| Did you know that here are companies that | | | | call will be routed to a call center where |
| offer prewritten and pre-shot TV commercials | | | | operators answer the calls. Or to an |
| for personal injury attorneys? You've | | | | out-of-state law office that then hands off |
| probably seen one of these canned ads. | | | | your case to one of its in-state associates. |
| Sometimes a famous actor is used (such as | | | | In either scenario the attorney that you |
| William Shatner or Eric Estrada or someone | | | | actually end up speaking with may or may not |
| who plays a lawyer on a popular TV show). | | | | have the skills and experience that you need. |
| Other times an attractive man or woman is | | | | Your call is being routed to the next |
| shown speaking behind a desk, standing in | | | | attorney in line, so to speak. |
| front of a shelf full of law books. or | | | | |
| holding a legal book, standing in a | | | | The next in line is an attorney who has paid |
| courtroom, or doing something else to make | | | | a fee to be a part of the network. Any |
| them look like a lawyer. Attorneys can buy | | | | attorney with enough money can pay to be on |
| these ads and then have their name, phone | | | | the list, including attorneys who have never |
| number and web address inserted into the ad. | | | | tried a case in court. Many times the |
| | | | attorney who has paid the fee is not |
| The ads usually go something like--If you've | | | | necessarily the best lawyer for your case. |
| been in an accident, get the money you | | | | |
| deserve. Speak to an attorney for free. Call | | | | I'm not saying that all attorneys who use TV |
| 1-800-XXXXXXX. The ads are running all over | | | | advertising are inexperienced or that all |
| the US in large cities and small towns. | | | | attorney ads are routed in this way. Do your |
| | | | home work to figure out the difference and |
| They often target specific types of cases | | | | find the right attorney for your case. |
| such as car accidents, asbestos, medical | | | | Search the web, read articles, visit |
| malpractice, workmens compensation, trucking | | | | websites, watch videos, talk to friends, and |
| accidents, divorce, family law, etc. | | | | visit more than one attorney's office before |
| | | | you make your final decision. You should not |
| What you need to know is that if you respond | | | | rely on TV advertising alone when choosing a |
| to one of these ads more often than not your | | | | lawyer. |