Client
If you have an accident take my advice DO NOT waste your time with this law firm. February 2024 it was a snow day and I was running my business and using time in between to take care of clients driveways... Last driveway I had to do just as the sun is coming down I am backing out and got struck by an intoxicated driver. Luckily the truck was a 2002 Chevrolet 3500 dual wheel with an extremely heavy frame and a steel flatbed or who knows what the outcome would have been. I approached this firm because I was familiar with the name, the advertisements, the commercials etc. The beginning the confidence was high "if needed they would take it to trial", they "dont stop until you get what you deserve" etc... The driver was Mapfre commerce and fault was admitted. I was injured and as I was told to I had gone to the chiropractor they send you to next door at least 15 times, my cardiologist. It did nothing but waste my time. The company fought back and forth then when trial time came I come in for a meeting and what do they do? Basically pressure me as best as they can to avoid trial and sign the release.... They had absolutely no motivation to go to trial and what numbers did they come up with? At first $3,500, then up to $5,000.... $5,000 in 2025. I spoke to my new go to attorney and was told "Jim i am not trying to upset you but this would have easily been a 30-40 thousand dollar case". In this case I had an amount of sales tax to the state of MA so this is where the money would be going but I was fine with that because it had to be paid anyway and the more thats paid through the settlement is less out of my pocket. The beginning when you submit medical bills, ambulance bills they tell you "they will negotiate" to "get you more money". I had PIP through my insurance company Cariglia took ALL the checks over $8,000 worth and guess what didnt negotiate a dime and ended up paying $4,100 for a 15 mile ambulance ride . I ended up in the end with a $5,000 offer that I simply accepted because I was sick of dealing with the firm. Once you sign those papers you become a number. Cheryl the owner nice woman but shes running around that office pulling the hair out of her head and your case will end up being transferred to one of the multiple Tony Sopranos who assist the office. Here is the kicker though the girl I was with in the accident she never had injuries never attended one appointment. Since a lot of time has passed they have been desperately calling her to come sign the papers on what was initially a $750 offer that they now somehow brought up to $2,600. EDITED REPLY TO CARIGLIA OWNER: Unfortunate not quite as state taxes have to be paid no matter if its coming out of my pocket or a settlement. There should have been just under $10,000 paid to the state of MA not $5,000 and the option of not paying the ridiculous ambulance bill should have been presented to me as I work directly with a handler to take care of the state debt. Instead you chose to pay abnormally high ambulance bills with not one bit of negotiation. $4,100 for a 15 minute ride....It says (Owner) so I am guessing this is Cheryl personally. Cheryl I did not want it to be like this. You are a very sharp intelligent woman and that is why I hired you in the beginning and had high expectations. At the same time it seemed to me as time went on you guys are extremely busy and my case may have not received the attention it needed. I am a single man with an entire family and 4 generations of physical labor hanging on my shoulders if I flop the whole ship sinks so when people do not take my situations seriously especially involving finances I have no choice but to use every avenue I can to defend myself. When trial approached your firm showed absolutely no interest in handling my case inside that court room and I was pressured into a settlement or "I may end up with nothing". Your case with my girlfriend has not been "settled" as after the way my case was handled she has refused to sign any paperwork unless there is a check written out directly in return