Is it ok to tell a lawyer your shopping around?

[egan]

I'm looking for the best lawyer for a medical malpractice case, the lawyers look through the documents and decide if they want the case, is it ok to tell th elawyer that I'm having other lawyers look over the documents as well and I'm going to choose the lawyer who makes me the best deal?

[matchitisiw]

Certainly..

[tredway]

of course.

[lazaro94]

sure

[fiynn]

Sure, and they also expect that you'll do that. However, that's a REALLY bad way to shop for a lawyer. Most fees are statutory, and on contingency cases, they'll all take pretty much the same percentage. If you are paying per hour, then your case sucks and you aren't likely to win. Seriously. Beware people who charge a lower percentage on contingency. There's a reason their fees are lower and you'll probably find that they have less experience. You should, instead, research the attorney to find out if they've had disciplinary action against them from a state bar association. You should also find out how long they've been practicing and how long they've been doing med-mal cases. I recommend this website for finding information on attorneys:

http://www.avvo.com

Of course, you should also try Google.

[fiynn]

Well I would strongly advise you to make your decision based more on their qualifications (how many similar cases have they handled? How often do they win? What's their reputation? Are they honest? Etc.) rather than just what they're charging you. But sure, go ahead and tell them that you're weighing your options with a couple attorneys. Don't expect them to like haggle with you based on that, though. And, of course, you are under zero obligation to tell them in the first place.

[hackett]

It definitely wouldn't hurt you in any way. If anything, it might make your lawyer more motivated to do a good job. Good luck. ^_^ -Nic