Yes, Virginia, there are slimy lawyers out there. This Sun-Times piece describes the apparently improper solicitations made by some personal injury lawyers in the wake of the E2/Epitome tragedy. Of course, I don't know Illinois' ethical rules relative to direct solicitation; in Tennessee, at least until recently, we are not permitted to directly solicit a potential client within 30 days of an incident. Maybe the ethical rules are different in Chi-Town.

However, what's sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander. Insurance companies and their representatives should not be allowed to solicit these same bereaved, either, without giving the bereaved a real chance to consult counsel. It's a common tactic for carriers to rush to get to potential claimants before a lawyer gets involved, with the purpose of getting them to settle for low money without having had the chance to consult with someone who wants to represent their interests. While I deplore slimy solicitations by some plaintiffs' lawyers, I also deplore the same kind of slimy tactics used by the carriers. We shouldn't forget about that. And bottom line, those plaintiffs' lawyers will work to protect the bereaved, while the carriers will work to screw the breaved, if they can.