Recommendations

While a patient in two nursing homes under the incompetent protection of the public guardian, my sister failed to receive the necessary medical care and social services mandated by law. She was allowed to be warehoused, chemically and emotionally abused and, predictably, she prematurely died by accidentally choking to death.  To get any semblance of justice for her, and any hope of emotional healing for me from having to helplessly endure watching her needlessly suffer and die an untimely death, I needed the nursing homes and at least two doctors held accountable.

My lawsuit was going to be complex and onerous with guaranteed twists and turns due to multiple defendants, seven years of information, documents and “incidents” to be reviewed, analyzed and understood. Statute of limitation obstacles and other regulatory and legal minefields also had to be traversed and overcome.  I knew that many attorneys would turn a deaf ear to my plea for justice, or pause before agreeing to litigate only the more obvious and seemingly easily winnable portion of my complaint.  I needed an attorney--a “shark” unafraid of hard work--who wholeheartedly believed in my cause, who really cared about righting wrongs, and, undaunted by what seemed like insurmountable odds of winning, would not only agree to litigate what seemed like the “slam dunk” portion of my allegation, but one who would be a fierce warrior for justice--unafraid to take on a government bureaucracy and the systemic neglect and abuse in nursing homes.

I was blessed to find just that warrior in Attorney John Ciccarelli.  He empathized and sympathized with the ethical and moral merits of my allegations, and immediately agreed to hold the culprits “feet to the fire” by litigating a wrongful death and elder abuse lawsuit against them. He was very candid about the procedural hurdles we had to overcome, demanded that I be completely honest with him, and, in turn, he would do his best to achieve a positive outcome for me. During the approximate three years of battling for justice on my behalf, Mr. Ciccarelli was always cognizant of my state of mind, and during those times the lawsuit became particularly difficult for me to handle, he was emotionally accessible and supportive.

In addition to being a passionate warrior for justice, Mr. Ciccarelli exhibited a brilliant analytical legal mind.  Armed with insightful and ingeniously conceived oral and written arguments, as well as being adroit at circumventing curve balls hurled in court, he effectively launched legal salvos that won court skirmishes.  Like the biblical “David” who, with his slingshot and stone, vanquished the seemingly invincible Goliath,” Mr. Ciccarelli deftly traversed through what seemed like insurmountable legal minefields to consistently move my case forward to a positive outcome.

Mr. Ciccarelli is the attorney for the individual with a just case, even if it is complex.

He is also the attorney for the individual with scant resources who must depend on an attorney taking their case on contingency in order to get justice.  He is the attorney for the entity or individual who needs justice against a government or “powers that be.”  He is the attorney you would want as your advocate rather than your adversary.  At first my attorney, now my friend, I would definitely use him again if the need ever arises (God forbid), and I highly recommend Mr. Ciccarelli to anyone looking for a brilliant, stalwart, powerful, effective and honest warrior advocate.