Read next: The Ultimate Guide to Plaintiff Communication: Part 2

Working with plaintiffs can feel like a constant challenge—whether it’s trying to reach someone whose phone number is no longer in service or dealing with bounced wires from unknown banks. It’s easy to think your clients are just naturally disorganized or difficult to manage. But the truth is, with a clear and structured plaintiff management process, you can eliminate much of that frustration.

By improving your approach, you’ll benefit from:

• More approved cases getting funded
• More attorney referrals
• Happier employees
• Satisfied clients
• A more efficient and profitable funding business

What You’ll Learn in This 2-Part Series

This guide is here to help legal funding companies improve their business by enhancing communication with plaintiffs. While the tips can help everyone, it’s especially useful for companies that work directly with plaintiffs from the start—such as those acquiring leads through Search Engine Marketing (Google or Bing Ads), SEO, or brokers.

In this two-part series, you’ll get proven tips, scripts, and templates to streamline each stage of the funding process: intake, document collection, approval/denial, contract execution, and payments.

Part 1 covers intake and document collection, while Part 2 focuses on the later stages.

5 Tips for Clear Communication with Plaintiffs

1. Develop a script: Using a script ensures your communication is professional, consistent, and to the point at every stage.
2. Multiple communication lines: Keep more than one way to contact plaintiffs, especially in urgent situations where they may lose access to internet or phone service.
3. Keep calls efficient: Be assertive without being rude. Keep the conversation focused and ask leading questions to get the necessary information quickly.
4. Use text messaging: While important conversations should be handled over the phone, simple updates (like waiting on documents) are quicker and easier to handle by text.
5. Proactively send status updates: Don’t wait for plaintiffs to contact you. Proactively sending updates—preferably via text—will reduce time-wasting calls and keep things running smoothly.

3 Steps to Streamline Your Intake Process

The intake process sets the tone for your relationship with the plaintiff. A disorganized intake can result in missed opportunities and cause plaintiffs to turn to other funders. Here’s a simple process to keep things efficient and effective.

Step 1: Qualify Quickly

Get the basic info you need upfront to determine if the case is worth pursuing:

• Name, phone number, email
• Do they have an attorney? What’s their attorney’s name?
• Have they received previous legal funding? How much?
• What state do they live in, and where did the accident happen?
• What type of case is it, and what is their date of birth?

Step 2: Gather Case Information

Once you’ve established the case is fundable, gather more details:

• What happened in the incident?
• When and where did the accident occur?
• Who do they typically speak with at their attorney’s office?

Step 3: Set Clear Expectations

After getting the necessary info, set the plaintiff’s expectations:

• Inform them their attorney will be contacted within 24 hours.
• Confirm if you can text them updates.
• Let them know the next steps and timeline, and provide contact info for any questions.

Streamlining Document Collection

While most necessary documents come from attorneys, you shouldn’t overlook the plaintiff’s role in speeding up the process. Poor communication here can lead to frustration, delays, and an influx of “what’s going on?” calls from the plaintiff.

Here’s an example of a successful communication cadence during document collection:

Day 1 (Phone):

• Call the plaintiff for intake and update them on your contact with their attorney.

Day 2 (Text):

• Text the plaintiff with a status update if the attorney hasn’t provided the documents yet.

Day 3 (Phone):

• Call the plaintiff to update them on the attorney’s response and whether the documents will be sent soon. Ask if the plaintiff can follow up with their attorney.

Day 4 (Text):

• If documents are still missing, text the plaintiff to ask them to call their attorney and find out what’s causing the delay.

Email Template:

Dear [Plaintiff],
Just wanted to give you an update on your funding status. Your attorney, [Attorney’s Name], has been very helpful, and we’re working hard to get your money to you as soon as possible. We’re still waiting on [outstanding document]. Could you please ask your attorney to send it to us so we can move forward with your funding? Once we receive everything, we’ll proceed with approval and payment.
Thanks!
[Funder]

Conclusion

If your business involves working directly with plaintiffs, creating a clear communication strategy—especially during intake and document collection—will improve your bottom line and make your team’s job easier. Implementing a structured process will ensure more cases get funded, fewer delays occur, and both plaintiffs and attorneys will have a smoother experience.

Read Next: The Ultimate Guide to Plaintiff Communication: Part 2

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