Slip and fall in Naples
When I needed an attorney here, I called my brother, an attorney practicing in another state. After extensive research he recommended that I contact Marc Shapiro in Naples. I took his advice and I am glad I did for the following reasons:
1. Marc does not do a lot of advertising. It is hard to watch the evening news in SW Florida and not see a half dozen or more commercials for attorneys. From huge multi-generational firms to firms that appear to be one lawyer and his two young kids. I am suspicious of firms that feel the need to spend money on advertising instead of client services. Also there is a “Better Call Saul” vibe in these ads. Marc does not go there.
2. My case was a slip and fall. Even though I had severe injuries, Marc and the attorney he assigned to my case (Rich Lavariere) gave a very clear explanation of how difficult such cases are to win in Florida, and especially in Collier County. And since we were going against a hospital with a mega law firm and very deep pockets, Marc was realistic in informing me of my chances of success. I much prefer this approach instead of giving me an unrealistic promise of a very large payout.
3. Marc assigned Rich Lavariere to my case. Rich is a young attorney who combines the enthusiasm of youth with the knowledge of the law that belies his age. Rich kept me informed every step of the way. He provided me with copies of all the filings and the strategy of how he is proceeding. We communicated mainly via email. He answered my inquiries promptly, usually within the hour. He returned phone calls no later than the next day. Superb effort.
4. Marc has assembled an unbelievable team of support personnel consisting of paralegals, legal assistants, researchers, accountants, investigators and others. Although I had only a few interactions with them, all showed a high degree of competence.
5. Mediation. It is no surprise that most cases are settled at the mediation hearing. This is a long, arduous, “how sausage is made”, process. Rich prepped me on what to expect and how I should act. He was spot on. His presentation was concise, but thorough and fully explained how I was affected by fall. During our one-on-one with the mediator he explained what our expectations were and our needs. I had very little to do in those sessions. Rich handled those perfectly.
6. Outcome. It has been said that a successful outcome is one where both sides were unhappy. I don’t know if “unhappy” is the proper word. Although I wish I received a larger award, I was satisfied with the outcome. It even was much higher than what the mediator (with 37 years of experience) thought the final figure would be. So, I guess I was less unhappy than the other side.
7. In any review of a personal services firm, three questions must be answered. “Were you happy with service provided”? “Would you use this firm again”? And “Would you recommend this firm to others”? Based on my experiences with the Shapiro law firm, my answers are:
“Yes!”, “Yes!”, and “Yes!”
