Don't Let Charlie Sheen Be Your Guide

There is a small subculture of people who think Charlie Sheen's recent outbursts are refreshing. This is a guy who is, after all, baring his soul. He is flying solo, without an image consultant (at least anymore). No one is vetting his statements and he is speaking from the heart. You are seeing and hearing the true Charlie. This is great for television but certainly offers no guidance as to proper conduct for the rest of us.

As someone who is either a current client of our firm or thinking about becoming one, in a very real way your public image and conduct is being watched very carefully. Insurance companies are reading your social network sites, following you around town, doing surveillance, and they are talking to your friends. They may even go through your trash. They certainly are checking your criminal record. Consider the insurance company your own unwanted paparazzi.

Make no mistake. These insurance companies are searching for dirt that can be used to smear your character in front of an eventual jury. This same information will help an insurance company determine what they will offer you to settle your case. Sound spooky? Well, it should.

Charlie Sheen's history includes, but is not limited to, domestic violence, drug charges, multiple well documented trysts with prostitutes, shooting ("by accident") his then girlfriend actress Kelly Preston, he has had well-publicized drunken binges, assault charges, unsuccessful rehab efforts, etc... More recently, Sheen frequently appeared on television and spoke his mind with a rapid fire nonsensical rant which seems inspired by either drugs or perhaps mental illness.

As many things as Sheen has going for him in this world (good looks, money, and fame), to an insurance company evaluating him as a plaintiff, he would be hard to take seriously. In truth, the more "out there" you are, the more difficult it may be for you to get a fair settlement from an insurance company.

Young lawyers in our office are taught that a good lawyer is part psychologist, part image consultant, part sports agent, and part legal advocate. Keeping our client's image clean and avoiding anything that the insurance company can use to call into question our client's character, much less mental sanity, is a very necessary part of our daily job.

As an injury victim with a case pending, do your very best to carefully study Charlie Sheen and do everything entirely opposite of what you think Charlie might do.

At Anderson Hemmat, we know there are far too many pitfalls surrounding our clients as they seek fair compensation for their injuries. With that in mind we work hard to help our clients avoid any self-destructive actions that may hinder their recovery. If you have questions about how best to handle yourself under this intense scrutiny, please do not hesitate to contact one of our attorneys today.

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Don't Let Charlie Sheen Be Your Guide