Attorney Has Early Onset Dementia

Location: Michigan

Throwaway because obviously.

I’m (plaintiff) in the middle of a medical malpractice case and my lawyer (mid-70s, well known, respectable firm) just told me offhandedly that he’s got early onset dementia.

It’s just him and his paralegals on my team. I am concerned that he doesn’t have a back-up lawyer working with him. I feel like I have a right to be concerned but I also don’t know what to do. We have had some “hiccups” during discovery that have raised some eyebrows but I just chalked up to faulty admin.

I’m worried that he told me accidentally and that his firm doesn’t know. I don’t want to “out” him by voicing a concern - just because he has this condition doesn’t mean he is suddenly incapable - but this is a very important case for me. I don’t know what to do.

Do I approach him and tell him that, as a client, I would be more comfortable with him having a back up? I don’t want to have to pay for two lawyers. He’s also already told me that this is one of his last cases before retirement - so I already feel like he’s got a foot and a half out the door and doesn’t really care how this goes. I don’t want to insult him or seem ageist but, again, this is an incredibly important case for me.

I’m going about this entirely on my (mid 30s) own. I don’t have any friends or family to bounce off of and I’ve never been in this sort of situation before. I’ve never even had a parking ticket.

Do I go to him first? I’m worried he will be offended and stop working on my case. I’m worried he will drop me as a client and then I don’t know what happens to my case.

If I wanted to go above him, who even IS his boss? Is that contacting the “partners” of the firm?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I’m losing sleep.