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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?