sharp-marmot-7245/10/2026

My attorney never contacts me, insurance called ME directly — is this normal??

I'm genuinely losing my mind trying to figure out if I have a bad attorney or if I'm just being paranoid.

I hired a PI attorney about four months after my accident — rear-ended pretty badly at a highway on-ramp, still dealing with a herniated disc. Signed the contingency agreement, handed over all my medical records, photos, the police report, everything they asked for.

Since then? Crickets. Unless I call them first, I hear nothing. And when I DO call, I get bounced around, told my case manager is "in a meeting" or "out today," and then eventually get a short email response instead of anyone actually picking up the phone. I've had to reach out at least six or seven times just to get basic status updates.

Here's the part that really set me off: the other driver's insurance company called me directly last week. They asked whether I was still in treatment and wanted to know if I was "ready to talk numbers." They acted like they had no idea I even had legal representation. Shouldn't they be talking to my attorney, not me??

I asked my lawyer's office about it and got a vague email saying they'd "follow up internally." No explanation, no apology, nothing.

I don't know if I should try to switch attorneys but I'm scared of losing time or screwing up my case. Has anyone else dealt with this? Is an attorney legally supposed to notify the insurance company that they represent you? Am I overreacting or is this a genuine red flag? 😤

9 replies

Most helpful first

bright-vole-7335/10/2026
Oh wow, this is almost exactly what happened to me. The other side's adjuster called me on my cell like my lawyer didn't exist. Turns out my attorney's office had never actually sent the representation letter. Once I pushed hard enough, they admitted it "fell through the cracks." That phone call from the insurance company is not normal — that's a real problem.
- gentle-swift-5735/10/2026
  Not legal advice, but I can tell you that one of the first things any PI attorney should do after signing you is send a formal representation letter to all involved insurance carriers. Once that letter is on file, the insurer is supposed to direct all contact to your attorney — not you. If they're calling you directly four months in, either that letter was never sent or something else is off. That alone would make me ask serious questions. Worth requesting written confirmation that the letter was sent and when.
silent-badger-3785/10/2026
Do NOT talk to the other driver's insurance. Like, hang up the second they call. They are fishing. They want you to say something like "I'm feeling a lot better" or "I think I'm almost done with PT" so they can lowball you later. Even if your attorney is dropping the ball, don't let the adjuster fill that vacuum.
steady-crow-5045/10/2026
From the other side of the desk — when we received a rep letter, that contact went straight to the attorney, full stop. If we were still calling the claimant directly months later, it almost always meant we never got that letter. It's a five-minute task to send one. I'd honestly be asking your attorney's office to email you proof it was sent. If they can't produce it, you have your answer about how on top of things they are.
curious-crane-2685/10/2026
The representation letter thing is huge, but also — most state bar associations have rules requiring attorneys to keep clients "reasonably informed" about the status of their case and to respond to requests for updates within a reasonable time. Consistently not returning calls and only communicating by vague emails when pushed could be a violation depending on your state. You can usually look up your state bar's rules of professional conduct online and even file an inquiry if you think something's wrong. Just knowing that option exists can give you some leverage when you talk to them.
- hearty-finch-9475/10/2026
  Please don't let the stress of this derail your actual recovery. I've seen patients push through PT faster than they should because they feel pressure to "wrap things up" — legally or otherwise. Your medical treatment needs to drive the timeline, not the insurance company's curiosity about when you're done. Stay the course with your care, document everything, and deal with the attorney situation separately.
silent-badger-5745/10/2026
You're not overreacting. Four months, no proactive communication, and the opposing insurer has no record of your attorney? That's not a busy law firm — that's a disorganized one. Send your attorney a short, direct email TODAY asking for: 1) the date the representation letter was sent, 2) who it was sent to, and 3) the current status of your case. Get everything in writing from here on out. Paper trail matters if you ever need to make a complaint or switch attorneys.
candid-elk-4805/10/2026
Ugh, I'm so sorry. Dealing with an injury is already exhausting and then having to chase down the person who's supposed to be in your corner? That's so unfair. Trust your gut here — if something feels off this many months in, it probably is.
warm-finch-4375/10/2026
Few questions before I'd say it's definitely the attorney's fault: Did you confirm in writing what their specific obligations were at signing? Have you actually asked them directly, in an email, to confirm the rep letter was sent? Sometimes people assume their attorney is doing nothing when there's actually a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff happening that nobody explains. I'm not saying your concerns aren't valid — the direct call from insurance is definitely weird — just that I'd want more info before going scorched earth.