Post-Accident Solicitation: How to Avoid Personal Injury Attorney Scams

If you’re an accident victim, you may have received an influx of mail recently. You may have also been inundated by emails, cold calls, and text messages from unknown law firms. 

This is due to a shady, unethical, and annoying practice by some personal injury firms to capitalize on recent personal injury incidents. One Chicago couple was bombarded with unsolicited calls and texts after a simple fender bender. It can become overwhelming, at a time when you’re still processing the accident and dealing with any medical or emotional concerns.

The Post-Accident Solicitation Process

Post-accident solicitations from law firms use data from local traffic incident data portals. Many cities have databases that track recent traffic incidents, indicating any parties involved. Shady firms scour these portals for victim data, then reach out within days (or hours) to offer services. 

The practice, known informally as “ambulance chasing,” is illegal in many states, including Minnesota. Lawyers caught trying to solicit personal injury law services in Minnesota without consent may be fined up to $6,000 and incur prison time. Other states, such as Wisconsin, don’t have specific laws against post-accident solicitation, but lawyers are bound by ethical codes that bar the practice.

Unfortunately, dishonest firms will still try to circumvent regulations and ethical codes, often by employing solicitation firms (known as “runners”) to contact you on their behalf.

It’s hard enough to deal with accident recovery without having to field never-ending solicitations. When reviewing your options for a personal injury attorney, watch for these signs that indicate a law firm isn’t aboveboard:

• You are contacted on the same day as (or even within hours of) the accident. Scammy firms might pull data from public databases (or even purchase data from corrupt officials) and assign runners to contact you. This can happen fast, sometimes even on the same day as the accident. No reputable law firm will try to claim your business that quickly.

• The law firm isn’t based in your state. This is an easy giveaway, especially if the firm operates in a state that doesn’t explicitly bar solicitation. That firm won’t know anything about your state’s personal injury laws. They’re just looking to make money.
• The firm promises to get you a favorable result. No legitimate attorney will guarantee a specific outcome for a client’s case. Avoid any firm trying to get your business by promising a favorable result or settlement.
• The firm advises you to accept a quick settlement. Predatory firms only care about the end result—getting paid. If you talk with them shortly after an accident, they might advise you to accept a quick settlement, arguing that a long legal process would only cause further harm. This argument is an appeal to emotion, using your vulnerability for their own gain. Any quick settlement offered would likely not be in your best interest.

Attorneys who break one rule will likely break others in your case. If you are searching for help with a personal injury case, don’t accept an offer from the first phone call or letter you receive. Look at reputable firms with extensive experience in the field. Take time to review your options, meet attorneys in person (if possible), and gain a better understanding of the claim process.

We’re here to help you through this process. Contact us for more information and a free consultation.