Complaint Review: Perona LangerBeck Serbin Mendoza

So, whoever you are from the firm requesting that I "contact" the firm to talk about what happened with the horrible representation I received from the firm, just so you know, I did contact the firm. 

I received a response that basically states " We deny everything and don't give a rat's behind about what monies you lost".  Yes, I'm paraphrasing. But that's the basic gist of what the partner stated in his response. 

So yes, contacting the firm was done. But they don't give a rats behind about the inadequate legal advice their "staff" provide. Perhaps if the actual attorney spoke with potential clients directly, perhaps if the actual attorney showed up to explain the documents potential clients sign, perhaps then they might have a leg to stand on.

The truth is, some sort of messenger person was sent to my home with documents for me to sign for this firm to represent me. Unfortunately, I had a head injury. There was no one there to represent my interests, the messenger had no real information as to what it meant if I signed the documents. I had no idea I was destroying my case by signing the documents. How that can even be legal for the firm to do is beyond me. 

Somehow, if it's legal for the firm to never have an actual attorney from their firm speak to the potential client, and then to send a messenger with documents for clients to sign, if that's legal, then the law needs to change. I plan on doing whatever I can to change that! Whatever I can! And the fact that this firm still wants to claim money from my case if I win, that they somehow think they did nothing wrong, again, beyond me. If I could, I'd broadcast on every station in the US and tell the world exatly what this firm did to me and my case. 

Who knows, someday, that concept just may come to fruition! Oh, and before you say anything about defamation, remember, you have to prove my statements  untrue for that to hold any water. I can prove my statements are true. So don't try to repeat your own statments. 

I've been a client of PLBSM for over a year. I've experienced the rudeness and lack of communication. A QME just reported that I am permanent and stationary and I haven't really been informed as to what happens next. I'm only 24 and apparently disabled now so I want the most money I can get. What can I do or say in order to get it? Can I even get a new attorney at this point? Would it even be worth it? HELP ME!!!!

The firm of Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin & Mendoza - aka PLBSM - is, in my humble opinion, one of groups  responsible for the problems in the worker's compensation system. Most injured workers realize from the onset of an injury that the whole system and process is quite complex, which is why so many are forced to hire attorneys. And there are good attorneys out there... the PLBSM firm is just not one of them, again, in my humble opinion!

I completely agree with the analogy provided by Stranger49. Because while the firm did appeal the decision that was rendered last year creating chaos for so many injured workers; and although they won the appeal, how many suffered a huge loss or losses during the past 13+ months or so due to their lack of communication and/or response in the original filing. The case was turned into a huge issue for all CA injured workers.

It's so easy for someone not in a desperate position to talk about "patience" when they aren't the person or person's affected. Even if the decision is retroactive, how many of us were evicted or lost our homes because our benefits stopped for those months? How many of us lost our electricity or had our phone shut off? Worse, as Stranger49 said, how many of us actually went hungry?

Apparently not "the patience person"! Anyone involved in this system knows you have to have a huge amount of patience just to get through any work related injury. On top of waiting for insurance carriers to authorize treatments recommended by doctors, you're frowned upon by other workers, employers and even friends and family for being in the situation to begin with.

Add to that the issue of having a lower income, if you've been lucky enough to have any disability paid to you at all that is. Then to top it all off, you have a firm like PLBSM representing you who completely ignores a critical filing, and their critical mistake costs you a minimum of living many months without income. Even if they weren't your attorney during this time, their lack of response possibly damaged so many of us. And then you gSmith have the nerve to suggest "patience"? Who are you? one of the partners at the firm? Seriously are you? 

There are many of us who were naive enough to hire the PLBSM firm in the hopes of getting well and receiving whatever benefits we are suppose to be entitled to. Instead, we were caused a whole lot of problems by the lack of response in that case.

I hope it's true, that someone is filing a class action against this firm. I'd like to know more if it's true.

How interesting that gSmith has the opinion that he/she does regarding the change in the decision. Patience has nothing to do with the fact that the PLBSM firm DID NOT DO THEIR JOB in the first place. Had they done their job the first time around and responded to the defendants petition, Ms. Valdez would not have suffered for the months she did. She was forced to live without that income all these months. Let me think... does the bank have patience when they decide to repo someones home for non payment simply because they continue to wait for benefits to be paid? Uh... NO! Or if you're renting, will your landlord tell you 'sure, go ahead, live for free while I wait for your lawyers to re-argue your claim and hope you get it overturned'. Again, NO.

You are obviously not in a situation where money is an issue or you would not have made a "patience" comment. Immaturity with respect to financial responsibility sounds like where gsmith is coming from. Perhaps you are not in a situation where money is such a huge issue in your life. Perhaps you live with your parents and don't have bills to pay. Or perhaps, you work for the PLBSM firm and are just trying to save some face. I don't know and I don't care.

The fact that the decision has been reversed is great for injured workers now. But how many people were damaged during all those lingering months. How many accounts were sent to collections. How many injured workers were evicted or lost their homes because of their inability to pay their bills? Or worse, went hungry. It's bad enough to be injured and in pain. It's even worse to be injured, in pain, homeless and hungry. Think about that gSmith or whoever you are from the firm.

If "Stranger49" had had a little more patience than a child, he too would have reaped the benefits that all of California's injured workers now enjoy because of the court of appeal victory won by the Perona firm on May 29, 2012...  ( see the California Court of Appeal opinion here: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/nonpub/B237147.PDF).  

EVERYONE KNOWS TRUTH IS A DEFENSE TO DEFAMATION!

Worst Law Firm EVER!  They PROTECT THEMSELVES!

DON'T EVEN BOTHER CALLING THEIR LAW OFFICE IF YOU WANT TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM.

THEY WILL PUT YOU ON HOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND YOU WILL NOT EVEN SPEAK TO LAWYER BUT WHO KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO!

VERY IMPERSONAL AND WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!

DON'T HIRE THEM!!!!! YOU WILL BE VERY SORRY....

Obviously, you are writing on behalf of the firm. Apparently though, you do not know what defamation actually is. Defamation is only "actionable" IF the the statements made are untrue. The information on the Valdez decision is HUGE for every injured worker in the state right now. The transcripts are PUBLIC!! The inaction of Mr. Mendoza is written into that public document.

Apparently, you don't think that injured workers are smart enough to review work comp rules. But I will tell you this, once someone has been burned by the Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin & Mendoza firm they have only their wits to get them through to the next step. This means RESEARCH!! Agreed Medical Examiner - Wow... AME. That was so hard to come up with. Poor injured workers could never figure that out.

The above post is quite obviously from an attorney, most likely a competitor of ours.  His/Her reference to a pending appellate case, the reference to AME strategy, as well as a number of other points of reference give him/her away.  Defamatory speech is not somehow protected when it appears on this website.  False, defamatory statements are legally actionable.

Class action is the best remedy. Contact jrosenthal101 at gmail. You will be able to get in touch with others interested in filing the class action.

I am interested in a class action against this law firm.

Please provide contact information.  I do not want to list my contact info online.

The law firm of Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin & Mendoza is quite possibly the WORST law firm in the State of CA. While they appear to be the largest Work Comp firm in the state, acquiring a significant number of clients, they care nothing about them. Their lack of communication costs clients hundreds of thousands of dollars. Moreover, their inaction on cases keeps patient's from AME exams which could have authorized surgeries to, not only possibly make patients at least 50% better, but would have at the very least, kept the patients from getting worse.

In addition, they are responsible for the complete muck up of the Valdez decision. Once again, (the lack of communication by one of the partners), John A. Mendoza, failed to respond to an argument made by the defendant in Ms. Valdez's case. That failure to respond was at least in part, responsible for the decision which not only left a negative impact on Ms. Valdez's case, but changed the Work Comp non-MPN reporting issues for ALL injured workers in the state.

Because of that case, it has now been established that a non-MPN doctor's report of disability is not acceptable. What does that mean for the rest of us? It means if your doctor is NOT in the MPN, despite your doctor stating you are totally temporarily disabled, the insurance carrier is no longer required to rely on that report to pay disability benefits. While there is no guarantee that filing the response on Ms. Valdez's behalf would have changed the outcome of the hearing, the fact that Mr. Mendoza never filed the response means the decision was made without even hearing Ms. Valdez's argument. Her position was not expressed. Mr. Mendoza has filed an appeal on Ms. Valdez's behalf, but meanwhile, Ms. Valdez is the person suffering for the poor representation by Mr. Mendoza.

This firm does not advise clients of their rights under the Work Comp laws. They do not perform their duties in a manner that actually helps the client. They are like cattle herders. They acquire a client, get them some superficial treatment from a chiropractor, get the doctor to declare the patient Permanent and Stationary (P&S), and then settle the case for whatever the insurance company offers. Some folks may say that doesn't make any sense and that they should go for the most money. 

On the contrary, it makes perfect sense when you consider how many cattle they herd through their office. It's called the quick-turn. It's the most amount of money for the least amount of work. They don't have to go to court if they merely settle claims! Meanwhile, the patient suffers the consequences. They don't get what they need in appropriate medical care, and they don't get the financial disability benefits they are due. The firm, however, still receives their percentage.

What does the State of CA need to have happen? All the clients who have been damaged by these attorney's have to stand up together and file a class action suit against them. That is the only way to put a stop to their unethical representation of clients. If you're interested in joining a class action suit, you should post something online with contact information. Stand up for your rights people. And those of you looking for a lawyer look elsewhere. 

The California Workers Compensation claim process is notoriously difficult, prolonged, and complicated.  Clients sometimes expect a better outcome than one that is legally possible due to the rules and regulations placed on the workers compensation process.  As we cannot determine the specifics of this poster's case, we invite him or her to contact our offices so we can address any concerns he or she may have.