Interesting thread -- I clicked on it expecting to see the normal questions about whether hiring a Consultant is worthwhile or necessary, and the normal back and forth about 1) how Dr. Merchant helped DS/DD , or 2) whether its necessary to hire someone like Dr. Merchant to navigate the DODMERB process. If you look at the past threads, it seemed that Dr. Merchant had a pretty favorable reputation.
I don't know the man, and not going to defend his lack of responsiveness. His business is very similar to that of a lawyer, and I have learned over the years that one of the common reasons that very good lawyers aren't responsive is when they have nothing to report or are waiting for instruction from their client. In Dr. Merchant's case, he may be waiting for a response from the Client's doctors , who themselves may be (or are likely to be) less than diligent when they get a request from another Doctor asking to review their records. No professional likes the idea of one of their peers looking over their shoulders and second guessing them, so if you do engage a consultant like this, you should make sure you tell your local Doctors what's going on, and ask them for their prompt cooperation. Again, I'm not trying to excuse Dr. Merchant's lack of responsiveness-- even if he has nothing to report, a simple phone call or email often goes a long way in keeping clients happy.
Now a reality check for those eager to jump on the bandwagon and sue Dr. Merchant. Lawyers cost money, and litigation takes time and money. I don't know how much Dr Merchant charges for his services, but I suspect that it is far less than the cost of even a small claims lawsuit. I can already hear some saying , "Well, its a matter of principle..."and my answer is the same as I tell clients all the time, "There is nothing a lawyer likes more than a Client with principle ....and money." Bottom line, if you have to resort to filing suit , the only winner will be the lawyer.
What should you do ? If you have an issue with Dr. Merchant, I would encourage you to reach out to him and send a link to this thread by email. I wouldn't be surprised if he receives a fair amount of his referrals from this Forum, and if he is aware of the degree of dissatisfaction, I would expect he will respond accordingly. Assuming of course he has plans to stay in this business, his reputation is important and this Forum is probably pretty influential.
Good luck.