Beware of Slot Machine Law Firm Relationships

Let me ask you a question: What’s one of the best predictors of future behavior in business?

It’s not what someone promises.
It’s not the potential they talk about.
It’s not how big the case sounds, or how friendly their paralegal is.

The best predictor of future behavior… is past behavior.

And yet, in personal injury (PI), we forget that all the time.  Why?
Because one win can make us forget all the losses.

Let me give you a metaphor: slot machines.

You hit a jackpot once … lights flash, bells ring, people cheer. And suddenly, that machine becomes your best friend.  So, what do you do? You keep pulling that lever. Again, and again.

But here’s the truth:

The average slot machine only hits once every 84 spins. That means you lose 83 out of 84 times.

And yet that one emotional, high-adrenaline win hijacks your logic. It keeps you playing. Until you run out of money. The house always wins.

Now let’s bring that home, to your medical office.

You work with a law firm.  One time, they pay fast. One time, they pay in full. One time, they fight to protect your full bill.

And what happens? That becomes your version of the jackpot.

It’s loud. It’s exciting. It feels good.

So, you keep accepting their clients as patients.

But the next 10 patients you took on?

• They’re slow to settle.
• They ignore your follow-ups.
• They fail to provide settlement and intended proceed disbursement transparency.
• They deeply discount your bill without asking.
• They treat your team like a transactional vendor.

And yet, you hold on to the memory of that one time or occasional win. That one check that came fast. That one kind email. That one moment they did the right thing.

Maybe on patient number 11 … or 25 … they’ll do it again.

But do you see the pattern? You’ve become addicted to the shine. The adrenaline. The memory of “just maybe.”

This isn’t just emotional, it’s neurological. Your brain is wired to chase the high. Meanwhile, your margin, morale, and mental bandwidth are being drained.

So, here’s the question every medical office with a PI segment must ask:

Are you addicted to the occasional win that gives you a dopamine hit… or committed to the consistent wins that build sustainable results?

In personal injury, consistency is king.

• Consistency pays your staff.
• Consistency lets you reinvest in your practice.
• Consistency allows you to sleep at night, knowing your time and treatment are valued.

And the good news? Consistency can be measured.

Track your outcomes with every law firm you work with. Review those results regularly with your team. And monitor what really matters:

• How long do they take to respond?
• How do they communicate during pending PI claims and lawsuits?
• How transparent are they about settlements and financials?
• What percentage of the bill is paid, on average?
• How often do they pay at or near the full billed amount?

Stop measuring law firms by charm or potential.  Start measuring them by performance.

Because here’s the truth:

You’re not in a game of chance. You’re running a business.  And every case, every patient, every dollar counts.

So, what do you do next?

• Build relationships with firms that offer consistent value, not just occasional excitement.
• Train your team to spot patterns, not chase hope.
• Create systems to track performance.
• Reward reliability.
• Walk away, or at least monitor closely, those who don’t deliver it.

You can still care. You can still be kind. You can even give a second chance.

But if you want to run a profitable, sustainable PI practice segment, you can’t ignore the data.

Because when you stop looking at the flashing lights and start listening to the full track record, the truth becomes clear:

Some law firms are your allies. Others are your addiction.

And addictions? They bleed you. They give just enough to keep you coming back, while draining your time, staff, value, and profits.

So today, I’m giving you permission:

Stop chasing jackpots. Start investing in consistency.

Invest in law firm relationships that pay fairly, that communicate clearly, that operate transparently, and that treat your team, your treatment and your bills with the respect you’ve earned.

Because this isn’t Vegas.

This is your business.

And it’s time to start treating it like one.