The Person Everyone Could Call
Thomas Durham was 50 years old when he died. Shaylynn remembers her father as deeply religious, funny, curious about history, and happiest outdoors fishing or around animals.
He was also the person people called when they needed help. Shaylynn said that if she found herself in a difficult situation, whether it involved her car or simply needing a ride home, her dad was the one she called. He would show up for family, friends, and even people he barely knew.
That same care carried into his role as a father. Shaylynn described him as someone who worked hard for his children and was especially devoted to helping her younger brother build independence.
“He was such a good father.”
A Workplace Accident Changed Everything
Thomas had recently started working as an inventory manager for a manufacturing company. His job involved scanning vehicles as they moved in and out of shipping containers so the company could keep an accurate inventory count.
At the time, a union strike had left the workplace operating with fewer employees. Thomas had been on the job for only about a week and a half. Shaylynn said another new employee, who was still in training, was moving a vehicle into a shipping container while Thomas was inside scanning inventory.
The untrained driver pinned Thomas between two vehicles and caused crushing injuries.
Shaylynn learned about the accident while she was at work. Her sister called and told her their father had been seriously injured and that they needed to pick up their younger siblings. Shaylynn described it as the biggest shock of her life.
“Sometimes it still doesn’t feel real that he’s gone.”
A Promise to Her Dad
Thomas was able to call his wife after the accident and tell her that he was dying before he could no longer speak. Later, at the hospital, Shaylynn began to understand that as the eldest child, she would become the family decision maker, including those related to her father.
Before medical care was removed, Shaylynn made one final promise to her father: she would do everything she could to protect her siblings and help make sure they would be okay in the future.
“I would not have wanted anybody else to have this responsibility.”
Hearing “No” Again and Again
In the months after her father’s death, Shaylynn and her sister began looking for legal help. They made a list of at least five law firms and Shaylynn took calls during breaks and lunches at a new job.
Her biggest question was simple: would hiring a lawyer actually help her family?
The search was discouraging. Shaylynn said several TV law firms told her there was no case. One lawyer even laughed at her and her sister on the phone. After many rejections, their confidence was fading.
Then Shaylynn’s sister found Buckfire Law online. The website answered many of their questions before they reached out, including concerns about the cost of hiring a lawyer.
“My biggest fear and my biggest question was, is this something that will help? Will they help me?”
Finally Feeling Heard
Shaylynn submitted an online form and said Buckfire contacted her within a day. From the beginning, the experience felt different from the other firms she had contacted.
She said she and her sister felt heard and respected. A few months into the relationship, the regular updates and the way the team communicated with her convinced Shaylynn that she had made the right choice.
Going to the office for the first time also eased some of her anxiety. The environment felt less sterile than she expected, the staff was welcoming, and Larry answered her questions thoroughly. If he did not have an answer immediately, Shaylynn said he followed up as soon as he did.
Communication That Eased the Stress
What surprised Shaylynn most was how quickly her questions were answered. She expected to wait much longer for updates, but said Larry often responded the same day and sometimes within the same hour.
That communication mattered because Shaylynn had a lot of questions and a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. She said the personal attention helped reassure her throughout a process she had never experienced before.
Shaylynn also felt that the firm treated her like an adult and a partner in the case, explaining information in a way she and her sister could understand.
“He was always right on top of it, and it definitely assured me a lot throughout the entire process.”
Working Through the Case Together
Shaylynn said the case involved extensive paperwork, questions, depositions, and long hours of litigation. She remembered spending about nine hours in one room with her sister and Larry as they worked through the case together.
She provided the information, photos, and documents the firm requested, but she could see that the amount of work happening behind the scenes was far greater. Shaylynn described stacks of paperwork and hours of preparation, while Larry worked to make the legal process understandable for her family.
Even with the length and complexity of the case, Shaylynn said Buckfire made the experience easier than she anticipated and helped take much of the burden off her shoulders.
“I do think we were a pretty good team.”
An $11.6 Million Settlement
After roughly two and a half years, the case reached a settlement of $11.6 million.
For Shaylynn, the result was about far more than a number. She saw it as a way to create stability for her siblings, reduce the family’s financial worries, and help provide opportunities for the next generation.
Buckfire also helped Shaylynn and her sister understand options for structuring the settlement. She said Larry attended those conversations, answered their questions, and helped explain the choices available to them.
“After everything was said and done, it felt like the biggest weight was lifted off of my shoulders.”
Keeping Her Promise
The settlement brought Shaylynn back to the promise she made while holding her father’s hand in the hospital.
Her younger sister had recently undergone a liver transplant. Her younger brother is autistic and had relied heavily on their father as he developed greater independence. Shaylynn had promised Thomas that she would do what she could to make sure the family was protected.
Looking at what the settlement could mean for her siblings and their futures, Shaylynn felt that she had kept that promise.
“I do believe that I fulfilled that promise to my dad. I really do.”<?blockquote>
Looking Back
Looking back on the experience, Shaylynn said what mattered most was not only the outcome but the way she and her sister were treated throughout the process.
After being turned away and dismissed by other firms, she found a team she believed genuinely cared about its clients. She valued the communication, the personal conversations, and the sense that the people working on the case were still simply people she could talk to and trust.
Shaylynn said the firm took on responsibilities she did not want to carry herself, helped manage difficult family issues, and made sure she did not feel alone with the case. Her gratitude, she said, is difficult to put into words.
“They actually care about their clients.”
