The personal injury attorney has more scorn heaped on him than any other kind of lawyer does. They are called ambulance chasers, scriptwriters and worse. It is easy to be cynical about the whole system. Just look at the outrageous television commercials run by some personal injury attorneys. Look at some of the crazy results juries come up with.

But it is only easy to be cynical until the day you or someone close to you has a bad accident and needs a good attorney to get adequate compensation for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering.

If you have a serious injury it only makes sense to hire a serious attorney. You will not find members of our law firm riding spaceships in a television studio or shouting CASH, CASH, CASH through the television set. You will find our attorneys trying cases in court making the insurance companies pay by showing a jury why our client deserves recompense.

If you believe there may be another lawyer in Hampton Roads who could get better results for you, ask them a simple question. Can you match this list of jury verdicts in the local courts?

1. Virginia Beach Circuit Court:A soldier had his left great toe permanently injured when a gate fell down on him at Fort Story. Highest insurance offer, $10,000. Jury Verdict, $250,000.



2. Hampton Circuit Court:A man sustained an injury in a traffic accident to one of the muscles in his chest. The injury may or may not cause him greater problems in the future. First insurance offer $2,000. Highest insurance offer $20,000. Jury Verdict, $214,000.
   
   
3. Norfolk Circuit Court:A man afflicted with AIDS sues his doctor for testing him without his consent, for not telling him the positive result of the test and for mistakenly giving him immunity suppressing medicine thereafter. Highest pretrial offer, $30,000. Final settlement, $150,000.
   
   
4. Norfolk Circuit Court:A woman injured in a traffic accident underwent a neck surgery and had a complete recovery. Highest insurance offer, $25,000. Jury Verdict, $89,000.
   
   
5. Virginia Beach Circuit Court:A woman underwent a salon hairstyling that left an orange coloring and very brittle ends. She was embarrassed for a number of months, but incurred only $100 in out-of-pocket expenses. No photographs were available. Highest insurance offer, $1,000. Jury Verdict, $50,000.

If the attorney to be handling your case has a track record at trial that exceeds these results, you have made a wise choice in legal counsel. If not, Stephen Merrill may be the right attorney for you.

Feel free to call for our Traffic Accident Check-List, a list of ways to protect yourself when you have been in an accident.