Auto Insurance Claims: settlement fee, attorney client relationship

Question
I was involved in a car accident on June 12, 2011. I obtained an attorney on June 15, 2011. I must say that he was not personable to say the least. I met with him one time and that was to sign the paperwork and just to go over his fees. This was where i didn't ask any questions. I went to all of my doctor visits (everyday) and consulted with all my other doctors. I would call him and leave a message but he would just send me a letter instead. Okay long story short we made a $10,000 demand. The adjuster came back with 2 other offers. We settled on $5,975. This was where I'm taken back. My attorney got the doctor to reduce his fee and my attorney also reused his. MY question is this..
1) Can the attorney take his "fee" from my doctors bill?
2) Could I have paid that bill on my own?
Upon learning what/how it was paid my attorney started talking to me really rude when i asked him how the moneys was paid. I still don't get why he talked to me in this manner.
Please help!!

Answer
Tameka,

  I am not going to answer your question #1, because I am not an attorney, and I do not know what kind of agreement you made with the attorney, so I cannot speak as to what the contract you have with him entitles him to do.   

  Now for your question number 2.  The answer is yes, you could have paid the bill on your own, and you could have negotiated a discounted price with the doctor, if you didn't have an attorney.  Again, the contract you signed with the attorney may dictate certain things.  

Like most people, you probably didn't know you could do that, and you would have probably had a difficult time approaching the doctor about a discount anyway.  Attorney's know what the reasonable cost for services should be, and if the doctor has overcharged, they have no problem using that knowledge to negotiate for a reasonable discount.  It is entirely possible that the contract you have with the attorney allows the attorney to pocket any discounts he negotiates on your behalf.  Look at the agreement you signed closely.  Attorneys are good at contracts, for the most part, and it is not likely your attorney would do something illegal.    

Basically, you would have to produce the actual agreement you had with the attorney in order to get a solid answer to your questions.