Jean - You Need a Lawyer

Leslie put down her coffee. "Everybody misses you at work", she said. They all say "hi." As Jean stirred her coffee she winced. Grasping the spoon caused intense pain in her hand. Leslie looked serious. "Jean, your hand is swollen," she said. It's been over eight months. Doesn't the doctor know when this will end?"

Jean looked at her and smiled. "She says to be patient - sometimes these problems go on for years. But she seems sure I will get better. Actually the pain in my hand is not as bad as in my tail bone and neck."

Leslie frowned. "What if you don't get better? Your doctor told you that you would be back to work in three weeks. What if you still can't work next year? Jean, you have to find a lawyer. You don't want to be just starting with a lawyer in a year. My sister went through this and it took over two years for her to get to trial!"

Jean looked up. "You're right," she said. "The bills for therapy are growing since the insurance company stopped paying. We had to cancel our holiday too. What is the name of that lawyer you mentioned in the spring?"

Two days later, Jean sat in Joe's office. She felt overwhelmed. Her concerns were more complicated than she had realized. And there were problems Joe raised that she had not even thought about! "I thought I understood this," she told him, "but now, I'm afraid to even deal with the insurance company. What if all the things you mentioned happen to me?

"Jean, it is unlikely that everything we discussed will apply to your case. Every case is as different as the person involved", he said. "I mention these things because we have to be ready to advance each part of your claim that does apply to you. We must identify all the problems you are having, so that each one can be considered, if necessary, by the jury."

"Most cases settle before trial. But being properly compensated takes a lot of work. Even though you are not at fault you have to prove all parts of your case. We will identify the legal issues and find the evidence to prove your case."

"Joe, I would rather not go to trial," said Jean. "But I feel like I am taking control again. If we do have to go to trial I feel better knowing that I have someone on my side, who can describe what I have been going through since that car hit me."

Next week we leap forward two years and the trial begins.