Should I use a referral service to get an attorney?

Attorney referral services usually involve attorneys who do not practice law in California. These attorneys advertise, usually on the Internet, and are thus able to get inquiries on possible cases throughout the U.S. When a referral service gets information on a case from California, they refer the case to a California attorney who usually has a contract with the referral service, which then receives a percentage of the attorney fee when the case is settled. However, the referring attorney does little more after the name and case information is passed on to a California attorney. Unfortunately, the California attorney may have little or no experience with medical malpractice or negligence cases. There is no screening requirement for referral arrangements and the referral service will usually refer the case to any attorney who is willing to pay the percentage referral fee when the case is settled.

If the case is not settled or is mishandled and no money is recovered, the client has little or no recourse against the referral service.