t require a credit check or income verification. Instead, we examine applicants based on the strength of their case.

How long does it take for a settlement check to be delivered?

While many settlements finalize within six weeks, some settlements may take several months to resolve.

How long does it take for a check to clear?

Once your lawyer receives the check, they usually hold it in a trust or escrow account until it clears. This process takes around 5-7 days for larger settlement checks. Once the check clears, your lawyer deducts their share to cover the cost of their legal services.

What is structured settlement?

Unlike a regular settlement that pays the settlement amount in full, a structured settlement is when a defendant pays the settlement amount over time. These types of settlements usually occur when the case involves a minor or if there was a catastrophic injury that requires extensive ongoing medical care.

What happens if you ignore the RFE?

If you ignored the RFE or sent your evidence in late, or are not certain that the evidence you sent was sufficient, this is a likely cause of delay. See an attorney for help.

What is RFE in USCIS?

You Haven't Responded Adequately to a Request for Evidence (RFE) When USCIS cannot approve an application based on the materials you sent it, the agency may send you what's called a Request for Evidence, or RFE.

Do immigration authorities have more applications?

The U.S. immigration authorities always seem to have more applications coming their way than they can possibly handle in a reasonable time. It's the regular subject of news stories and congressional inquiries.

Can you have unlimited numbers on a green card?

If you are in a category of visa or green card applicant that does not allow unlimited numbers to be given out each year, a certain amount of waiting will be built into the process.

Have you moved since filing an application with USCIS?

Have you moved since filing an application with USCIS? If so, you hopefully advised the relevant agency or office. For USCIS, you'd do this using Form AR-11 or its online Change of Address service . (Advising USCIS of any changes of address is legally required of all immigrants.)

Is it possible to have a long wait for an immigration petition?

government action on an immigration petition, visa, or other application, it is quite possible you have already experienced a longer wait than you would have expected —and are wondering why. Unfortunately, long waits are a fact of life in the immigration world. If it is any comfort, the reason is probably nothing personal.

How long does it take for a doctor to review a medical record?

Doctors usually don’t review the medical records right away and it’s common for a case review by a doctor to take two or three weeks. Once I speak with the doctor about his review of the medical records, I’ll know whether your case has merit and then I’m ready to discuss our case evaluation with you.

How to evaluate a medical malpractice case?

Step #1: Getting the Medical Records. The first step is getting your medical records. If you already have your medical records, you can mail a copy of the medical records to us or send them to us by email.

The question we hear all the time . . . why is my immigration case taking so long?

Before we get into reasons why immigration processes could be delayed, you should first understand how long should it take to get my visa, green card, etc.

Here are 5 reasons your immigration case might be taking a long time

Family quotas. Family-based visas are when a US citizen petitions for a family member to immigrate to the US either as an Immediate Relative, or as a Family Preference.

So How Can I Speed Up My Immigration Process?

Now there are ways to try and get your green card fas t, and a good lawyer should be able to speed this process up for you by knowing various shortcuts, or exceptions if you are stuck in one of the above categories.

Is it urgent to follow up on a judgment call?

This is a judgment call, and depends very much on your situation and its urgency. If you've got a hearing or a deadline coming up and you're trying to make a decision, then your situation may be very urgent, and that might justify following up more quickly, and more insistently, than otherwise...

Is it a good sign to post to strangers?

It is definitely not a good sign that you are posting this to strangers and not her. Two weeks sounds unreasonable but perhaps they are on vacation or the message was forgotten so follow up on same.

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