The Shoulder
The Shoulder
64
steady-lynx-890

My case manager seems totally out of it — is this normal or do I have a real problem?

So I hired a PI firm after getting rear-ended pretty badly earlier this year. My injuries are serious enough that I'm still in treatment, so I feel like I really need someone on top of things.

The problem is my case manager. Every single time we talk, something feels off. She'll ask me the same question two or three times in the same conversation — like she forgot we already covered it thirty seconds ago. Her speech is sometimes hard to follow. Could be a bad connection, could be something else, I honestly don't know. I'm not trying to diagnose the woman but it's concerning.

More importantly though, she just… doesn't DO things. My treating doctor referred me to a specialist weeks ago. I assumed it was being coordinated. Then I finally called to check in and she acted like it was the first she was hearing of it — even though we talked about it before. Now suddenly it's getting scheduled, but only because I pushed.

I'm genuinely worried about what else is slipping through the cracks. What if there are deadlines or documentation things I don't even know to ask about?

Here's my fear: if I go over her head and tell the actual attorney, will he get defensive and drop me as a client? I don't want to blow up my whole case over this. But I also feel like I'm basically managing my own case at this point, which defeats the purpose of hiring representation.

Has anyone dealt with something like this? What did you actually do about it?

13replies

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13 replies

  • 19
    hearty-owl-313

    From someone who used to work on the other side of these claims — treatment gaps and delays are flagged immediately when we were reviewing cases. It doesn't matter why it happened. If your records show you waited two months to see a specialist after a referral, that's a talking point for the defense. Your representation should be protecting you from exactly that. If they're not, that's a real problem.

    • 4
      curious-survivor595

      This is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you.

  • 17
    calm-raven-309

    The missed specialist referral is the part that would worry me most, not just the communication style. In PI cases, gaps in treatment can actually be used against you later — the other side might argue your injuries weren't that serious if you weren't consistently following up on doctor recommendations. That's not your fault, but it can become your problem. I'd document everything with timestamps and loop in the attorney directly, in writing if possible. A good firm won't drop you for flagging a legitimate concern — that's actually your right as a client.

    • 5
      hopeful-traveler558

      Wish I had seen this a month ago — would have saved me a lot of stress.

  • 13
    calm-swan-672

    How long have you actually been with this firm? One or two dropped balls could just be a rough patch, but if this is a consistent pattern over several weeks or months, that's a different story. Also — have you tried reaching out to the attorney directly even once, or have you only ever talked to the case manager?

  • 11
    genuine-newt-984

    Oh man, I dealt with something scarily similar. My old case manager kept "forgetting" conversations we'd had. I finally just started emailing her after every single phone call to summarize what we discussed — like a paper trail. It helped AND it seemed to light a fire under her because suddenly things started getting done. Might be worth trying before you escalate.

    • 20
      steady-marten-405

      Not legal advice, but: any attorney worth hiring is not going to drop your case because you raised a legitimate concern about their staff. Attorneys have ethical obligations to their clients — including making sure you're kept informed and that your case is being actively managed. If anything, a good attorney would want to know. I'd put your concerns in a short, calm email directly to the attorney. Keep it factual, not accusatory.

    • 5
      curious-passenger691

      Going through something similar right now. Did following up actually move the needle for you?

  • 9
    mellow-raven-589

    Just a heads up — gaps in your medical treatment timeline are exactly what the opposing insurance company will jump on. They LOVE to say "well if it was so bad, why did you wait X weeks to see the specialist?" Even if it wasn't your fault the appointment got delayed, it can still look bad on paper. Get that appointment locked in ASAP and make sure the reason for any delay is documented somewhere.

    • 6
      careful-dreamer872

      This is really helpful — thank you for posting it.

  • 6
    bright-tern-707

    Stop worrying about offending anyone and email the lawyer directly today. You are the client. This is your health and your case. Be polite but be clear: appointments are being missed, follow-through isn't happening, you need to know who's responsible for making sure nothing falls through the cracks. That's a completely reasonable thing to say.

  • 6
    quiet-raven-679

    I just want to say — trust your gut here. You're already injured and stressed, and now you're having to chase down your own medical appointments on top of everything else? That's not okay. You deserve someone who's actually in your corner. Whatever you decide to do, please don't just let it slide because you're afraid of rocking the boat.

    • 9
      careful-optimist155

      Thanks for sharing. Hope things are getting a little easier for you.