Brody J Valerga

would not recommend Brody under any circumstances based on my experience. After several years of being represented by him, I can honestly say this was one of the most frustrating and disappointing professional experiences I’ve ever had. Communication throughout my case was extremely poor. Emai...ls routinely went unanswered, phone calls were rarely returned, and I often had to repeatedly call or email just to get updates on my own case. I constantly felt like I had to chase my own attorney for information. Very early in my case, I brought approximately 700 pages of medical records, notes, and supporting documents to his office. I specifically asked that nothing be produced until we had reviewed everything together and determined what was actually relevant. When I returned for our next meeting, I discovered he had already produced the entire file without going through it with me. When I questioned why he had done that after I had specifically asked him not to, he immediately became defensive instead of discussing my concerns. Rather than addressing why the documents had been sent, the conversation shifted to whether he should continue representing me. I left feeling like I couldn’t ask reasonable questions without risking my representation. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an isolated incident. There were multiple occasions throughout my representation where, after asking questions or expressing concerns, I was told he would withdraw from my case. Instead of feeling comfortable communicating with my own attorney, I often felt intimidated into staying quiet. I also felt that I did much of the work myself. I spent countless hours gathering medical records, organizing documentation, preparing timelines, researching issues, and providing supporting information that helped move the case toward mediation. I expected much more involvement, preparation, communication, and strategic guidance from my attorney than I ultimately received. The mediation was conducted over Zoom and was by far the most disappointing part of the entire case. This was the most important day in years of litigation, and I expected my attorney to be focused on my case. Instead, while the mediator and defense were meeting in separate breakout rooms, I was frequently left sitting alone while Brody muted himself, turned off his audio, and worked on other matters. He repeatedly mentioned other meetings and other cases and often seemed rushed, saying he had to leave soon. There was very little communication with me during those periods, and I was left waiting without updates or guidance. I never felt like my case had his full attention during one of the most critical moments of the litigation. Perhaps what disappointed me most was the complete change in how my case was described. This case was accepted on a contingency fee basis, and for years I was told I had a strong case. Then, during mediation, I was told it had never been a very good case and that other attorneys likely would not have taken it. Those two positions were difficult to reconcile. After years of relying on that advice and investing so much time and effort, hearing the exact opposite at the end made me question whether I was being given an objective assessment or simply being encouraged to accept the settlement and move the case to a conclusion. After my experience, I later read another review describing many of the same concerns I had regarding communication and professionalism. It was disappointing to realize that the issues I experienced did not appear to be isolated. No attorney can guarantee an outcome, and that is not my criticism. My criticism is the lack of communication, preparation, professionalism, responsiveness, and client advocacy throughout my case. I never felt that my case was given the attention it deserved. Based on my firsthand experience, I would not hire Brody again, and I cannot recommend him to anyone seeking legal representation.