Sam Bernstein Commercials and Ads

[One Shot]

Is it intentional or accidental on where these ads are placed and when they air? I've noticed alot of billboards in sub par neighborhoods. The advertising is when jobless people are at home sitting on the couch watching the latest talk show drama. Is he preying on these people because they are the ones that are easiest to convince they were hurt by that crack in the sidewalk? These types of people honestly believe they were injured then and he makes out. And people wonder why stuff costs so much. Crooked lawyers and dumb laws.

[cloud_wall]

These types of people honestly believe they were injured then and he makes out.

Um, lawyers don't get to "make out" by convincing the guy sitting on his couch that he is injured. At some point you're also going to have to convince a judge and then a jury. That's usually more difficult to fake, what with the evidence and all [[not to mention the Engler-appointed appellate judiciary that works for the insurance industry).

As for the advertising question, the Bernsteins seem to be pretty ubiquitous. I wouldn't be surprised if they do target lower-income folks in general, but his ads are everywhere nowadays. They're a big sponsor of Tigers telecasts, for example.

[cheddar bob]

Some of the ads have changed now, but when they first came out, I loved how the blind guy was the only one facing somewhere off in the distance instead of at the camera. It was like that on all of the billboards and tv ads. Hilarious.

[Baselinepunk]

Some of the ads have changed now, but when they first came out, I loved how the blind guy was the only one facing somewhere off in the distance instead of at the camera. It was like that on all of the billboards and tv ads. Hilarious.

That's a gimmick. When they first came out, Dick was facing the right way and talking into the camera. He looked like someone who was not comfortable reading off a teleprompter. Then Beth looked kinda the same way. It's a cheap trick; you got baited into thinking this guy could see, which would facilitate a comment or two, then someone would say "Hey, he's blind; that ain't cool". False sympathy.

Sammy is a slick salesman; a real pro. Between him and "Lee Free", they've cornered the market on the cultivation of "settlements for their clients". Market research places these ads where they are [[and ads rates as well). They've made a mint off borderline cases that just "settle". These "people" are the primary reasons why insurance rates are so high. [[Yes I've worked in the court system, have many lawyer friends, worked on many cases in the "system", so I am using personal experience as support, in addition to working in the educational side of the television biz where we would teach that type of technique to our students).

[cloud_wall]

These "people" are the primary reasons why insurance rates are so high. [[Yes I've worked in the court system, have many lawyer friends, worked on many cases in the "system", so I am using personal experience as support...).

This is an absolute falsehood the insurance industry, under the guise of the Chamber of Commerce, has spent billions to spread. In Michigan in particular, and across the country, the number of lawsuits have steadily declined since "tort reform" [[insurer-written laws) became all the rage. The amounts of settlements and jury awards have declined as well. This is particularly true in medical malpractice cases.

Your insurance rates are going up today because insurers invest their premiums in the market. That hasn't done so well lately. In general, the industry has become more and more profit driven. There are only two ways to make money in the biz: make more on premiums and deny more claims. They've gone for both angles.

Sam and other injury attorneys are not the bad guys. Sometimes they overreach and actually get what they ask for. Naturally, the media goes nuts. But remember that the insurance adjuster they're going against wants to pay ZERO every single time. No matter what happened. Which makes bargaining difficult. So the injury attorney asks for a lot. And sometimes, once a jury gets a whiff of the tactics used by the charming individuals who get paid with their insurance premiums, they send a message.

Baseline, unless you have actuarial experience in the insurance industry, I'm not sure how you have at have any idea what goes into insurance premium rates.

[1KielsonDrive]

Having been raised in a family whose livelihood was derived from the insurance industry, I can tell you that insurance companies are good guys. Well okay, that was back in the old days. Nowadays, they suck. Who's been getting the large share of bailout money? AIG. A pseudo insurance company. Cloud_wall hit it exactly on the head. Banks and insurance companies gambled our money on the market. Not much different than blowing it on the tables in Vegas. They also hired large staffs of commodity brokers, many from Enron, immediately after Enron ripped everyone off and then collapsed. If you do some reading and research, you'll find that the insurance industry and corporations instigate more suits than anyone. Usually suing each other and you, and billing you through premiums. They also employ large staffs of attorneys. If attorneys and lawsuits are so damn bad, why do they have so many? Because they're suing everyone. Who's behind the big lobbying and marketing campaign to defeat health insurance reform? Geez, couldn't be insurance companies, could it? Yep!

[cloud_wall]

These "people" are the primary reasons why insurance rates are so high. [[Yes I've worked in the court system, have many lawyer friends, worked on many cases in the "system", so I am using personal experience as support...).

Baseline, I salute you. You understand that strong points can't be made without multiple exclamation points and text-speak acronyms for laughter. But your use of "fallacy" is either ironic or mistaken.

Your original quote is above. Working "in the court system" and having lawyer friends does not familiarize a person with insurance premium rate making.

Actuarial science is a somewhat complicated field involving math that I don't understand. If you choose to discount bad investments and sky-high profit margins as factors in the equation, so be it. Feel free to blame all of society's ills on the civil justice system, even if it's been a foundation of western civilization for centuries. But you have given us no reason to agree with you.

You're probably right that you could have an understanding of how an actuary determines insurance premiums without working in that field. But you certainly haven't demonstrated how you could have achieved that knowledge.

Also, I have no idea whether you're generally angry and disgruntled, but I think Detroitbred wrote that because it oozes from everything you've written in this thread, and not because you disagree with him/her or anyone else here.

Professorscott, that freakout hierarchy is one of the funniest things I've heard in a while. Nice to know that Richard plays the hand he's been dealt with grit and humor.

[Baselinepunk]

"Baseline, I salute you."

At ease, Private.

"You understand that strong points can't be made without multiple exclamation points and text-speak acronyms for laughter. But your use of "fallacy" is either ironic or mistaken."

False dichotomy is no ones friend.

"Your original quote is above. Working "in the court system" and having lawyer friends does not familiarize a person with insurance premium rate making."

My statement is clear; I worked in the court system; a statement that does not even imply that I currently work in the system and is a misrepresentation of my position as a means to further your position. Very thin at best.

"Actuarial science is a somewhat complicated field involving math that I don't understand."

Then why continue?

"If you choose to discount bad investments and sky-high profit margins as factors in the equation, so be it."

The above statement is your assumption based on nothing that I offered. I offered that the Sammies, and those like them, are the primary reason why both you and I [[and everyone else) pay higher insurance rates. I, in no way, inferred that this primary reason is not without secondary contributors.

How about a "chicken and the egg" level discourse on this matter, then?

"Feel free to blame all of society's ills on the civil justice system, even if it's been a foundation of western civilization for centuries."

All of society's "ills" on the civil justice system? Are you joking? I did not even come close to offering, posit, nor implied such garbage. That "statement" is both ludicous, obnoxious and invalid.

"You're probably right that you could have an understanding of how an actuary determines insurance premiums without working in that field. But you certainly haven't demonstrated how you could have achieved that knowledge."

Read: Fishing expedition.

"Also, I have no idea whether you're generally angry and disgruntled, but I think Detroitbred wrote that because it oozes from everything you've written in this thread, and not because you disagree with him/her or anyone else here."

As the old saying goes; opinions are like assholes ... your either have one or you are one.

[gnome]

That blind guy is planning to run for Attorney General.

[drjeff]

That blind guy is planning to run for Attorney General.

He's already on the Wayne State Board of Governors. And I've heard firsthand that he's a very sharp guy.

[Ray1936]

TV ads for attorneys can get under the skin. However, recently I had need of a probate attorney, and among all the TV ads for the ambulance chasers was one for probate matters. Gave his office a call and I couldn't have been happier with his work. Life's a gamble anyway.

[Bobl]

quote: "...I loved how the blind guy was the only one facing somewhere off in the distance..."
The blind guy is Richard Bernstein, who has completed numerous marathons and has acted as a supporter of disabled people throughout his life. I respect him, and his accomplishments.

[cheddar bob]

quote: "...I loved how the blind guy was the only one facing somewhere off in the distance..."
The blind guy is Richard Bernstein, who has completed numerous marathons and has acted as a supporter of disabled people throughout his life. I respect him, and his accomplishments.

Good for you. Now why couldn't someone tell him he was facing the wrong way? I kind of feel bad for the guy...

[1KielsonDrive]

I'll say this about the Bernstein's, they are very nice, involved and committed people. You'll get the best representation from them. As described here earlier, Richard is much more than just a 'blind' person. He's a dynamic lawyer and activist. About 25 years ago, Sam represented a member of my family. He did an excellent job and won. It wasn't a 'big' case, either. I've had personal and business relationships with them and they've always been right up front. Yeah, sometimes I see the ads and I wonder, but if you think about advertising, what are it's boundaries? The Bernsteins use it liberally. Look at the things advertised on TV now that we would have never dreamed about 10 or 20 years ago.

[cloud_wall]

The Bernsteins don't push the envelope that much in my opinion. I sometimes think they play the family angle a little too hard in their ads, especially considering they have 12 other attorneys not named Bernstein. And hearing "Call Sam" every two seconds gets annoying, but it's not too obnoxious as far as local advertising goes.

Here's what really bad lawyer advertising looks like:

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/lists/p...yer-ads-051809

[Maof]

Now why couldn't someone tell him he was facing the wrong way? I kind of feel bad for the guy...

I agree. It just looks silly.

[rjk]

Richard is quite an impressive person.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayof...man/index.html

[DetroitPlanner]

What is intentional is that more affluent communities have much more stringent laws regarding billboards as well as the ability to be able to afford to police them. For example, you will see way more billboards along M-39 in Detroit than you will in Dearborn or Southfield. Airing of the ads are typically during the off=peak times because thats when you can get the most bang for your advertising buck because during peak viewing hours all you see is stuff by deep pocketed national retailers/manufacturers.

[wash_man]

These ads can't be escaped either. I often spend weekends up north and they air on TV there also. They have an office in Traverse City.

[Downtown diva]

These ads can't be escaped either. I often spend weekends up north and they air on TV there also. They have an office in Traverse City.

the ads can be escaped. read a book.

[MCP-001]

Is it intentional or accidental on where these ads are placed and when they air? I've noticed alot of billboards in sub par neighborhoods. The advertising is when jobless people are at home sitting on the couch watching the latest talk show drama. Is he preying on these people because they are the ones that are easiest to convince they were hurt by that crack in the sidewalk? These types of people honestly believe they were injured then and he makes out. And people wonder why stuff costs so much. Crooked lawyers and dumb laws.

I don't have any connections with the Bernstein's, so I cannot say this with 100% certainty that this IS what they are doing, but from the people that I know who are/were in the advertising business, what they tell me is that for advertisers to get the "biggest bang for their buck", they will target their ads to the demographic that best fits their product/service.

Bottom line: They will runs their ads during certain times and on certain shows that have the audience who will most likely use what their advertising.

[Retroit]

What better way to win a case against a deep-pocketed defendant than to select a plaintiff and a jury from among the "oppressed masses".

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[cheddar bob]

I've never met Richard Bernstein, or ever had anything to do with his family or his law practice so to me, he's just some blind guy. Since some here seem to be his best friend, do me a favor and ask him why he's looking at the top of the dude's head next to him while everyone else is looking straight ahead. And possibly more importantly, why didn't anyone tell him?

I always just assumed it was because the guy was such an asshole that nobody bothered to say anything. Now everybody is saying he a stand up guy so now I'm even more puzzled.

[cloud_wall]

Cheddar, I have a theory. It sounds sort of mean. But Richard is an odd-looking guy, and I think the fact that he's looking in the wrong direction alerts people to the fact that he's blind. Like you're supposed to think, "oh, that guy's not weird looking, he's blind. I better not think less of him for it." But more people seem to have your take on it. It does look a little ridiculous. Either way, I'm glad to hear he has his supporters out there.

[lizaanne]

I Since some here seem to be his best friend, do me a favor and ask him why he's looking at the top of the dude's head next to him while everyone else is looking straight ahead.

Geeze - maybe it's because he CAN'T "look" at anything?

~Liza