3 Things You Should Never Say to the IRS/www.jeffreytjones.com December...

Three Things You Should NEVER Say To The IRS

Charleston, West Virginia IRS and Tax Lawyer Jeffrey T. Jones discusses how you must be very careful about what you say to the IRS during a dispute.

Everyone hates dealing with the IRS, but it is especially difficult if you owe back taxes. You have to be very careful what you say to them. Saying the wrong things could make matters worse.

Here are three things you should never say to the IRS:

1. Never Tell the IRS Anything - Unless They Have Specifically Asked for the Information!

• You must learn to give the IRS only what they specifically ask for - and NOTHING ELSE.

• The IRS thrives on taxpayers with big mouths. Do not fall into the trap of thinking the IRS is trying to help you. They are not. Do not become friendly with an IRS employee and offer more information than is absolutely necessary.

• Also - be aware that you have the right to say nothing and to have IRS debt resolution attorney talk to them on your behalf. Don’t be afraid to stop talking or providing information to the IRS - at ANY time.

2. Never Tell the IRS Something That You Know is Not True.

• Lying to an IRS employee may substantially undermine your case and cause you more difficulties in the future. If the IRS catches you in a lie during negotiations or after, you may be charged with perjury.

• The fine print on most of the IRS forms you will be signing says “under the penalties of perjury” so, unless you are absolutely, positively sure about the answer to any question posed by an IRS employee, the most appropriate and accurate response may be “ I don’t know” or “I can’t recall”.

3. Never Tell the IRS You Knew What You Were Doing!

• The tax code is overly complex and most IRS employees don’t understand it. Do not admit to anything you don’t understand, which should include just about any tax question.

• Somewhere down the road you may want to plead ignorance and beg the IRS for forgiveness to help eliminate some penalties. You must be sure that your story (whatever it is) is factual and strong.

• You don’t want to have anything in your IRS file which may contradict the reason you have for your IRS Problem. If you are planning on asking the IRS to forgive your penalties - they won’t if they feel you haven’t been honest.

Whether you are discussing tax liens, levies, wage garnishments or just back taxes you owe, saying the wrong thing can get you in hot water. So, be careful and, if you have questions, call me and I will help you solve your problems.

About Jeffrey T. Jones:

Jeffrey T. Jones is an attorney in Charleston, West Virginia. He is licensed to practice in the State and Federal Courts of West Virginia and in the State of North Carolina. He is a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law.

He is past President of the West Virginia Association for Justice and has been honored as Member of the Year. He has also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in West Virginia. He has appeared in USA TODAY as an Emerging Business Leader To Watch.

In his work, he helps individuals and businesses solve their IRS problems. He is the author of the bestselling book “Protect and Defend.” He has also written Special Reports dealing with business payroll taxes and ways to solve your IRS problems.

To learn more about Jeff or to order his book, or Special Reports, go to http://www.jeffreytjones.com/ or call 1-800-247-2845 or 304-345-3400.

FIVE COMMON MYTHS ABOUT 

PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS 

PART II 

If you have been injured, you get only one chance to get the compensation you deserve. One of the most important decisions you’ll make in your lifetime will be the lawyer you choose to take on this task. In Part II of today’s blog, I'm going to expose three (3) more myths about lawyers, that way you can have a better chance at making the decision that's right for you! I know I'm going to get some flack for this, but if I can help just one victim with this critical information, then I will achieve my goal. 

MYTH #3:     ALL LAWYERS ARE SKILLED IN THE 

                    ART OF NEGOTIATING.

If you have ever dealt with a big corporation, you know they can be intimidating and play hardball. They don't mess around when it comes to losing money. 

You need a lawyer who knows where the weaknesses are in those big insurance companies. You need someone who knows how to negotiate effectively and drive a hard bargain and someone who has been head to head in many A "high-powered" negotiations involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. The truth of the matter is most personal injury cases are settled out of court. If you don't have a lawyer who knows the fine "art" of negotiation, you will not get full value for your claim. 

MYTH #4:     ALL LAWYERS ARE PERSONALLY INVOLVED 

                    IN THE CASES THEY HANDLE.

Unfortunately, this is not true. Some lawyers have so many cases, they hardly ever look at the file and they hardly talk to their clients! Just try to get one of those busy lawyers to return your phone call, let alone a quick call from his paralegal. These law firms are what we refer to in the industry as "mills", "factories" or "assembly lines." These lawyers hire paralegals to do most of their work. 

The bottom line is no matter how big or small your case, it's important to you! You need to have a lawyer on your side that is 100% committed to providing quality personal service and detailed attention to all of his clients. You need to know that your lawyer is personally involved in the preparation, evaluation and resolution of your case. You want a lawyer who will treat your case with the utmost importance it truly deserves. 

MYTH # 5:    JUST BECAUSE A LAWYER SAYS HE GOES TO TRIAL
                    DOESN'T MEAN HE GOES IN FRONT OF A JURY!

No, in fact just because someone says they are a trial attorney, doesn't mean that they take cases in front of a "live" jury. They can appear in front of a judge presenting their case. Just think about how difficult it is to convince six people versus one. What skill level is needed to talk in front of six jurors? First, you need nerves of steel and you need to be prepared, because you only get one shot in front of a jury to look confident. 

I hate to admit it, but incompetent and inexperienced lawyers hurt their clients all the time. They don't file the correct paper work. They miss critical deadlines. They don't know how to research their client's case or the fine art of presenting a case to a jury. Even worse, many lawyers have never taken a case to trial and so they don't know what their client's case is worth. 

I hope this information helps you in choosing the best lawyer for you. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 304-345-3400 or 1-800-247-2845 or to learn more about me and my firm go online to www.jeffreytjones.com. 

Jeffrey T. Jones is an attorney in Charleston, West Virginia. He is licensed to practice in the State and Federal Courts of West Virginia and in the State of North Carolina. 

He is past President of the West Virginia Association for Justice and has been honored as Member of the Year. He has also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in West Virginia. He has appeared in USA TODAY as an Emerging Business Leader To Watch. 

He represents persons injured or killed in accidents and has written the West Virginia Automobile Accident Injury Guide and a Special Report dealing with car accidents, personal injury and insurance companies.

Five Common Myths About Personal Injury Lawyers

PART I 

If you have been injured, you get only one chance to get the compensation you deserve. One of the most important decisions you’ll make in your lifetime will be the lawyer you choose to take on this task. In today’s blog, I'm going to expose some of the myths about lawyers, that way you can have a better chance at making the decision that's right for you! I know I'm going to get some flack for this, but if I can help just one victim with this critical information, then I will achieve my goal. There are five (5) myths I’m going to talk about. In Part I, I will discuss the first two (2). 

MYTH #1:            EVERY ATTORNEY HAS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT 

                          OF EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING.

The truth of the matter is that experience and training differ greatly from attorney to attorney. Some attorneys may have years and years of experience drafting wills or shuffling papers in real estate transactions. Why would you want that lawyer representing you in your personal injury case? If you have been injured, you don't want some paper pusher on your side! 

The lawyer you hire for your personal injury case should have a "proven" track record of taking cases like yours to court in front of live juries and WINNING! Only an experienced personal injury attorney can give you the peace of mind of knowing that you have given yourself the best chance of winning a large settlement or verdict. 

Many attorneys have lots of cases, but they have never taken them to trial! Many lawyers prefer "out of court settlements," and some of the reasons attorneys may not take cases to trial are that the facts or evidence may change as the case progresses or it may be more cost effective to settle the case rather than take it to trial. Sometimes, however, it is because they don't have the skill to take their cases to trial, even if they are offered less than the case is worth. Most insurance companies know who will try cases and who won’t. More than likely, those insurance companies will never offer you what you truly deserve when they know that your lawyer probably won't take your case to trial because he may not have the skills necessary to try a case in court. 

Please don't be bashful in asking the lawyer these tough questions; "How many cases have you taken to court? How many have you won? How many years of experience do you have as a trial lawyer?" These are the kinds of questions you better ask any lawyer you see. 

The legal profession is like any other profession when it comes to experience, every professional needs experience! Why let someone gain experience on your dime? When you need help, make sure it is the best help available so you can get the most benefit from it. Let the inexperienced lawyer experiment with someone else's legal problems - NOT YOURS! 

MYTH #2:           IF A LAWYER IS ON TV, HE MUST BE GOOD.

Just because a lawyer appears in TV commercials, doesn't qualify him or her to handle personal injury cases. Amazingly, some lawyers who advertise on TV may never have tried a personal injury case! Some lawyers who advertise on TV don't even appear on the commercial themselves, but hire paid "actors." Please don't be fooled by those slick commercials. If a lawyer doesn't have the right tools and experiences that you are looking for, then don't hire him or her. 

If you do talk to a lawyer who advertises on TV, then ask him or her the very same questions you would any other lawyer, "How many cases have you taken to jury trial? How many have you won? How many years of experience as a trial lawyer do you have?" If all a lawyer has to offer is a slick TV commercial, do you want to trust one of the most important decisions of your life to that kind of lawyer? 

I hope this information helps you in choosing the best lawyer for you. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 304-345-3400 or 1-800-247-2845 or to learn more about me and my firm go online to www.jeffreytjones.com. 

What Damages Can You Recover In A Personal Injury Case

Personal Injury Lawyer Jeffrey T. Jones discusses eight damages that could be recovered in a typical personal injury case.

When a person is injured through someone else’s negligence they are entitled to be reimbursed for the loss or damages they have suffered. 

I have been practicing personal injury law for over twenty-five (25) years and one of the first questions I almost always get asked, whether it’s in a car accident, slip and fall or any other injury case, is “what damages can I recover?”

The damages an injured person can recover vary from state to state, but usually these are generally the damages that can be recovered:

Pain and Suffering: Ordinarily, the most valuable element of your bodily injury claim is the right to compensation for physical pain and mental anguish you have suffered and will endure in the future because of your injury.  These general damages are in addition to and may be far more than the amount of your lost earnings and medical expenses.

Medical Expenses: the cost of all reasonable and necessary medical expenses incurred and that are reasonably certain to be incurred in the future because of your injury, are recoverable.  These expenses include past (already incurred) medical expenses and also future medical expenses, which may be the product of the original injury or that result from an increased susceptibility to future injury.  All forms of care and treatment , whether hospital, medical, therapy, nursing, diagnostic testing, surgery, physical rehabilitation or pain management are included if they are related to the original injury.  In most cases, you can recover the full value of your medical expenses from the responsible party, even if your health insurance has paid all or part of your bills.  However, you may have to reimburse your health insurance for the bills they paid.

Loss of Earnings: You also may be entitled to recover the loss of earnings suffered from your injuries.  Thus, wages commissions, bonuses and all other earnings and fringe benefits may be recoverable.

Future Loss of Earnings: If your injuries permanently limit your ability to earn, you may recover the value of the reduction in earning capacity that you can prove with reasonable certainty will occur in the future.  These damages compensate you for your lost earning power over the remainder of your working years.

Death: Damages for wrongful death are available for the wife, husband, parent and child of the deceased person.  Sometimes, persons related by blood or marriage, who were dependent upon the deceased, may recover.  Damages are not limited to economic loss and may include damages for mental anguish, emotional pain and suffering, loss of society, companionship, comfort, protection, marital care, parental care, filial care, attention, advice, counsel, training, guidance or education.  Damages are available for the deceased’s estate, as well.

Disfigurement: If the injury causes scarring or other unsightly marks, you may be entitled to recover for the disfigurement and humiliation or embarrassment associated with the disfigurement.

Damage to the Marital Relationship: Serious injuries to one’s spouse may cause damage to the marital relationship.  If this occurs, you may be entitled to recover for the loss of society, affection, assistance, conjugal fellowship and loss or impairment of sexual relations that occurs.

Damage to Your Vehicle or Other Personal Property: You are entitled to be made whole for any damages to your personal property.  When your vehicle can be repaired, you are entitled to recover the reasonable cost of restoring the vehicle to its condition before the collision.  In addition, you may recover the cost of substitute transportation necessarily incurred while they are repairing your vehicle.  If the cost of the repair is more than the value of your vehicle ( a total loss) you may be entitled to recover the full value of your vehicle before it was damaged.

Remember, if you’re injured due to someone else’s negligence, always check with a local attorney to see what damages you may be entitled to recover.     

Jeffrey T. Jones is an attorney in Charleston, West Virginia.  He is licensed to practice in the State and Federal Courts of West Virginia and in the State of North Carolina. 

He is past President of the West Virginia Association for Justice and has been honored as Member of the Year.  He has also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in West Virginia.  He has appeared in USA TODAY as an Emerging Business Leader To Watch.

He represents persons injured or killed in accidents and has written the West Virginia Automobile Accident Injury Guide and a Special Report dealing with car accidents, personal injury and insurance companies.

To learn more about Jeff or to order his book, guide or Special Reports, go to http://www.jeffreytjones.com/ or call 1-800-247-2845 or 304-345-3400.