Our Clients Share Their Legal Experience With Our Seminole Firm

Sandy's Medicaid Planning Testimonial (Transcript) We came to your office because another family member of ours, a cousin, had used your firm for their parents, my aunt, and my uncle. You did such a wonderful job for my cousin and my aunt and uncle that she could not recommend you highly enough for us, and our family to come to you for our problems. My sister and I are only two siblings, and we look after a 91, and a 92-year-old parent. My sister and I are in our early 60s, and we find ourselves with parents who didn't think they were going to live that long who now have a need for medical care, and need for other home health, as well as assisted living. They had, by this time, run through a great portion of their funds, and my sister and I needed a way to continue to care for them in a compassionate way. When my cousin recommended your firm, and I wish that I had come here three years sooner than when I did, we found ourselves in the best position ever. We met Tammy, we met Mary Lou, and we found that the two of them were like long lost sisters to us. They sat down with us and explained the different methodologies that we could use to protect what was remaining of their assets, how to continue to use their assets for ongoing care, and what government assistance might be possible to us if we just did it the right way. Frankly, my sister and I didn't really know what the right way was, so coming here we found that meeting with Rep, Rep had an extensive background on how the Veterans Administration worked, how the Department of Children's and Family Services worked, as well as Mary Lou's experience with all the assisted living facilities, and her background in working with the Department of Children's and Family Services. She knew who to call, what to say, how to create logons and passwords, how to input information. It's phenomenal. Tammy, she was able to take all of our parents' financial asset and categorize them for us. By categorizing them correctly she was able to help us with creating a qualified income trust, which gave us some of the extra income to be able to take care of my parents in a much better way than if I had to rely only on Medicaid to look after them at 91 and 92. All of your staff's attention to detail, willingness to return phone calls quickly, to make phone calls on our behalf, to research what the laws might possibly be, because we were a new thing with a husband, and a wife having veterans' benefits, as well as looking for Medicaid benefits. Actually, the two of them together have been a phenomenal relief, they have taken so much of the stress off of my sister, and I trying to figure out how we were going to care for them. I could not think of a more compassionate, careful, considerate, knowledgeable, professional group of people than your firm. We have been so pleased and blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know you, and to have you on our side as part of our team helping us care for our parents.

Sandy

John's Car Crash Testimonial (Transcript) The accident took place on Thanksgiving Day. It'll be three years ago this past Thanksgiving. It was at 102nd and Seminole Boulevard. I was stopped at the stoplight. There was two cars in front of me and I was the third car. Coming south on Seminole, I never saw the person, hit me about a fourth way into the intersection. I went airborne a little bit, scooted me across the pavement, and then I was upside down in my SUV. All I can say is thank God it was a heavy SUV. It was a Mercedes, or I wouldn't be talking to you here. The glass, all the airbags, all that, the biggest thing I got was a cut on my left arm and my back. That's the main thing. I turned black and blue all the way from my neck all the way down to my waist for about two months. But other than that, I got through it okay.  Most people like me that haven't been in an accident, never had an accident, even though I'm familiar with lawyers and all that, you don't know exactly, if you will, what you're doing. Once you get connected like I did with your law firm, it's the way it was handled. The idea that they had a video to show me, to tell me what to do and not to do, because this is not my expertise. As a result, I, if you will, was very well briefed. I was told what to do, what not to do. I said I was well pleased with it. I thought it was very professional.  Jennifer was the paralegal. From my point of view, I thought I was treated very professionally. I did not have a big claim, but I don't care how large it could have been. I was well pleased with the way it was handled. I was kept informed. They treated me like anybody would want to be treated. I have really nothing bad I can say about it at all. The kept me up to date on everything. I was well pleased with it. Very well. Had I to do it over again or if I, thank God hopefully I won't have another accident, there'd be no place else to go. I would advise anybody to go. From my point of view, you're very professional. I said I was very well pleased. I'd recommend you to anyone.

John

  Ron and Renee's Rear-End Car Wreck (Transcript) Renee: So I was taking my children to school. We were stopped behind another vehicle, waiting on a school bus on the opposite side of the road to load kids from an apartment complex, and got hit from behind while we were stopped. My seat back kind of collapsed. Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) estimated that he was going 40 miles an hour, so there were no brakes, no nothing, just slammed into the back of my car. At the time, I was very active. I was running and going to the gym. Because it's a lower back pain, that kind of stopped. Ron: I called around to a couple of law firms, and I think maybe I spoke with Monica. And based off of that, I decided that this one seemed like the proper firm for us. Monica pretty much is on top of it from the very start. Renee: Peggy also kept us well informed, and Jennifer's always been a great coordinator or things for us. Ron: Pretty much the whole process we were kept informed. Monica let us know what was going on. Paul was great. Renee: He's a great guy. He's very detailed oriented. He was amazing during the trial, he didn't miss a beat. Preparing us for trial was great. When I got up to testify, it was like I was sitting here in the office, talking with him in the office. Ron: Every time he got up, you kind of felt relaxed because you knew it was going to go right. Renee: Having somebody who can put you at ease, even if you're not going to go to trial, if you're just going to go to mediation or whatever, having somebody who can put you at ease from the beginning of the process to the end of whatever process it is, is great. Ron: Now usually it's nerve-racking. You just didn't feel it with Paul. I enjoyed the days in court. Seriously. I was only up on the stand for maybe 15, 20 minutes, but it lasted two and a half, three days. I enjoyed those days in court. He got up there. He's not a huge guy, and it was just him against a couple lawyers with the insurance company. And he just, he was like a giant out there. I mean it was like a Perry Mason moment, you know what I mean? I mean seriously. Renee: It was almost like he could predict what they were going to say, so he had his response ready. Ron: From his depositions to the medical witnesses to his cross-examinations to his closing, Paul just ran that courtroom. It was very impressive. He made it easy. He made a horrible process easy. I would definitely recommend him and this law firm.

Ron and Renee

David and Charlann's Estate Planning Testimonial (Transcript) Charlann: We were looking for an attorney and we were driving up Seminole Boulevard and he was the first to notice. He looked and said, "There's an attorney right here, not too far from where we live in Seminole."    David: I knew where the place was just because I'm cognizant of where we're driving. I said, "We're using a guy up in Clearwater." I said, "We don't need to go up there, let's go in this place right here on the corner." We drive by it every day. That's how we ended up in here.   It was interesting. I like your service probably in many different ways than my wife. The primary one, the reason I like coming here is because she's comfortable.    Charlann: It's the most incredible experience I've ever had. I've never had to worry about how many questions I asked. Rep would answer very patient, very kind. A great educator and he did a fantastic job on all of our documents and if I need to call with a question or send him an email, you get an answer right away.    David: I think Rep is great. I love talking with him and I love dealing with all the people that are here. As she says, you feel comfortable. I knew that five minutes after I came in here. Especially talking to him because he's so outgoing and he's kind of laid back and stuff. We kidded right off and I had a good time. It was an easy rapport right up front.    Charlann: I mean, what else do you want? It's a perfect scenario. it's the perfect, this is the perfect law firm. With your perfect attorney and I can't say enough about what a good experience anybody would have using Rep. He's board certified in elder law.    David: We don't give birthday cards to everybody. On his birthday, we came in and not only gave him a card but we sang Happy Birthday to him.    Charlann: Every year.    David: ​It floored him.    Charlann: He was coming down the hall and we had this birthday card you open it up and it sings to you. It's one of those musical cards. The birthday card opens up with this crinkly paper type thing and he walked by and he says, "It's my birthday, isn't it?"    David: Got a question? Call Rep, they'll take care of you. Everybody will take care of you. That's the way it should be. That's family.    Charlann: Working with Rep and with Tammy, I'd like to say a couple of words about Tammy, the first thing you want to do when I see Tammy, is give her a hug. The hugs go around a lot with her and with both of us.    David: Yeah.    Charlann: Tammy is wonderful. We love her. She's very talented. She's very good. She is very thorough and it's just an enjoyable experience all the way around. We thank everybody for all they've done for us, for both of us.    David: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Good stuff.    Charlann: Good stuff.    David: Yeah. 

Sean had just finished working out at the gym and was driving his beloved Stella to the dog park. Stella is more than just a yellow Labrador. She’s family. They were sitting at the light on Tyrone Boulevard at 66th Street. The light turned green. Before Sean took his foot off the brake, they were hit hard from behind. The impact threw Stella into the back of Sean’s seat. His back already injured, Sean instinctively turned to see if Stella was alright and further injured himself. “I was more concerned with her than anything at that point,” recalled Sean. Sean’s employer referred him to DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis, P.A. and recommended he speak with attorney Paul Cavonis. Sean’s employer was familiar with the law firm from his involvement with Seminole Rotary Club and other community groups. Sean initially spoke with Paul, and then with paralegal Monica Case. The team met with him the next day. “We went over everything,” explained Sean. “Everything was quick and easy. They told me that it was going to take about a year, but within the year, it was constant contact letting me know what was going on, setting up my doctor appointments, meeting with doctors.” “Then paralegal Jennifer Rosenberg came in about five months into the case to help Monica get everything put together. The diligence that Paul, Monica and Jennifer showed was great. I couldn’t have done anything without them. They were guiding me the whole time.” The sign of a great legal team is how well they keep their clients’ informed. “Not only did Paul, Monica, and Jennifer call me, they’d write me emails and make sure I went over all the documents two to three times making sure everything was correct.” It wasn’t just about Sean. “Not only did they ask how I was doing, but how Stella was doing,” explained Sean. “That was a really big deal. Stella is like my child because I don’t have a wife or kids. That made me feel like they genuinely cared about my well-being as well as Stella’s well-being.” “It’s a family atmosphere there, and that’s what I liked,“ exclaimed Sean. “I couldn’t say enough about DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis.” Sean is right about our firm’s family atmosphere. We’re committed to helping every member of your family. Even beloved pets like Stella. When you need help, we’re here.

Sean

Heather's Car Crash Testimonial (Transcript) On my way to work about three and a half years ago, unexpectedly, I was hit by a utility truck on 275. At the time, I was shook up and a lot of endorphins were going through my body. I didn't realize I was hurt at the time. A couple of days later, I was in terrible, terrible pain. And I really didn't know what to do. And I remembered some of my friends and colleagues talking about Mr. Cavonis. He was a man of high integrity. I knew that he was a philanthropist. He had given much to a lot of our hospice patients. And I remembered his name, and I thought, I think he's the right one for me. So I called him and the same day, I came to the office. At that time, they walked me through the process of litigation. And most importantly, they eased my fears. All of these emotions. And I was met with support and kindness and I never had to worry about what was going on with the case. It took a long time to get to being able to return to work and have my life back so to speak, but with their help, their support, their kindness, I was able to put this behind me. I felt supported throughout the entire process.

Heather

Heather's Elder Law Testimonial (Transcript) One of the reasons I came to this law firm was because of Mr. Rep DeLoach. I met him when I was seeing a patient and he came to the assisted living facility, and helped the patient understand, through their dementia, forgetfulness, and helped them and their family work through the aspects of a living will and a personal property will, and was so kind and so patient. And I was impressed by his demeanor. He was really good with the older folks, and explained everything very simply, made it easy, and really was advocating for them. And when you do not have a living will and you are connected to a ventilator and a feeding tube, and you're contracted and you have no quality of life, but it happens for many reasons, especially when there's family involved that are emotional, you wanna choose someone that has the ability to execute your living will. Try to avoid those situations, be proactive. And I know that is what he's passionate about and trying to accomplish. I raised some concerns with him about the family dynamics and he took that into account, and did what was absolutely in the best interest of his client.

Heather

Felicita's Car Wreck Testimonial (Transcript) Somebody hit me and I didn't get hardly anything. I went to the doctor, and they said, "Well, you have a doctor bill, $1,000 doctor bill." I'm like, "What?" I got hit innocent, and I'm going to have to come up with a $1,000? I can't afford that. And I work across the street on Brookdale​. And whenever I go by, I see this firm. So I was like, "I have nothing to lose. Let me call." And I called and the lady was extra nice. And I came here and I spoke to Monica. And she's awesome. And then after, I spoke to Jennifer. She was sweet, helpful. When you have to hire a lawyer or anything, you're really saying I'm going to put my life in this person's hands, and I don't know how they're going to work with it. So when I met him, I was like ... I asked Jennifer, I was like, "Who's that?" She goes, "That's your attorney." I was like, "Oh." I'm actually meeting people that are working on my case!  And customer service is the most important thing when you're going for anything, especially when you're dealing with a lawyer. You want to be able to call them, explain what's happening, and what do I do now. The doctor's they put me to are close by. I didn't have to drive anywhere far. They sent me to a great therapist that really, really helped me. The whole experience was perfect. And I've been through other lawyers because I've been into other accidents. They have nothing been like the way this company has but run me. So I love it, and I would do it again.

Felicita

David's Life Care Planing Testimonial (Transcript) My niece needed a lawyer and found Rep and that, and it basically, my niece then directed me to Gloria and Rep to set up my will, and the other things like that. Just having that explained in layman's terms, which is what Gloria and them first did when we went into the office and that, and then they laid out the paperwork on setting up different trusts so that I've got money to take care of me. I just have, it just helps ... Where the layman to try to do something like that it's just no way that they can do it on their own.  Or, even if they go into a regular attorney, the regular attorneys don't really understand. Gloria has access to the different facilities like this one here that I'm at now. Where the one that I was at I had basically asked for a private room and one with a shower and that, and she knew which facilities had that, and she started looking for me to find one that had an open room. It's like going from a Motel 6 to a Ramada Inn. There's just no comparison between the two. The food here is more like a restaurant, where the other one wasn't, and I've been so happy ever since I finally got in. Read David's elder care navigation story.

Vicki's Trust Planning Testimonial (Transcript) My mom died six years ago. We had a will, we lost the will. And my whole family came down from Michigan, my uncle and his wife, and my cousin and her husband, and we loaded your conference room.  There were ten of us all talking about my uncle, my other uncle, who is in a nursing home down here.  Five years later I’m walking in trying to get all this taken care of, and I sat down with Rep and I told him “I have this big ball of yarn that’s all tangled. There are so many ends and I don’t know where to go.” We have a family trust that my mom was the head of and then my other uncle took it on, so we needed to get the trust redone since my mom had died. And so Rep set up the trust, and we got that all worked out, running it and he helped answer all the questions. He met with all of us and answered all of our questions regarding what was best for my uncle here. I mean when he first went in it was every day I was there and making sure and staying on top. Medical issues constantly… we almost lost him a couple months ago. But now I have somebody that I know that is staying on top of it and will answer my questions, and will help me get to the bottom of some of the issues that we’ve had. All I have to do is make a phone call if there is a problem instead of getting up and getting there and stomping my feet. On top of all that I’ve had Rep do my trust with the money that I got from the sale. So much burden has been lifted from me. I almost feel like a new person. It’s so nice to find places that think outside the box, and really want to make sure that it’s the best plan for your family and for what your needs are going to be… with actual care behind it, and love behind it.  And I just feel like the whole firm has just been a blessing to our family.

Vicki

Ron’s Injury Law Video Testimonial (Transcript) We're on West Bay and we get over into the right lane and it's slow because up ahead of us at the intersection is a school crossing guard and she stops people from turning because people are coming through the crosswalk. Well, as we approached that intersection, the person behind us tried to get over in the other lane and then realized she couldn't and tried to get back. The only problem is we had to stop and they ran right into dad's scooter lift and dad immediately starting complaining about his shoulders and his leg. I said something to the driver's father. He said, "Is everybody okay?" I said, "Well, my dad's kind of complaining about his shoulder hurting." "Oh we didn't hit you that hard." And my comment was, "We're done. We're done having our conversation." and I walked away from him. Later that night, dad calls up and let's me know he's still hurting. I say, "Dad, we need to you into the emergency room and have you checked out." We didn't do that until the next day, but that night I woke up at three o'clock. I thought I was fine. I woke up at three o'clock in agony. I was hurting, and I forget what it was. We came to DeLoach, Hofstra, a few days after that for something and when I came in, of course I was kind of humped over, and I forget who it was. One of the DeLoach people says, “Ron what's wrong?” I said we got rear ended, I said I'm just a little sore. “You need to talk to Paul!” and got me right in. I explained to him what went on, and genuinely the same thing I mean he was very concerned about me. He wanted to know if I gotten medical attention yet, and I said no. He said “You know you've only got 14 days.” I didn't know anything about any 14 days, if I hadn't come in that day I probably would never of done anything with it. That would of been a mistake. We sat down with Paul and he explained that he was gonna handle this, and that it would be for the long term. We went to the insurance company, the other person's insurance company, and they asked for his maximum liability and their response was we'll pay it. They didn't try to negotiate, they didn't try to do anything. I'm sure part of it, what it was, I'm sure Paul probably would of liked to gone to court. When we had that accident you're not thinking about anything else, but you're hurting. You better be thinking about something else, you better be getting treatment and get yourself represented. Because no one's gonna look after you but yourself and DeLoach and Hofstra if you have them as your attorney you got no worries. I hope I never have another accident, but if I ever had another accident where the other driver was at fault, I wouldn't think twice. I'd be around the doorstep right away.

Ron

Ron’s Elder Law Testimonial (Transcript) Yeah we came in because dad was moving mom about every two or three months and it was getting kind of crazy, and we came in and met with Rep and Rep is awesome. He's just very personable. You can't fake caring, and Rep definitely cares and everyone we've dealt with here cared and having Gloria be checking on mom and dad because I was working still, and just that extra level of care, and getting him into Freedom Square was absolutely the best thing ever. "It's what you don't know that hurts you" as Rep would say, and we almost sold the condo which would have been a huge mistake. I just wish we would have gotten to Rep five, six years before we did because he'd of saves us a lot of money, but fortunately we didn't make that mistake, and got mother covered under Medicaid. Dad had the really good care in assisted living, and for the first time he was happy. Rep made sure you knew exactly what you needed to be doing and not doing, and it wasn't like we were just a customer. It felt like we were family. Every time we came in here and dad came in here, everybody, just like we were family. I can't think of anything better to say than I would recommend anyone if you've got older parents, that you need to have Elder Care. You need to have someone explain all the different facets of it because most of us, we're working, we don't know, and not knowing is not good. I just couldn't be happier with the care dad and mom got, and Rep looking after the interest, he really cared about dad and mom, and me. Like I said at the beginning, you can't fake caring. You either have it or you don't.  I was a retail manager for twenty something years, and I could hire employees and I could teach them the mechanics, but the most important quality, the most important part of your job description is caring. You either have it or you don't. Sized up Rep within two or three minutes of sitting down with him that this is the guy. I'm getting up there now. I'm going to be 66 this September, and I've already communicated with Marcia. When it gets to that point where I need you to step in, you step in with Rep and his staff, here for me. Because I want someone ... It may get to the point where I'm like mother where my memory's gone. I want somebody looking after me, and Marcia agrees. She said it's the only place she would come.

Ron

Richard's Car Accident Testimonial (Transcript) I’m sitting at the light, traffic was pretty heavy. I heard this bang, and I look in my rear-view mirror, and I grabbed the wheel because he was two or three cars back. I took my foot off my brake and I just turned my wheel. And he hit me and I turned right into the turn lane.   I mean I just bought that car for me to go back and forth to work. And I put two or three thousand dollars into it because I fixed it up. I still feel the injuries from it, and it goes with the backache too, because I’ve always had the backache.   I just thought reading between the lines then that I wasn’t going to get anything. And then I know for a fact if I hadn’t come out here I wouldn’t have gotten a penny. I wouldn’t have even gotten my car fixed probably.   Yeah, I’m real satisfied. Paul handled it. I just left it all up to him… I had a lot of faith in him. I just thought I should have what was coming to me, and Paul got that. Call Paul. 

Richard

John and Patricia Testimonial (Transcript) John: I was going into the Publix parking lot, this is over on Indian Rocks Road and as I turned to go in there, I was going maybe two, three miles an hour, a woman was coming out of the hardware store, which was right next door, and speeds into the parking lot and she just rammed right into it. I didn't even think about contacting attorney, seemed like a minor thing. And her insurance company contacted me and I contacted my insurance company, State Farm. And her insurance company was giving me a hard time.   John: When the insurance company started giving me a hard time I said, my wife said, why don't we go contact a lawyer? So that's what we did. We came here and I guess we talked to Mr. Cavonis and Monica. Everybody was very nice about it. He gave us, originally when he started, he said he had three or four offers and we turned them all down.   He suggested we turn them all down and finally we got to a compromise, we had a settlement.   Patricia: It's a fine organization we've been here several times for different things and everybody has treated us just royal. We never had any problems. They call us back.   They're very courteous people and really very efficient. No complaints about this organization at all.  

Richard's Slip & Fall Client Testimonial (Transcript) My first slip and fall was in 1990 something, I don't remember quite… and Paul Cavonis, I came to see him, because he was in the neighborhood and had a good recommendation. It was a bad accident and he went to bat for me. Paul has also done two other slip and falls that I was in and just did a great job. He is very professional. The whole office is professional. I would recommend them to anybody, really.   As far as the real estate goes, any questions I have Peter takes care of it. Estate planning, I didn't know anything about it. My wife says we need to make a will. Rep takes care of my will, my trust, and all that estate planning and all that, like I ended up doing the estate and a trust and everything. Like I said, I've been going here since 1999 without a problem and Paul Cavonis has just settled another case for me, a matter of fact, a couple of weeks ago. It was a tough one, but he brought it through and I'm very satisfied.   So the office is an all-around good office for about everything you want and everything you need. Call them! They’re good, I recommend them… and I don’t recommend anybody unless they’re good.

Richard