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.