A controversial statement: You should speak personally with the attorney on every single PI cases within the first 2 weeks. This facilitates a conversation about insurance, liability, referrals, etc.
Conversely, failing to adequately discuss the case with the attorney before beginning treatment in earnest opens you up to misunderstandings about the strength of the case and the necessity of additional treatment that could leave a sour taste in your patient’s mouth and leave you underpaid in the end.
If you struggle to get that attorney on the phone (not a paralegal or case manager or friend of the attorney but the attorney themselves), it may be a sign that you are not respected by the attorney and that he intends to screw you in the end. Suggest to your patient that if you aren’t able to speak to their attorney, maybe they should consider an attorney who better respects the work you are doing.
Remember: your patients trust you (their healer) 100x more than they will ever trust their attorney. Use that power to your advantage.
