One often hears the term: the fight for justice. The way the law has been considered, sifted, structured and revised over the years, you wouldn’t think there would be much reason to fight – after all the law is there to protect, deliberate, adjudicate, and to ensure fairness on either side of the many conflicts human beings may find themselves in at any given moment.
However, matters are often more complex than even the law allows for – and often individuals find themselves at the mercy of the twin disadvantages of complicated argument and ambitious lawyers. When justice descends into a ‘fight’ you need to be aware of two very important things: integrity and costs. The former is your lawyer’s and the latter will be yours.
Honesty, integrity and care – the extra mile lawyers
At Simpsons we believe that our clients’ interests should always be at the forefront of any decisions or actions. Our clients are our top priority. Here are the basic rules we live by, work for, and promote through every case that comes to us:
- We will fight to get the maximum claim. For our law firm, it’s not how much money we will get from the claim, but how much the client will receive.
- The effects of an accident are often more than just physical – there are emotional considerations as well. People lose their jobs; accounts fall behind; the whole family is impacted. It is the composite whole of justice, care and consideration that drives us. That is why we go beyond the basic elements of justice, and focus as much time and energy on all consequences resulting from accidents. We care about our clients as people. We are on the journey together.
- Naturally, as professionals we charge a fee – but that’s not our main objective. We have before today, written off fees for a client to get a decent share of the claim. It’s the end-result that counts: to ensure that the client is happy.
- We’re not afraid of a fight! In fact, that’s the best part! We’re not after the easy cases for a quick buck. In many instances, our clients have been turned away by other firms. Our role is to help – and that is what we do. We ask all the right questions, work meticulously with details, examine all possibilities.
- Our chief advantage is our strong team spirit within our firm. We will utilise the expertise of all our departments if necessary to cover all possible scenarios and create the best position for our client in court.
Emotional commitment – Tamlyn Mellville
Tamlyn is a dedicated lawyer who will always strive to develop close personal relationships with her clients. Her approach is relaxed and friendly, and all communications are on first-name terms. Very often people don’t initially realise how badly an accident has affected them – until Tamlyn’s empathy and sympathetic questioning of everyone involved begins to draw out the memories of what has happened. This has a dual effect: it helps a client to more clearly process what has happened but also helps Tamlyn to develop her case to ensure the best outcome.
This approach to providing the client with the security and support they need to understand their own position and the effects on their life, is what makes Simpsons a different kind of law firm. It is vital to look beyond the facts at hand because often people try to suppress the memories or become confused when events are under the spotlight. The right questions help them to process and deal with their trauma. It also helps Simpsons to know how to get the correct and fair compensation for the client.
As Tamlyn says: “It’s hard not to get emotionally involved in this line of law. We are all human. The clients need a support structure. They need sounding boards. They need to know that there is someone there and willing to fight for them.”
A memorable case
One of Tamlyn’s most memorable cases involved a Medical Malpractice situation with a neuro-surgeon. The operation was down-talked by the surgeon, described as a “routine operation” done regularly. However, very sadly, the patient in this instance, became paralysed as a result of the procedure. This obviously had drastic effects for the patient – and the fight for justice became a personal issue for Tamlyn.
Her focus was not on proving the doctor was at fault – but rather about how he handled the case. He had complete disregard for his patient, and was dishonest and unprofessional. In many instance, clients may only be able to get at least an apology from the doctor, an acknowledgement of blame. But as the case continued, Tamlyn noticed a distinct emotional improvement in the client due to the support she received from the Simpsons law firm. Tamlyn became the client’s support structure and the client trusted her implicitly. The claim was extremely successful and Simpsons were able to improve the client’s quality of life.
Another client had a similar experience with the same doctor. Her previous lawyer was a conveyancer and had no idea how to manage the case. He should have referred the matter and wasted 2 years of the client’s time and money. As Tamlyn says: “These cases can take 3 – 5 years to settle. One should ensure you have the right specialist attorney from the start. This can make or break a case.”
Simpsons went above and beyond in this case. The client needed a sounding board and Tamlyn was there for support. Because Simpsons believe in developing people to become stronger, know their rights and stand up for themselves, Tamlyn included her client in the process every step of the way, empowering her by giving her small duties to make her feel part of the team effort – such as sorting medical accounts. This gave the client a sense of purpose.
When the gloves are off
At Simpsons, not only do we offer the ‘no win, no fee’ model to all our clients – but we have also adopted innovative legal models to ensure every South African is able to receive the advice and support they need. Specialising in personal injury claims resulting from motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence and product and public liability, we care about our clients, focusing on personal considerations as well as facts and procedural knowledge. We are dedicated to fairness and always prepared to fight for justice!
For attorneys with heart, please visit: www.simpsons.co.za
