Landau Injury Law

Is this “Super Lawyer” able to “leap tall buildings in a single bound” ? Is Landau “faster than a speeding bullet” ?

Probably not, unless the bullet was traveling 10 MPH and the building was mostly subterranean ! However Herndon Virginia trial lawyer Doug Landau did look very much the part of a “Super Hero” fighting for the American Association for Justice league Friday after marching in the annual Madeira School halloween parade. Mrs. Landau, taking the role of fashion designer and auteur “Edna Mode” made costumes for them to be “Mr. & Mrs. Incredible,” which included several pillows and a down vest under the normally trim Trial Lawyer Triathlete’s UnderArmor ! The staff at ABRAMS LANDAU asked Doug to wear his costume all day Friday. In addition to a “Casual Friday,” the staff was also treated to chair massages by a former client from the Linden, Virginia area. Clients, their children and visitors to ABRAMS LANDAU all seemed to relish the fact that their lawyer, in addition to being named a “Super Lawyer” once again, was dressed up as a “Super hero.” Here “Mr. Incredible” Landau samples some freshly baked treats with Jack Corky of the Herndon Great Harvest Bakery – watch those carbs big fella !

Good witnesses can methodically recall what happened before, during and after an impact through the use of all of their 5 senses. These observers can not only recollect what they saw before and after a car crash, but they can also relate what they:

• smelled (gasoline on the pavement, leaking transmission fluids, burning rubber from skid marks on the ashphalt, etc.);
• heard (the horn going off before the sound of shattering glass, the back up warning before a large truck went into reverse, the screams of the other passengers to “watch out !” and the sirens of the ambulance, police and emergency personnel);
• tasted (airbag propellent that had exploded into their mouth, blood, nausea, etc.);
• felt (glass in their skin, throbbing from where their hit hit the windshield, burning from the safety air bags, upside down or sideways when the car or truck came to rest on the side of the road, a warm wet feeling seeking down the arm from a laceration, etc.)

If you or a loved on has been in a car accident, train wreck, bike crash, it is important to document and set down the important facts of what happened. One way you might get the most out of the recent memory of the event is by trying to go through the 5 senses before, during and after the impact when making notes as to what you recall. This is important to do while it is still fresh in your mind. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident or crash, please contact us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. by e-mail or telephone (703-796-9555), as we may be able to help.

Top Virginia Trial Lawyers Roger Creager (Richmond), Doug Landau (Herndon - Reston), Barbara Williams (Leesburg), & Lee Livingston (Charlottesville) compared ideas on "independent" insurance medical examiners at the 2009 VTLA Annual Advocacy seminar in Fairfax

Almost every single case involving serious injury, permanent disability or significant wage loss is confronted by an insurance company lawyer demanding an “Independent Medical Examination.” The exam is usually not independent. It is not for treatment, so the “medical” part of the phrase is intellectually dishonest. And as for an “examination,” it’s often more of a cross-examination than a genuine physical exam.

“Independent” medical exams (”IMEs”) are commonplace in personal litigation, workers compensation, and occupational disease cases handled by ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. Because they are not truly “Independent,” as we see the same doctors performing exams for the same insurance companies who pay their bills, we refer to these as “defense medical exams” or “insurance medical exams.” A 3/31/09 New York Times investigation titled “Exams of Injured Workers Feed Mutual Mistrust,” reported that, “Often IME doctors are hired by brokers that then have clerical staffs prepare reports based on dictation or checklists completed by the doctors, who often do not read the reports before signing them. The article gives examples of doctors signing reports on exams they never performed. One of the ways Herndon Reston area injury lawyer Doug Landau anticipates this practice is by offering the insurance company a physical exam early in the case, sometimes even before a lawsuit is filed. “The case we select involve serious, objective and usually permanent injuries,” Landau notes. Because we have nothing to hide, I will offer to have my injured client submit to a voluntary physical exam with a qualified doctor, at a reasonable time and place, in lieu of a later examination after suit is filed.” In effect, it is a “put up or shut up” move by the multi-state trial lawyer, known for his unique and innovative techniques.

Top Northern Virginia injury lawyers Sandra Rohrstaf, Tom Curcio, Ben Glass & David Marks attended the VTLA Annual Advocacy seminar on "Expert Witnesses" in Fairfax today

Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau was out of the office today, but he was not in trial, attending depositions, or traveling to see far away clients or expert witnesses. The ABRAMS LANDAU trial attorney was attending the VTLA Annual Advocacy Seminar in Fairfax. A superb line up of speakers lead to a “standing room only” audience, and an excellent chance to learn about the latest cases, legislation and strategies for helping clients injured by car wrecks, dog bite attacks, bike crashes, slip and fall accidents, defective products and dangerous chemicals. While lawyer Landau maintains a surplus of Continuing Legal Education (”CLE”) credits, he believes it is important to stay current with developments in the law and share information with other experienced victims’ advocates.

Some of the topics in today’s presentations included:

• Direct Examination of the injured plaintiff’s expert witnesses,
• Successfully cross examining Defense Medical Experts,
• Preparing Your Expert Witnesses for Deposition and Trial
• Use of Medical Literature
• Considerations of Structured Settlements

Aldie, Prince William and Loudoun County car crash lawyer Doug Landau notes that a study by Car and Driver magazine demonstrated that texting while driving can be even more dangerous than driving while drunk.

ABRAMS LANDAU trial attorney Landau also observes that all of the driving in the Car and Driver study was done in a straight line on an 11,800-foot runway. After conducting the texting tests on both subjects at 35 and 70 miles per hour, the subjects then drank alcoholic beverages until they reached the legal driving limit of 0.08 percent blood-alcohol content. Then, they went back behind the wheel and ran the identical test without any texting distractions. The results showed that even on a straight road without any traffic, road signals, or pedestrians, and looking just at reaction times, the texting results were even worse than the alcoholic impairment results.

A cyclist trapped under a sports utility vehicle (”SUV”) was rescued by DC Firefighters.  The good news is that the biker survived the crash, but DC and Virginia bicycle lawyer Doug Landau noted that this is not always the case.  The early morning crash required the use of hydraulics systems and airbags to lift and stabilize the vehicle, according to the news report.  These heroic rescue efforts were required to remove the bicycle rider from under the SUV.  This crash, which occurred near East Capitol Street and Texas Avenue in the District of Columbia.  The injured biker was taken to the hospital in serious condition.

If you or someone you know would like a free copy of Biker lawyer Doug Landau’s book, “Ten Mistakes that can derail your bike crash case,” please e-mail us or call (703)-796-9555 today.

Chronic pain victims must avoid addiction to prescription medications by regular visits to their treating doctors advises permanent disability lawyer Doug Landau

With so many ABRAMS LANDAU clients permanently disabled and suffering from chronic pain, Sterling and South Riding Virginia disability and injury lawyer Doug Landau frequently recommends that clients check with their treating doctors to make sure their dosages are under control. The number of overdose deaths from opioid painkillers — opium-like drugs such as morphine and codeine — more than tripled from 1999 to 2006, to 13,800 deaths that year, according to CDC statistics.

USA TODAY reports that addiction to prescription painkillers — which kill thousands of Americans a year — has become a largely unrecognized epidemic. In fact, prescription drugs cause most of the more than 26,000 fatal overdoses each year, says Leonard Paulozzi of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the past, most overdoses were due to (more…)

Virginia crash injury lawyer Doug Landau notes that educating RV drivers about "trailer sway" can help prevent accidents and death on the roadways

Trailer sway can be deadly.  This phenomenon occurs when a “Recreational Vehicle” (”RV”) is met by a crosswind, passing truck or other sideways wind source.  Having driven an RV, Broadlands and Broad Run injury lawyer Doug Landau has experienced firsthand how difficult these large vehicle are to handle on the open road under windy conditions.  “Even though I could see far down the road, it took intense attention and anticipation to safely drive the RV to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia with my kids in the back” the experienced traveler and trial lawyer noted.

Trailer sway is very difficult to bring under control, even if you do everything right. Taking the wrong action can quickly turn trailer sway into a deadly crash.  One of the problems RV drivers encounter is that they are not advised about the hazards of trailer sway.  RV salesmen do not give the innocent purchasers information on how they should react in the event of trailer sway.  Yet an RV is often as big as a large truck and can cause devastation if not handled properly.

If you or someone you know has been injured by an out of control RV or motor home that had “trailer sway,” please contact ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. or give us a call at 703-796-9555.

This was the crux of a notice Loudoun, Fairfax and Leesburg brain injury lawyer Doug Landau received in Charlottesville. The Stroke Association wants people to know that

strokes are the #3 killer in this country, yet many people don’t even know what they are. They don’t know that more of the brain can be saved if a stroke is detected and treatment is received immediately. Strokes begin when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or bursts. Blow flow is cut off. Tissue is starved for oxygen, and parts of the brain die. If not treated quickly, abilities and productive life can be lost. Learn to spot the warning signs of a stroke or call 1-888-4-STROKE, and act quickly. Your brain is your most prized possession. Guard it with your life.

There is a Fairfax County Program that assists new drivers. The “Youthful Driver Program” can help “give them the knowledge and experience that could save their lives,” notes Herndon Reston car crash lawyer Doug Landau. He has taken similar courses in Virginia, online and in the District of Columbia, and he has learned new safety and defensive driving techniques.

The Fairfax County program web site asks:

Is someone you love learning to drive? The FCPD Youthful Driver Program can help. Police instructors will help your “young driver”:

* Learn what it means to be an “inexperienced” driver
* Identify the risks and realities of being teen driver
* How to ignore peer pressure behind the wheel
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