Community

We so often hear the exploits of the "lawsuit happy people" who do nothing but file ridiculous actions. How many times do we read in the paper, periodical or see on a TV commentary or magazine show outlandish cases being highlighted where an insurance company or investigative reporter has "caught" a fraudulent claimant on camera, segments dramatizing the misuse of the civil system.
     
The Law Offices of William D. Shapiro congratulates the many insurance companies that have Special Fraud Investigation Units to uncover and prosecute claimants and any attorneys who knowingly advocate fraudulent claims. However we hope each time a newspaper or TV show dramatizes a purported fraudulent claim, they give equal time to those catastrophically injured or killed by negligent drivers, products known by the manufacturer to be defective, roadways known to pose grave dangers or negligent health care. Equal time need be spent investigating the many insurance companies who wrongfully deny rightful claims, HMO’s or health providers who decline to provide necessary treatment; the disability carrier who denies benefits to the victim of a disability or a life company denying benefits to a needy widow or children.

Likewise, whenever the discussion turns to the alleged, "sue happy," society we now have, we hope the conversation points out that civil filings are significantly down, and that when cases are filed, they most often represent a seriously injured victim who is represented by an ethical lawyer, committed to help the cause of the client.

It is the civil lawyer who has long provided the non governmental system of checks and balances. The civil personal injury lawyer who through his or her representation of injured victim or their family, is able to bring about change, safer roadways, vehicles, premises, and conduct. It has been the "contingent fee agreement," that provides the victims and families of tragedies, to hire the very best in legal talent to fight even the wealthiest insurance companies, product manufacturers, health providers and others who have unlimited resources.

The Law Offices of William D. Shapiro is proud to be among those civil lawyers who, in addition to having improved the lives of our clients for the multi-millions of dollars recovered, we have been instrumental in creating change in our community, making the world a safer place.