Hired a lawyer after my crash but now I feel like I'm just spinning — anyone else?

The waiting is genuinely one of the hardest parts and nobody warns you about it. After my crash it took almost a year before anything meaningful happened on the legal side, and I felt completely in the dark the whole time. You're not doing anything wrong — the process is just brutally slow. Keep showing up to your appointments and document everything you're feeling physically AND mentally. That stuff matters later.

Reading this made my heart hurt for you. Please don't forget to lean on people around you right now — this is too much to carry alone. And the fact that you're pushing yourself to go back to work even when your body is saying no tells me you're probably being too hard on yourself. Give yourself some grace.

From a process standpoint — in cases involving commercial carriers, attorneys often wait until a client reaches what's called 'maximum medical improvement' before making any real moves toward settlement. That's partly why things feel frozen. It's not ideal communication on their end but it's not necessarily nothing happening behind the scenes either. You can always request a copy of your file or a written status summary — that's your right as a client and it sometimes lights a fire under a slow office.

The cognitive fog and trouble concentrating after a crash is so real and so underdiagnosed. A lot of people think it's just stress but it can absolutely be a physical response to trauma — neck injuries especially can affect way more than just pain. Please bring this up explicitly at your next appointment if you haven't already. Ask about a neuropsych eval. And be patient with yourself — your brain and body are still healing even when it doesn't feel like progress is happening.

I know it's hard to see right now but the fact that the injuries are documented early and thoroughly is genuinely a good thing for your case long-term. Some people don't get proper imaging done and it hurts them later. You're in the system, you're being treated, and that paper trail is building. That's not nothing.

Not legal advice, but what you're describing — the communication gap — is actually one of the most common complaints people have with PI firms. You have every right to call and ask for a case status update in writing. A good firm should be able to tell you where things stand at minimum. If they can't or won't, that's worth paying attention to. Also, commercial carrier cases do tend to move differently than standard auto claims, so the timeline being longer isn't necessarily a red flag on its own.

The commercial carrier on the other side is absolutely tracking how long you stay out of work and what you're spending. They are not your friend, even if someone from their side seems nice or reasonable. Don't talk to them directly, don't post anything on social media about your recovery, and don't let anyone convince you to settle before you actually know the full extent of your injuries. The foggy/anxious stuff you're describing? That can be documented medically and it matters.

I used to work on the claims side and I'll tell you this: commercial policies have dedicated teams whose whole job is to minimize payouts and stretch timelines. They're hoping you get desperate and take an early offer. The fact that medical findings are already documented in your file is actually important — it makes lowballing harder for them. Hang in there and do NOT accept anything without understanding what you're signing away.