1 /5 Viktorija: Subpar Representation Accompanied by False Promises
To the overly confident attorneys: it’s one thing to under-promise and over-deliver, but quite another to over-promise and under-deliver. Disappointing doesn’t even begin to describe it. Our case, handled by Underwood Law Offices and the Fortenberry Firm, was an utterly exasperating. I’m not someone driven by greed; I wasn’t seeking a tremendous amount of money, only to be restored to the financial position I was in before the incident.
This so-called “million-dollar lawsuit” took nearly four years to settle, only for us to walk away with $1,600—hardly enough to cover the $5,000 we paid in deductibles. Throughout the ordeal, we were repeatedly assured, “We’ve got a strong case, excellent evidence, and we’re going to make you whole.” Reality proved otherwise. The evidence was so weak it couldn’t even persuade the jury during mock trials.
Had they been upfront from the start, I could have saved myself nearly four years of frustration and false hope. Honesty from the outset would have been far preferable to this disappointing charade.
Edit Post Reply:
We ultimately agreed to settle after being informed that the mock trial did not go well. We were advised that proceeding to trial and potentially losing would leave us responsible for all attorney fees. Given this, we opted to settle and limit our responsibility to 40%, when in reality, your firm took 65%.
However, my frustration stems from several issues:
1. Misleading Estimates: When I inquired about our expected recovery after fees, your employees estimated approximately $2,700. Instead, we received $1,100 less.
2. Documentation Costs: We were instructed to provide as much documentation as possible to strengthen our case, without being made aware that obtaining these records would incur filing fees. Furthermore, many of the records we paid for ultimately did not contribute to our case.
3. Overconfidence and Unrealistic Expectations: Your team appeared overly confident, setting high expectations for the outcome of this case. Unfortunately, these expectations were not met, and we were left deeply disappointed.
Additionally, while it was mentioned that fees were waived, here is the detailed breakdown provided:
• Settlement Amount: $4,750
• Attorney Fees: $1,900 (reduced to $1,583.33)
• Underwood Law Office Case Cost: $92.35
• Fortenberry General Case Cost: $341.04
• Client Disbursement: $1,104.28
• Waived Fee: $250
• Final Client Disbursement: $1,670.95
• Records Cost (which we were led to believe numerous times would be embedded in the 40% and not a separate obligation): $1,312.33
As mentioned above, my concerns stem from several factors, notably the considerable disparity between the expectations conveyed and the eventual outcome. Given your extensive experience in this field, I would have anticipated more precise and realistic expectations rather than the false hope that was presented. Throughout this process, I, along with several other individuals involved, maintained consistent communication and arrived at the same conclusion, validating that this issue is not isolated to my experience alone.
Should you wonder why none of them have left a review after receiving their disbursement, it is because they are mentally fatigued from the prolonged duration of this case, having been continually reassured that we would be made whole, only to find that expectation was far from the truth. Consequently, they are understandably reluctant to offer any positive feedback for obvious reasons. I, however, feel compelled to advocate on their behalf, as our collective frustrations with this firm are shared.
Had I not been familiar with your reputation, I would have mistakenly assumed I was engaging with an inexperienced firm.
