By Isabel Vincent & Melissa Klein NY Post
Dozens of Hispanic laborers who cleaned up buildings in Lower Manhattan after 9/11 and got sick say they have been shafted by the imploding law firm Napoli Bern.
Workers claim their settlement checks have been delayed in some cases and that they have been ignored by their lawyers.
“I’m sick of Napoli Bern. They don’t return calls or e-mails. In nine months, I’ve sent 18 e-mails and I’ve heard nothing,” said Carlos Valencia, 50, a cleaner who suffers from anxiety and intestinal problems.
Valencia was among some 80 Hispanic workers who gathered in Queens last week to air their grievances.
The law firm sent a letter signed by partners Paul Napoli and Marc Bern saying they were unable to attend on short notice and assuring their clients they were “always available to address and resolve any concerns you might have”.
The law firm has made tens of millions representing workers who toiled at Ground Zero. In recent months, it has been rocked by an epic sex scandal and allegations of financial mismanagement.
The partners are locked in litigation and a court-appointed receiver is now overseeing the firm’s finances.
