I hired the firm to represent me in a personal injury case. The attorney I actually signed with left the firm. I wanted my case to follow him, but was told that he was a prosecutor now. The new lawyer I was assigned (Chris Byers) talked me into settling the case. The main reason for my agreement was my financial situation and the expedience he portrayed of receiving the payment. Over two months ago he said it should take no more than four weeks. After three weeks, I contacted the office and was told that it had not been received. On the four week mark, I contacted them again and the man who answered the phone told me the check had been lost in the mail at which time I requested a callback from my attorney. Mr. Byers returned my call in a timely fashion and assured me that the check had not been lost in the mail and "In fact,. . .(didn't) know where he could have gotten that from." He also said that he would find out who answered the phone and talk to him. He told me that, "Sometimes when you file suit and another attorney gets involved things take a little longer." When I asked how much longer he said, "Check back in a couple weeks." he asked me if I would like him to look into it and, of course, I answered affirmatively. Having not heard from him, I followed up two weeks later and the woman who answered the phone told me that the check had been sent to their insurance company.When I asked how long it would take them to process it, she told me that they may forward the original or just cut a new one. Since this was the third contradictory story I had heard, I requested a callback from a partner. She told me that my attorney was a partner, and that she would give him the message. After one week passed without hearing from him I called back and left another message. A second week passed without word, so I left another message. When I heard no response after three weeks, I left the message that if Chris Byers did not contact me by the end of the day, my next call would be to the Bar Association.
When Chris did return my call, as soon as he confirmed it was me on the line, he began literally yelling that my check was not there and things like "What do you expect me to do?" and "I can't give you money I don't have!" I tried to explain that my concern came from the multiple stories I had been told when I could get a word in through his ranting, to which he bellowed, "Getting sent to the insurance company sure sounds like getting lost in the mail to me!"
That was my breaking point. He had obviously not factored in his own assurances that I had tried to refresh him on as he was blasting me. I responded (assertively, not loudly), "I know you lawyers like to talk, but there comes a time to shut up and listen," and he hung up on me. Now, if I'm not mistaken, he works for me. As a former supervisor the unprovoked, aggressive, and defensive behavior I encountered with Attorney Byers is reminiscent of a person abusing stimulants or amphetamines. I have serious doubts about the stability of my case and the security of my settlement-- Especially, considering the eerily similar previous complaint already filed with the BBB for this firm. read more
