My attorney barely contacts me & the offer on the table feels way too low — anyone else?

I went through almost the exact same thing — rear-ended, herniated disc, surgery recommended, and a law firm that went completely silent unless I called them first. What finally helped me was sending a formal written email asking for a full status update in writing. Suddenly they got a lot more responsive. Don't let them think you're just going to accept whatever they put in front of you.

That early offer is almost always a lowball. Insurers know that injured people are stressed, sometimes hurting financially, and just want it to be over. They count on that. If surgery is on the table, the future medical costs alone could dwarf whatever number they threw out. Don't sign anything.

Not legal advice, but — you have every right to request a second opinion from another PI attorney, and most will do a free consultation. They can review your case, give you a sense of whether the current offer makes sense given your injuries and projected future costs, and tell you honestly whether your representation seems adequate. A good attorney should be proactively communicating with you, not the other way around.

I used to work on the carrier side. When an offer goes out early and there's documented ongoing medical treatment — especially something serious like a spinal surgery recommendation — that offer is almost certainly not their ceiling. They're testing the water. And if your attorneys are pushing you toward it without fully accounting for future medical expenses and diminished value, that's worth questioning hard.

On the diminished value piece — this is actually a legit separate claim in most states and it's really common for it to get overlooked or undervalued. You'd basically need a written appraisal showing what your car would realistically sell for now versus before the accident. If your team hasn't brought this up at all, that's a gap worth flagging to them directly and in writing so there's a record.

Please don't let the legal stress push you into delaying a decision about the surgery if your doctor is recommending it. I know people sometimes wait because they think it'll help their case to show ongoing symptoms, but that's a conversation to have carefully with your medical team. Your health comes first — your spine isn't something to gamble with.

Go get a second opinion from another attorney this week. Bring all your paperwork — the police report, your medical records, everything you have. You're not obligated to stay with a firm that isn't communicating with you and is presenting offers that don't account for your full picture. Most attorneys can tell you pretty quickly if something's off.

Quick question — did your attorneys actually explain how they calculated the current offer relative to your medical bills, the surgery estimate, and diminished value? Or did they just pass the number along? Because there's a big difference between 'this offer is too low and here's why' versus 'I just have a bad feeling about it.' Not doubting you at all, just want to make sure you have the full breakdown before making any moves.