clever-raven-1895/14/2026

My PI lawyer keeps dodging my questions and I think he missed a court date — what do I do?

I've been living abroad since earlier this year and my personal injury case back home is supposedly moving forward. I was in a pretty serious rear-end collision about a year and a half ago — ended up with a spinal injury that required two separate rounds of imaging and treatment at different facilities. It was a whole ordeal.

My lawyer and I agreed to communicate mainly through an app since I'm overseas. Fine. But every time I ask him something specific — like whether he's sent out discovery requests to the other side, whether depositions are being scheduled, anything concrete — he just pivots and says something like "we're working toward a resolution" or "I'm optimistic about where this is heading."

I've asked the same questions over text, over email, and even sent a written letter. No direct answers. Ever.

So I got nervous and looked up my case on the court's public records portal myself. There was a scheduling conference a couple months ago. The record shows defense counsel was there. It shows the judge was there.

It shows my attorney was not there. The entry literally says plaintiff's counsel failed to appear.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to blow up my case or burn a relationship with someone who knows the file. But I also can't just pretend I didn't see that. Is this as bad as it looks? Has anyone dealt with a lawyer who just... ghosts you on the details? Should I be looking for new representation or is there a way to address this directly first?

8 replies

Most helpful first

calm-dove-6255/14/2026
Oh man, the "we're working toward a resolution" non-answer is SO familiar. My lawyer did the same thing for months. What finally worked for me was sending a short, numbered list of questions in writing and saying I needed written responses to each one by a specific date. Treating it like a business correspondence changed the tone fast. But missing a court date? That's a different level. I'd be seriously alarmed.
- cool-elk-3815/14/2026
  I hate to pile on but the other side's insurance is absolutely watching your case's docket too. They have staff who track this stuff. If your attorney is going dark and missing appearances, the defense team already knows your case may be in disarray. That can affect settlement leverage in ways that hurt you. Don't wait on this.
- plain-marmot-0055/14/2026
  This sounds so stressful, especially trying to manage it from another country. You shouldn't have to be playing detective on your own case. I really hope you get some clarity soon — you deserve better than vague non-answers after everything you've been through.
candid-dove-8715/14/2026
Missing a case management conference is not nothing. Judges notice, and depending on the court, there can be sanctions or the case can get put on a problem track. What you should do right away: pull up the full register of actions and screenshot everything — the missed appearance, all the hearing dates, every docket entry. That's YOUR case record and you're entitled to it. Then send your attorney a message (in writing, with a timestamp) acknowledging you saw the entry and asking for an explanation. Keep everything. I'm not saying the relationship is over, but you need a paper trail of your attempts to communicate if things go sideways.
- careful-lynx-0345/14/2026
  Here's the blunt version: send one final clear message that says you've reviewed the court docket, you saw the missed appearance, and you need a phone or video call within X days to discuss the case status. If he doesn't respond or still won't give you straight answers, start looking for a new attorney immediately. You can switch lawyers mid-case. It happens. Your case belongs to you, not him.
humble-heron-0465/14/2026
Not legal advice, but I'll say this plainly: an attorney missing a scheduled court appearance without explanation is a serious red flag, not a minor hiccup. Courts don't love that, and it can affect how a judge views your case going forward. You have an absolute right to know the status of your own litigation. If you're not getting straight answers after multiple written requests, it may be worth at least consulting with a second attorney to review where things stand. Most will do a free case review. That doesn't mean you're firing your current lawyer — it just means you're informed.
daring-vole-3665/14/2026
From my time on the insurance side — yes, we tracked plaintiff attorney activity closely. An attorney who misses hearings or is slow on discovery starts to get a reputation, and adjusters factor that into how seriously they take settlement demands. It sounds cynical but it's just true. Your lawyer's responsiveness (or lack of it) directly affects your outcomes. The fact that you had to find out about a missed court date by searching the docket yourself is not okay.
clear-finch-3935/14/2026
Before you panic — did you confirm the docket entry is actually about a required appearance and not something that could be waived or handled differently? Sometimes entries look alarming and there's a procedural explanation. I'd ask your lawyer directly: "I saw the entry from [date] showing plaintiff's counsel did not appear — can you explain what happened?" His response to that specific question will tell you a lot about where things really stand.