From PI mess to PI success — One Provider’s Story
Taking Action Can Change Everything
I want to share a story—not about theory, or ideas, or even strategy—but about reality.
It’s the story of Dr. Peters—a real client of mine (name changed) whose journey from business disaster to business salvation didn’t just change his life… it changed mine, too.
Dr. Peters is a medical provider in California. When he first entered my world, he had over 150 active PI cases—all funneled through a single law firm. At the time, it felt like a dream come true for him. The referrals were pouring in. He was doing what he loved—treating patients, helping people, documenting thoroughly, and adding value to the cases. Everyone seemed to be winning.
But then reality hit. The first case settled. A steep reduction request followed. He took the hit—chalked it up as the cost of doing business. Then came the second case. Same reduction. Then a third… a fourth… a fifth. And soon, it was a pattern. Every settlement returned 20 cents on the dollar.
Let that sink in: 80% loss—on the prospect of over 150 cases.
Dr. Peters wasn’t just breaking even—he was bleeding. He and his team were essentially treating patients for free… worse, he was paying to treat them given the payout results with this law firm. His business was drowning in overhead and broken expectations.
But here’s what Dr. Peters did right—and why I’ll never forget him.
He recognized the danger early. He didn’t deny it. He didn’t freeze. He reached out.
He found me through his network and explained his story. I could hear the exhaustion. The depression. The confusion. He wasn’t just worried about money—he was worried about survival. His PI journey had become a trap.
He didn’t yet understand the tricks and traps that some law firms and their trained staff use to exploit good providers. He lacked the proven processes that protect value, secure leverage, and put payment pathways like MedPay to work early.
But he was coachable. Committed. Humble.
And ready.
He enrolled in my coaching program. He also retained my outsourced negotiation services. And together, we attacked the problem.
What was the goal I told him? Turn 80% losses into 80% recoveries.
Was that possible? He said, “No way.” I said, “Watch.”
Using my DISRUPTIVE Method and Negotiation Aikido—methods I’ve spent over a decade refining—I educated the law firm to assert leverage, track everything and flip the script.
Final result?
Out of more than 145 resolved cases, the overall average recovery was 88.5%.
Yes—from 20% recovery to 88.5%. A business mess turned into a profit success.
Disaster was turned into destiny. Taking action changed everything.
But that wasn’t all.
The law firm—impressed with the documentation, the positioning, and how Dr. Peters handled himself on the PI cases—sent him more patients. That’s right. The very firm that once drained him became a continued source of patients.
Why? Because value-driven providers—the ones trained to win—get respected… even by tough attorneys. PI is a niche that gets push back from all sides. Those who handle push back professionally and can hold their ground are the ones the good PI attorneys want to use for their clients.
And then came a truly unexpected surprise. Because then came COVID.
Dr. Peters had to shut down his office when staff got sick. He called me again: “How will I pay the bills now?”
I reminded him: PI is payment for past work. Even though his doors were closed, the checks from past PI settlements kept rolling in.
Those checks—those previously uncollected bills—saved his business and personal finances during the pandemic.
Before that, I believed PI was recession-proof. That’s when I learned it’s also pandemic-proof.
Dr. Peters not only recovered…He expanded.
He got better, not bitter. He became a true value driver—to his patients, his referring attorneys, and even to the PI community.
So, what’s the lesson?
- It’s okay to feel defeated.
- It’s okay to be frustrated.
- But it’s not okay to stay stuck.
Get help. Get trained. Get protected. Because it’s not just about healing others—it’s about protecting yourself so you can thrive doing it in order to heal more people.
You’re never as far gone as you think. You’re always one smart move away from a breakthrough.
Dr. Peters proved that.
And in helping him, he reminded me why I do what I do.
So, if you’re struggling in PI, remember this:
It’s all still in your control.
Even when it doesn’t feel like it.
