Attorneys beware: if you solicit a client within 30 days of an accident then you maybe guilty of a crime in New Jersey. S2316 passed the New Jersey Senate 34-0 and it is almost certain to be signed into law. This is a good thing as it will curb some of the unethical behavior that gives personal injury lawyers a bad name.
I was once contacted by a potential client who was hospitalized after he was hit by a truck. The potential client told me that he did not call anyone else and will wait for me to arrive at the hospital. When I got to the hospital, I learned that an orderly called another attorney and told him about this potential client’s situation. The orderly attempted to intimidate any visiting attorney by positioning himself at the injured person’s bedside. This practice is unethical and gives personal injury lawyers a bad name.
While this bill does not curb the unethical behavior above, it does help. Attorneys who attempt to follow the rules are at a loss when competing against those who will do anything to get a case. Now we finally can level the playing field at least a little bit.
What do you think?
Resources: Bill S2316