Saying No as a Loss-Prevention Skill
*Matthew Coleman
As a personal injury lawyer practicing primarily in motor vehicle accidents, one of the most important professional skills I have learned is also one of the hardest to develop: the ability to say no.
Early in practice, it is easy to believe that being helpful means saying yes to everything. Yes, to taking the file even when the facts are thin. Yes, to pushing timelines that are unrealistic. Yes, to client requests that stretch beyond your role as counsel. That instinct is understandable, but in personal injury work, it is also risky.
Motor vehicle accident files often involve injured, stressed, and financially vulnerable clients. They may ask you to do things that feel reasonable to them but create professional risk for you. Settling without proper authority. Advancing arguments unsupported by evidence. Contacting insurers or treatment providers in ways that blur boundaries. Each “yes” can quietly increase exposure.
Loss prevention often begins with intake. Not every collision is a good file. When liability is unclear, damages are minimal, or the client’s expectations are misaligned with reality, saying no early can prevent months or years of difficulty later. Turning down a file is far easier than trying to manage one that should never have been opened.
Saying no also matters during the life of a file. Clients may want immediate resolution, constant updates, or aggressive positions that are not supported by the evidence. As counsel, your role is not to validate every instinct. It is to provide measured advice and set realistic boundaries. That sometimes means saying no to a demand that would undermine credibility or compromise the file.
In motor vehicle litigation, there is also pressure from external sources. Insurers may push for quick responses or premature settlements. Medical timelines may not align with litigation timelines. Saying no to rushing a file before it is ready is often an act of protection, not delay.
Importantly, saying no does not mean being unhelpful. It means explaining the reason clearly and documenting it. A well-explained refusal, grounded in strategy or evidence, often builds trust rather than damages it. Clients may not like the answer, but they understand when it is honest and professional.
Some of the most serious professional issues arise not from what lawyers do, but from what they agree to do without thinking through the consequences. Over-accommodating clients, taking on marginal files, or bending process to keep the peace can all lead to complaints, missed steps, or worse.
In personal injury practice, especially motor vehicle accidents, saying no is not a sign of weakness or inexperience. It is a form of judgment. And judgment, more than anything else, is what protects both your client and your practice.
*Matthew is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick (B.A. 2016 and J.D 2023). He was admitted to the New Brunswick bar in 2024. He has worked for the law firm of Correia & Collins since 2016, advocating for accident victims.