Can You Change Personal Injury Lawyers?

Yes. Generally speaking, you have the right to choose which attorney will represent you in your personal injury case. If you become dissatisfied with the job your current personal injury attorney is doing — or change your mind about your attorney for any reason — you have the right to hire another lawyer.

However, the process of changing lawyers depends on the status of your personal injury case. If your case is already in court, you and your new attorney will need to file a substitution of counsel, which formally notifies the court and the other parties that you are replacing your attorney.

Under certain circumstances, the court may decline to allow you to switch lawyers. For instance, a judge may decline the switch if he or she believes you are simply trying to delay your case. The court may also decline the request if a conflict of interest would arise. For example, the judge may find that the attorney you want previously represented another party in the case.