Attorney Advertising - Personal Injury TV ads

A recent Harvard study found that 62% of bankruptcies in 2007 were health care related. More than 75% of those who filed for bankruptcy due to health related financial problems had medical insurance when the problems began.

How does that happen and why am I bringing it up?

Health insurance just doesn't cut it. It does not pay all of the medical bills and it does not help at all with lost income.

When a person is injured, they may believe that health insurance will bear the brunt of the expense. That kind of thinking may delay panic, but it is flawed and it only puts off the real financial problems that follow.

First of all, insurance rarely covers everything. There are deductibles and co-pays that the patient will have to deal with out-of-pocket. And, if you have ever dealt with insurance, you know that there are many things that just aren't covered.

Then there is the lost income during recovery and the reality of losing insurance coverage if the injury costs them their job.

Your potential clients need to be reminded that they cannot just sit back and rely on health insurance to cover their losses. In the beginning, it may look like something they can handle, but it can quickly spiral out of control, as it has for so many before them.

I was fortunate to have known NF and benefited greatly from his wisdom and guidance, not just in how to manage my practice but in how to approach the fullness of life. He was an icon in the legal field and an inspiration who will be greatly missed. My deepest condolences go to his children and grandchildren.
David Klein


Mr. Frickey's passing is sad news, indeed. He was a man who's word was his bond and it was my great privilege to have known him since 1982. I flew into Denver then to see him and was met at the airport by his son, young Norty, who, along with sister Janet, would later so ably receive the mantle of leadership from their father. There is a lot that can be said about Mr. Fricke. One remarkable thing is how he endured all the tough times. I know he suffered through times of deep disappointment that would have driven many men to cynicism. But, not him. He saw the better nature in people and acquired a wisdom that inspired those who knew him. He helped me through some tough times of my own. He didn't ask anything in return. He helped because that was his nature. I don't know how you replace the irreplaceable. He will be greatly missed.
Pat Carr



To the Frickey family, Network Affiliate Members and Network Affiliate Staff:
None of us would know each other were it not for Norton Frickey who I first met on July 28, 1995 in Vail.
We are all in his debt for our prosperity. He was a kind, generous, thoughtful man who showed the same demeanor and attention to the bus boy cleaning our table as he did to the biggest member of our group.
I last saw him in Las Vegas several years ago, and he told me that would be his last convention as flying had become too uncomfortable for him. I told him then what a pleasure it had been to have known him and how he had enriched our lives in so many ways. His legacy is the very fine Staff he had put together at Network Affiliates, the Members over the years and the thousands of clients he has introduced to each of us.
We are all better for having known Norton and have benefited from his vision and leadership. Joan and I send our most sincere condolences to our extended Network Affiliates family.
Herbert Thornbury


Dear Harlan:
I am very sorry to hear this. I always thought Norty would live forever. He was a good and honest man. We will not see another like him pass this way again soon. We will miss him and we share with his family in his loss.
George Fleming

Tammy and Harlan: In a unique way NF lives on in perpetuity every time a commercial runs much like the MGM “Lion” and the 20th Century spotlight or the Screen Gems torch-bearing Goddess, whoever she is. He was a true gentleman, good friend and of course a golden source of wealth and riches for all of us. He will be missed.
Lawrence"Larry" Levin


I am also deeply sadden by Norton’s death. I met him about 25 years ago, and started my marketing career because of his influence. He had vision and determination in an era when lawyers who advertised were treated poorly by many establishment lawyers. The profession owes him a great deal.
Norton was a mench in every sense of the word. He will be deeply missed, and he will be hard to replace. My best to his family.
Herb Friedman

Although I never had the pleasure of meeting NF, I feel fortunate to have received the benefit of his creative vision for more than 15 years. I have also enjoyed the camaraderie and family closeness many of you speak of while fishing for trout in my backyard with Norty, Jr. and while working with numerous members of NetAff's dedicated staff throughout all of these years. I have no doubt that the warmth and closeness shared by the entire NetAff crew with all of its clients was also a large part of NF's vision.
My sincerest sympathy to Norty, Jr. and family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this most difficult time.
With best regards,
Dennis Ellis



I am saddened by the news of the passing of NF. I certainly enjoyed knowing him all these years. Please let Norty and Janet know that my prayers are with them in this time of sorrow. As you know he was more than just a business contact—a real friend. I will miss him.
Gordon Crawford



Tammy,
Please pass on the heart felt condolences of Dave,Lou and me and everyone else at Gold Khourey and Turak to the family.We have been associated with Network Affiliates since 1986.I always thought the success NF enjoyed was attributable to his belief that his success was a function of our success and our success was his foremost concern.I think that is his most important legacy and a value that to this day still sustains Network Affiliates.We all owe him a considerable debt.
Please let me know the arrangements.Thanks.
Jon Turak



Tammy,

I am so very sorry to hear that Mr. Frickey passed away. It is a rare to know a man who accomplished so much in one lifetime. I would like to extend my family’s deepest condolences to the entire Frickey family and the extended Network family. If there is anything we can do, please do not hesitate to call upon us. Thanks Tammy.
Keith V. Trantolo
Attorney



As one of the original two Network Affiliate clients I can only add, well said. I remember my first call to Network Affiliates when NF picked up the phone himself. From the beginning I knew that I was doing business with a man of great integrity, ingenuity & courage. We both wondered if TV in such a small market #132 in the US would be viable. I was present when he announced stepping down and handing the reins over to Norty. He was in fact a great man who left a wonderful legacy. I remember the early days when he demanded that all ads be of the highest quality both in content & production. Every time I saw him he asked me if I was related to "Virgil Trucks" (a major leaguer of four decades ago). I guess he finally believed me when I sent him a signed baseball card. Norton & the team he leaves at Network Affiliates has had a tremendous impact on me and my family. Picking up the phone in Clare, Michigan after seeing his add in Trial Magazine was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Jay Trucks

Dear Tammy,
Thank you for conveying this very sad news. NF was a legend - a forward-thinker ahead of his time - and he played a pivotal role in changing how lawyers in America do business, and in opening the doors of justice to the "little people" who had no one to speak for them, little education, and no access to assistance. Any of us would be proud to have that said of us.
We will all miss a truly wonderful gentleman!
John Saxon



This is certainly shocking news, Tammy. I was just about to write a note to Norton (I always called him “Norton” for some reason, not NF) to apologize for not getting out to Golden to see him on my trip to Denver last week. There is so much that I have to be grateful to him for and so many good times that Betsy and I have to remember with him and with his family. This is a great loss, coming all too soon. Please let me know when the memorial service will take place as I will want to be there if possible. The only thing that might keep me from coming out there is that my father is also dying and is not expected to live more than a few more days.
Don Lowery



Please convey our condolences to the Frickey family. I am aware of his legendary status and had the pleasure of seeing and listening to him speak at one of the conventions I attended several years ago after becoming affiliated with Network Affiliates.
Abe Kalfus


On behalf of the partners and employees of Arrington Schelin & Herrell, I wish to convey our deepest sympathy to Norty, Janet, their families, and, the extended family at Network Affiliates, upon the death of Mr. Frickey. As Tammy said, in a most eloquent way, he distinguished himself among his colleagues with his pleasant and innovative style. All can be justly proud of his contributions and accomplishments to the advertising and legal communities. He is remembered with respect and admiration and he will be missed.
We extend our condolences to his family. We hope that time and memories will help lessen the burden of their sorrow, and that they may draw comfort from knowing that others care and share in their loss. Please let us know the arrangements and how we can help.
Brenda Kieser



Our sincerest sympathies to his family and everyone at Network Affiliates.
Mel Wright



Our thoughts are with the Frickey Family and everyone at Network Affiliates.
David R. Montlick

It is easy to overcomplicate the concept of branding. Like it or not, everyone has it. The key is guiding and cultivating it. Making your brand what you want it to be, making it stand out, sending the message that you want people to recognize and identify with you and your firm.

We tend to think of branding in corporate terms – company image, the marketing message, and all of that. We think of McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, or GM. Recognizable slogans, the look and feel of something big, often something we have lived with all of our lives. Branding and institutions seem to go hand in hand.

Translating branding down to the individual or a small company (a group of individuals) can feel counterintuitive; the opposite of personal. This is where we lose the connection; where the term replaces the meaning.

Your brand is really just your "voice". It is your image and your style. It is how people identify you, what sets you apart from the crowd. It happens naturally, whether you are aware of it or not.

Your firm's brand must be authentic, but that does not mean you cannot control and shape it. It is the natural outgrowth of you and everyone in your firm and everything that the public sees and experiences when they come in contact with you and your firm in any way. This includes your marketing and much more.

Network Affiliates has over 25 years of experience working with attorneys, identifying their authentic brand, cultivating that natural spark and making it recognizable and meaningful to their potential clients.

It is with great sadness that I send this email to you all today. Yesterday morning, Mr. Frickey ("NF" as we affectionately referred to him) passed away at his home in Colorado. He was 84 years old. As you can expect, Norty and his brother Doug and sisters Janet, Charmaine and Kim and their families are in the process of working through a great deal. We will let you know of the memorial service particulars once they are finalized.

I know I speak for all of us, who have learned, and grown and prospered in ways too numerous to mention, due to an idea that a unique man had more than 30 years ago. NF was not only the pioneer in the field of legal advertising, he was a pioneer of great ideas, of great challenges, of great debates, of great risks, and of great gains! It's difficult to imagine where we would all be today without NF. He prided himself on molding and building these businesses at 940 Wadsworth with his family. And, he considered us all part of his family. He shared a tremendous fondness and respect for all of you, who were always more than "clients" to NF. You too, were an integral part of his family.

There are few people who impact the number of lives that NF has impacted so positively. From the "little guy" who he so pridefully represented in court, to his fellow brethren in the legal field whose business landscape he single handedly changed with but one television commercial back in the late 70's, to the associates he demanded so much from in every aspect of business, to each and everyone of us who he truly valued.

He was loved, admired, and respected. Mr. Frickey was a good man with a good heart to show for it! To say "he will be missed" is simply an understatement.


Tammy Kehe

Your potential clients need help now. They are dealing with the immediate financial fallout from their injuries and the economy. They are in grave danger of trading their futures and their children's futures in for a quick fix.

We all know that insurance companies give injured parties the short end of the stick in exchange for expediency and under the threat of getting nothing at all. Personal injury victims may not know that or may be so desperate for help right now that they are willing to take less than pennies on the dollar just to get something and get it fast.

Your mission - as an advertising lawyer - is to remind them that the insurance companies will try to cheat them and that their future is on the line. By sticking with it, hiring your personal injury law firm, and taking the insurance companies to task, they could be preserving their retirement, their children's college opportunities, and just the basic quality of life that they are accustomed to or expect to achieve in the future.

This message reaches two types:

• Those who had some savings, but have spent it or expect to spend it because of their injuries and are looking for a way to replenish

• Those who did not have any reserves in the first place and need money now, but need far more than the insurance company will shell out

The first group will easily see the value in pursuing compensation.

The second group is more desperate. They need reassurance and advice on how they can get by until their case is resolved if they refuse the insurance company's immediate offer.

They also need to be reminded that if they accept that pittance, it will not go far and they will quickly be back in the situation they are in today, but without the option of pursuing compensation that will benefit them long term.

Our legal advertising production team has produced hundreds of effective television ads for personal injury attorneys. Let us help you remind your potential clients to think of the future.

June 2009
Levin Papantonio Client Obtains Jury Award in Tobacco Case
Three Levin Papantonio attorneys recently received a $30 million verdict in one of many Florida tobacco lawsuits. A Florida jury ordered R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to hand over $5 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages to a Florida widow whose husband died of lung cancer in 1995. The Martin case is one of the first to be tried after the 2006 ruling of the Florida Supreme Court in Engle v. Liggett Group, Inc. that de-certified a class action against the tobacco companies.
Mr. Martin started smoking in the mid-1940s before there were warnings on cigarettes. "We walked into the courtroom saying that Mr. Martin shared some of the blame for his inability to stop smoking," Levin Papantonio attorney Bobby Loehr said after the trial concluded. "R.J. Reynolds claimed that they were blameless." In deciding the case, the jury ruled that the deceased smoker Benny Martin was 34% responsible for the lung cancer damages and that the tobacco company was 66% at fault. They further found that the company’s conspiracy to conceal information about cigarettes was a legal cause of the death of Benny Martin. Despite the fault placed on Mr. Martin, under Florida law, there is no reduction of the award when fault is based upon intentional conduct, such as a conspiracy.
R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies conspired to make their products more addictive to customers and withheld information from the public about the dangers of smoking. “The jury here saw three weeks of evidence of exactly what the tobacco company tried to conceal,” Matt Schultz said. “This punitive award will hopefully deter these kinds of corporate activities in the future.” For more articles on the trial go to http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906020310 or contact Matt Schultz MSchultz@levinlaw.com, Bobby Loehr BLoehr@levinlaw.com or Rachael Gilmer RGilmer@levinlaw.com.
Fosamax MDL
In Fosamax osteonecrosis of the jaw project, the MDL judge has set a Daubert hearing for July 9 and 10, at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Court will hear arguments pertaining to Merck's challenge to the PSC's general causation experts as well as pertaining to the PSC's challenge to the scope and duration of Fosamax's clinical efficacy. The first trial in Fosamax is set in the MDL, beginning August 11. Levin Papantonio shareholder Tim O'Brien is lead counsel for the PSC and is also lead trial counsel for the August 11 trial. You can contact Tim O'Brien at TObrien@levinlaw.com with any questions you may have regarding the Fosamax MDL Litigation.
Chinese Drywall
On Wednesday May 27, 2009, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation heard oral arguments on MDL 2047: In re: Chinese Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation. The JMPL, convened in Louisville, Kentucky, heard arguments on the transfer of the litigation to the Southern District of Florida, the Middle District of Florida and the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Defective Chinese drywall, used in new home construction during the U.S. construction boom from approximately 2004 to 2006, is causing widespread problems for homeowners whose homes were built or remodeled with the defective material. It is suspected that Chinese drywall was used in 41 states, although the majority of the problems are surfacing in the Southeastern United States.
Levin, Papantonio is currently pursuing cases on behalf of homeowners whose homes have been damaged by defective Chinese Drywall. For more information please contact Amanda Slevinski at ASlevinski@levinlaw.com.
Avandia
Avandia is the second in a relatively new class of oral anti-diabetes drugs referred to as "glitazones." The first, Rezulin, was recalled in 2000 after causing numerous liver failure deaths, while the third, Actos, seems to be more innocuous than its two predecessors. More and more physicians are switching their patients from Avandia to Actos or other, safer diabetes medications. However, Avandia, or "Rosiglitazone," has been on the market since 1999, and some physicians continue to prescribe it even today in spite of numerous studies and meta-analyses from highly-respected institutions demonstrating unmistakably that it causes a substantially increased risk--in diabetics--of congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction. Though numerous authorities have called for it to be removed from the market, Glaxo Smithkline has refused to do so, even after its sales have plummeted and the American Diabetes Association says it should not be used. GSK continues to claim publicly that Avandia is safe, but internal emails produced in discovery show that company officials concealed data from studies showing they were concerned that Avandia was dangerous even as they were pushing for FDA approval. Without question, GSK is concerned about the effect of a recall on litigation and the filing of new claims, so they publicly stand by Avandia, even though most scientists favor use of other medications for diabetes.
There are several thousand cases filed in state and federal court in Philadelphia and elsewhere, and more cases are being filed every day. Time is of the essence on these claims, however, as the defendants have taken the position in open court that the statute of limitations began to run at least by May 2007, when the New England Journal published Dr. Stephen Nissen's meta-analysis of 42 studies concluded that diabetics taking Avandia stand a 43% higher chance of suffering heart attacks than diabetics not taking Avandia. While a black box warning added in November 2007 has persuaded some doctors not to use Avandia, because it has little demonstrated efficacy in long-term trials and yet clearly increases cardiovascular disease risks, we maintain that Avandia should be banned outright. Levin-Papantonio continues to investigate claims involving major cardiac injury, macular edema, and broken bones. Please contact Ben Gordon at BGordon@levinlaw.com with any questions regarding the Avandia Litigation.
Gadolinium
Staying true to form, the Gadolinium litigation continues to truck forward at an aggressive pace. Case-specific discovery in the Trial Pool cases for the MDL (Northern District of Ohio) is in full swing with depositions being set nearly every day. With the defendants continuing to fight Product Identification at every corner and expert reports due soon, everyone involved in the litigation has been putting forth impressive efforts to keep this litigation on track and moving forward. Contact Lea Morris at Lea.Morris@levinlaw.com with any questions in regards to Gadolinium.
Calaxo
Smith and Nephew introduced the "Calaxo" bioabsorbable screws for ACL knee repair surgery in early 2006, and distributed the screws to orthopedic surgeons roughly between March 2006 and August of 2007. The devices were recalled in the United Kingdom and in the United States in late August 2007, after numerous reports of adverse events involving soft tissue swelling, pain, and an "infection-like" process that can lead to multiple surgical revisions. Patients tend to get better initially, only to later have the knee start to swell and ache, causing extended periods of disability which may become permanent. While Smith and Nephew has not stated publicly the reason for the recall or the source of the problem, they claim to have established a panel of experts to study the problem. Although other companies make similar orthopedic knee screws, Smith and Nephew's addition of materials aimed at hastening the bioabsorbtion process may be to blame in the failure of these screws. Levin-Papantonio represents dozens of victims with Calaxo knee screws and are at the forefront of this litigation. Please contact Ben Gordon at BGordon@levinlaw.com with any questions regarding the Calaxo Litigation.
Medtronic Intrathecal Infusion Pump Recall
Levin Papantonio is investigating cases involving Medtronic's Intrathecal Infusion Pump. These implantable infusion pumps are used to infuse opioids, baclofen, or chemotherapy drugs into the intrathecal space in the spine. In 2008, certain models of this pump were recalled by the manufacturer because of reports of inflammatory mass (granuloma) formations at the tip of the intrathecal catheters. Development of a mass can lead to severe neurologic injuries. The risk of developing such a mass appears to increase over time, and with higher doses of certain opioids. For more information about these cases, please contact Pete Kaufman at (850) 435-7107 or pkaufman@levinlaw.com.

Educate yourself about Mobile Web Sites before your competitor's do.
WhatA mobile web site takes the essential information from your fi rm’s main web site and displays it on a mobile platform. Most cell phone devices can not display traditional web sites and require that a mobile version be developed. Mobile sites are necessarily light on graphics and style while concentrating on the critical information you want mobile users to know about your fi rm. As a result, they are easy to navigate and truly accessible anywhere, which can make you accessible anywhere. Your existing and potential clients who access the internet on their phones are people on the go and in the know. Having a mobile web site for your fi rm paints you an industry leader. Without a mobile site you are locking out 22.3 million web users daily. How many of those represent a case to you?
WhyAs technology fi nds its way to more and more potential clients, the demand for immediate access to information skyrockets and the need to provide that information becomes harder to ignore. In a one year span, January 2008 to January 2009, there was a 107% increase in mobile web users in the United States. A mobile web site that represents your fi rm is a differentiating factor between you and your competition. This investment will give you a strong competitive advantage and generate new leads resulting in more conversions. The longer you wait to utilize this new technology the further behind you fall.
HowFrom the framework of your existing web site we can build a mobile site in just one week for around $3,000. This is a one time set up cost with no hidden expenses or fees. Call Harlan Schillinger at 800-525-3332 today for more information on how to take advantage of this opportunity.
ScenarioA potential client gets in a major accident on the side of the interstate and is injured. While he is sitting in the ER waiting for the doctors to help him he pulls out his cell phone and searches for PI Lawyers in Delaware. When Google can only fi nd one site that is compatible with a mobile device it pulls up your site and the victim clicks on the “I Need Help” button. A representative calls him and sets up a meeting for the very next day with one of your lawyers. Conversion.
For a mobile legal web site example go to: http://mblx.netaff.com

We are currently in the process of redesigning our website. It has been a long and time consuming process. It has involved multiple designs (until we settled on one that we liked) as well as a lot of video production - getting footage of our staff and our clients. We have shot new still photos of each member of our legal marketing team.

Now we are working on the content. Let me tell you, that is a time consuming process. While we are known for our syndicated TV ads for personal injury lawyers, our mix of marketing services for attorneys goes far beyond that. It is challenging to communicate all that we do. In addition to syndicated TV ads, we offer:

• Custom TV advertising for lawyers - we offer a range of ads from simple mass tort ads that we can turn around and have on the air in a few days, to branding / image building campaigns for lawyers, to hard hitting direct response ads with attorney spokespeople.
• Media Planning and Buying Strategies for law firms - every one of our media buys is carefully crafted based on the goals of that specific law firm client, the strength of each station and program, and the demographics of the market. Each campaign is aggressively negotiated to make sure we get you the most effective media buy for your law firm based on your goals.

And there is a lot more including:

• Radio Advertising
• Print Advertising
• Outdoor Advertising
• Database Marketing
• Branding and Image Advertising
• Brochures and Collateral Material for Law firms
• Direct Marketing
• Hispanic Marketing
• Internet Marketing

I am hopeful that the new website will do a better job of communicating all that we do.