Client Review on Carlson Law Firm, P.C.

Feedback:

My name is William Perkins IV. I was injured in an auto accident with a Class A CMV while driving my girlfriend's car on 04/26/2017. I went to the Carlson Law Firm in May 2017 because the conversation I had with them over the phone gave me confidence in their ability to litigate on my behalf for any medical care I would need in the future, as I suffered a herniated disc in my lower back as a result of the accident. I signed my contract with them stipulating they would receive approximately 1/3 of the settlement fee. I was initially working with Lily, who was the assistant to my attorney JODY D. LEAKE. She told me that in order to pursue any legal course of action, I would need a complete physical to receive a diagnosis for any medical issues, any documents regarding the auto accident, and so on so that they could compile information for a claim. I was told that they needed to get treatment plans for my injury from medical professionals so they could submit a request for a settlement offer. I went to the doctor's appointments they set up for me because they told me the firm would cover my visits and that I wouldn't have to worry about any payment until their percentage was deducted from my settlement. I went to all of the appointments they set up for me and was told I had two treatment options (surgery or back injections) by the doctor. Based on their recommendation, I opted for pain injections in my back. I spoke to my lawyer and was told it would be covered, and it was necessary for me to pursue treatment so they could request compensation for future treatment from the other driver's insurance company. I went twice and had to stop because it caused me to miss 5 days of work per month to pursue this method of treatment, which I can't afford to do every month, and I let my lawyers know. They told me they would look into it/find out if there was anything else they could do. I didn't hear from them for approximately 3-6 months. I would call them and leave messages with the receptionist who answered the phones, but my lawyer and his assistant never returned my calls during this time. I received an email stating a new assistant named Sarah would be working on my case. I received another email stating they needed to get in contact with me, but I could never get them on the phone. When I finally did speak with them, they requested a treatment plan or bill from the emergency room I went to the day of the accident. I attempted to get a bill from the hospital for them, but they could never find a record of treatment. When I called the lawyer after speaking with the hospital, they told me they would keep trying to get it. I didn't hear from them for some time after this. In the meantime, I received medical EORs from my girlfriend's auto insurance company requesting treatment information from various providers. After some months went by, my girlfriend got a phone call asking her to tell me to contact the firm. When I called them, Jody told me a settlement agreement was reached and that I would be getting approximately $5000, as it was a small settlement. I went to the office to sign the release with them. When I got there, Sarah presented me with the agreement, which showed the settlement was actually a bit over $27,000. I asked her about the $5,000 I was told about. She would not tell me how much I would be getting. She told me the $5,000 I was informed of was an estimate and that she would get more information on what was being paid out of the settlement after I signed the release agreeing to the settlement amount. I signed it and was not told any amounts afterwards because she said she was having issues accessing it on the computer. She told me she would have the lawyer, Jody, call me when he came back from lunch to discuss the amounts and answer any additional questions before she submitted the agreement to the other insurance company. I didn't hear back from them for two days. I contacted another lawyer because I felt like I was being misled. The other lawyer told me they