Can my lawyer loan me money to get by until my case settles?
No. Ethical and practical considerations prevent a lawyer from loaning money to allow a client to subsist. A lawyer can advance funds necessary to cover the actual costs of handling a claim, but not for living expenses, medical bills, or anything else. Such personal loans create a separate debtor-creditor relationship between the attorney and the client, and it is unethical for a lawyer to represent a client with whom there is in such a “business relationship.” On the practical side, lawyers are not bankers or lenders, but they have many clients who need money, and they don’t have the means of covering the financial obligations of their clients. Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals will not be in a position to loan money to those who seek their services.
Personal Injury Claims
- What is “negligence”
- How do I know if something that injured me was “negligence”?
- Should I talk with an insurance adjuster?
- When should I talk with a lawyer?
- How do I know which lawyer to hire?
- How much will the attorney fees be?
- Will there be costs in addition to what my attorney charges?
- Will I be given individual attention, or will I be just another file?
- Will my attorney work with my doctor?
- Will my case settle, or will I have to go to trial?
- How do we determine what a fair settlement is?
- How do I know my attorney will have the skill and experience to take my case to trial if we are not able to settle my case to my satisfaction?
- Will my medical bills be paid?
- What about the income I lose because of my injury?
- Can my lawyer loan me money to get by until my case settles?
- What if the person who caused the collision did not have insurance?
- How can I help my recovery from my injuries?