Talking to your legal team
Questions for your attorney about a pending settlement
Specific questions get specific answers. These are grouped by topic so you can bring only the ones that fit your situation.
Last reviewed: September 2026
How to use this list
Pick five or six questions rather than reading all of them aloud. Write the answers down with the date, and ask for anything important to be confirmed in writing. If you would rather have a shorter list built around your current stage, the Prepare for your next update tool generates a printable page.
Case status
These questions ask what has happened, not what will happen. They are easier for a busy office to answer accurately.
- What stage is my claim in right now — negotiating, agreed, or waiting on disbursement?
- Has an offer been made, and has anything been accepted in writing?
- Has a release been sent, signed, or returned?
- Has a lawsuit been filed, and if so, is any court step still pending?
- Does this settlement require court approval for any reason?
- Which single step is the file waiting on today, and whose desk is it on?
Outstanding documents
Anything waiting on you is the one part of the process you can move immediately.
- Is anything currently waiting on my signature or my information?
- Do you have my current mailing address, phone number, and email?
- Are any medical records or itemized bills still outstanding, and from whom?
- Do you need a W-9 or identification for the payee on the check?
- Should I forward you any letters I receive, and to what address or inbox?
- May I have copies of the release and any documents I have signed?
Repayment claims and liens
Repayment claims are one of the most common reasons a file sits after an agreement is reached.
- Which providers, health plans, or programs have asserted a claim on the settlement?
- Has each of them given a final figure yet, or are any still estimates?
- Is Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, VA care, or an employer health plan involved in my care?
- If a lien notice arrived in my mail, is it already in the file?
- Are you asking any provider to reduce its balance, and where does that stand?
- Could any part of the funds be disbursed while a disputed claim is still open?
Fees, costs, and the settlement statement
You are entitled to understand every line that comes out of the gross settlement amount.
- What is the fee percentage under my agreement, and does it change at any stage?
- Is the fee calculated before or after case costs are deducted?
- What case costs have been advanced so far, and can I see an itemized list?
- Will I receive a written settlement statement before any check is issued?
- Who is paid directly from the trust account, and who do I pay myself?
- Is any part of this settlement expected to be reported as taxable income?
The next expected update
Asking for a next check-in date is usually more productive than asking for a payment date.
- When is the next thing scheduled to happen, and what is it?
- When should I expect to hear from you again if nothing changes?
- Who is my day-to-day contact at the firm, and what is the best way to reach them?
- How long does your office typically take to return a call or email?
- Is there a point at which I should follow up rather than wait?
- What would you need from me if something changes in my treatment or address?