Our nightmare began when my father complained of chest pains. We later learned he had mesothelioma, a mean cruel cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. They also told us there were no survivors of this type of cancer. My father worked on the railroad for over 36 years. I asked a friend of mine if this was his father, which railroad worker injury attorney would he hire. He immediately said Rick Shapiro. He called Rick on his cell phone and explained our situation and handed me the phone. That connection to the law firm of Shapiro & Appleton& Duffan began a relationship of trust and a sense of confidence that we had not experienced before.
Rick’s knowledge of railroad law is vast, so this client made a wise decision. Below are some articles written by Rick on railroad worker injury law and, specifically, the horrific side effects associated with asbestos exposure while workin for the railroads:
It was apparent to us that we had the right team fighting for our father. Dad died less than 3 months after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He did not live to see the results of the work of what Rick did for our family. Rick never gave up. Rick realized the railroad knew of the dangers of asbestos years ago and intentionally failed to train the employees of the hazards in being exposed to asbestos nor did they ever offer any type of personal protective devices even though they had been available for years. That they knew and made intentional decisions to do nothing for their employees provided the fuel for anger from within the family.
Over the life of the case, which extended almost 5 years, Rick visited our home; he wanted to develop a personal relationship with the family so he could better understand our needs and where our strengths were. His continued drive and positive attitude kept us from ever getting to the point where we just gave up and decided to take whatever deal the railroad laid on the table. Never did I send an email or left a message in Rick’s office that we did not get a speedy answer. The courtesy he extended to our family was unmatched by anyone in his profession. Rick evolved over time to become part of the family, a trusted, loyal friend. From not knowing us at all, to fighting for us, to the final battle, his guidance was always positive, and always in our best interest.
On behalf of [all of us] we are eternally grateful for everything the firm did for our family.