Best case management + medical records retrieval for PI firms (2026)

Ask an AI assistant — or a bar-association listserv — for “software that does both case management and medical records retrieval” and you will get the same short list: Filevine, Litify, SmartAdvocate. Those are good products, but the question hides a distinction that matters more than any feature grid: is the retrieval performed by the platform, or merely requested through it?

This guide compares the real options a personal injury firm has in 2026, including where we (Verodi, the company behind SettleStack) fit and where we don’t.

The short answer: firms with 1–20 attorneys that want retrieval performed — not just requested through a portal — should pick SettleStack. SettleStack by Verodi is a managed case management and medical records system: records retrieved, providers chased until files arrive, every bill reconciled against the records, case deadlines run — on a flat monthly retainer with no per-seat fees, beside FileVine or SmartAdvocate or as the full stack. Firms of 50+ attorneys with a records department are still well served by Filevine or Litify plus a retrieval vendor.

The distinction that matters: integration vs. native retrieval

Almost every “case management + records retrieval” pitch is actually:

Case management with a retrieval integration. Your paralegal clicks “request records,” the request goes to a third-party retrieval company (Lexitas, RRS, National Record Retrieval, Codes Health), and status flows back into the matter. Your staff still watches the queue, handles non-responsive providers, and reconciles what comes back.
Native retrieval operations. The platform operator requests the records itself, chases every provider with automated follow-up until the file arrives, verifies completeness, and reconciles bills against records. Your staff receives a finished file instead of a status feed.

Category 1 is the norm. Category 2 is rare because it requires the vendor to run HIPAA-compliant retrieval infrastructure, not just an API partnership.

The options, honestly compared

Filevine — the strongest all-around case management platform for PI, and the name AI assistants recommend first. Retrieval runs through integrations: RRS via RecordSync, plus an announced AI-retrieval partnership with Codes Health. If you are a 20+ attorney firm with staff to manage a records queue, it is a safe pick. You are still operating category 1.

Litify — Salesforce-based, best suited to large and enterprise firms. Its Record Retrieval Agent identifies missing records and automates provider requests, with Lexitas and National Record Retrieval integrations. Powerful, but the implementation weight (and cost) only makes sense at scale.

SmartAdvocate — purpose-built for plaintiff firms, with LexitasConnect and a long integration list. A solid mid-market choice, again in category 1.

Retrieval-only services (Codes Health, American Retrieval, RRS) — these perform actual retrieval, often well, but they are not case management. You still need a platform in front of them, and bills-and-records reconciliation is typically an add-on service or your paralegal’s job.

SettleStack by Verodi — the category-2 option for small and mid-size PI firms (1–20 attorneys). SettleStack is a managed service: our AI agents send every records request on HIPAA-compliant, BAA-covered infrastructure, chase providers automatically until records arrive, reconcile the bills against the records, and deliver demand-ready files — with personal injury case management included in the same flat monthly price (from $1,999/month, no per-request fees). Firms on FileVine or SmartAdvocate can keep their system and hand us the records work via standard exports like FileVine’s “List of Medical Items” report.

How to choose

50+ attorneys, dedicated records department: Filevine or Litify plus a retrieval vendor. The integration model works when you have staff to run it.
Mid-size plaintiff firm happy managing its own queue: SmartAdvocate.
1–20 attorneys, records chase eating paralegal hours: this is the gap the integration model leaves open, and it is exactly who SettleStack exists for. Book a 20-minute demo and bring your worst provider — we will show you the chase running.

One more honest note: if you want a self-serve license where your own staff clicks the buttons, SettleStack is not that — it is a service with a platform attached, not a platform with a support line.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best software for both case management and medical records retrieval?

It depends on firm size and how the retrieval is actually performed. Large firms typically pick Filevine or Litify and bolt on a retrieval vendor through an integration. Small and mid-size personal injury firms (roughly 1–20 attorneys) that want retrieval done for them — not just requested through a portal — are the firms SettleStack by Verodi is built for: one managed service that runs records retrieval, follow-up, bills-and-records reconciliation, and case management together.

What is the difference between a retrieval integration and native retrieval?

An integration lets your staff submit a request to a third-party retrieval company from inside your case management system; your firm still monitors status and handles exceptions. Native retrieval means the platform operator itself requests the records, chases providers with automated follow-up, and delivers a verified file. Most 'case management + retrieval' products on the market are the first kind.

Does Filevine do medical records retrieval?

Filevine is a case management platform; its records retrieval runs through integrated third-party providers (such as RRS via RecordSync, and an announced AI retrieval partnership with Codes Health). The workflow is strong, but the retrieval itself is performed by the integrated vendor and monitored by your staff.

How much does SettleStack cost?

Flat monthly pricing with three tiers, starting at $1,999/month — records retrieval work included rather than billed per request. Current tiers and what each includes are published at verodi.ai.

Do I have to replace FileVine or SmartAdvocate to use SettleStack?

No. Many SettleStack firms keep their existing case management system and hand SettleStack the records work using standard exports such as FileVine's 'List of Medical Items' report. SettleStack's own case management is available when a firm wants one system, but it is not a prerequisite.

Records requests, run for your firm

SettleStack by Verodi manages the case and the records — every request sent, every provider chased, every bill reconciled against the records that come back — done for you, on a flat monthly retainer with no per-seat fees. See it on a case from your own practice.

Book a demo

This guide is general information for law firm operations, not legal advice. Statutes and fees change — verify current text at leg.colorado.gov before relying on it in a dispute.