Landau Injury Law

Fredericksburg Virginia Radio station WFVA (1230 AM) will feature Herndon Injury Lawyer Doug Landau of ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. on its morning “Peoples Law School” program Monday, March 17th at 9:00 AM.  The affable Triathlon Trial Lawyer will answer questions from callers as well as from the host, fellow Virginia Trial Lawyer John Harris.   So, if you have any questions about all kinds of injury claims, workers compensation, dog attacks, occupational diseases, defective products, sports accidents, children’s cases, brain injury, Social Security Disability or other related topics, please call in !  The number is 540-371-5756.

In this case, which arose about a mile from the Landau Law Shop, an au pair was carrying a baby down the steps of their Herndon home.When the babysitter was a little more than half way down the stairs, the edge of the step cracked beneath her, causing her to fall down the stairs.  Not only was the babysitter injured, but the baby fell into the wall and landing below.  Herndon head and brain injury lawyer Doug Landau’s infant client suffered bruising, a head bleed, and a fractured skull.  From this one fall that caused an innocent infant’s cracked skull and brain injury, the Abrams Landau trial team’s investigation revealed that (more…)

Experienced Herndon trial lawyer Doug Landau has been voted into “The Best Lawyers In America,” “Super Lawyers” and the highest rating available in the Martindale Hubbell directory of Lawyers in the United States. Despite these honors, there are simple, common sense actions that should be taken after a car wreck, dog bite, bike crash, trip and fall, animal attack, defective premises, or other personal injury causing event. The Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau recommends:

*Photographs should be taken as soon as possible.
*You should save the defective product or parts.
*Write down what happened: include names, addresses and phone numbers of the other people involved in the accident and all witnesses at the scene.
*Identify the vehicles involved or the injury causing product.
*Make a diagram of your location before, during and after the accident.
*Include measurements of such things as skidmarks, landmarks and warning signs.

*Preserve the evidence: do not wash bloody clothing, broken footwear or throw out a cracked bicycle helmut.  Label these things, put them in zip lock bags and give them to your lawyer.

One of the reasons to retain experienced legal counsel as soon as possible after a catastrophic car accident, dog attack, bike crash or trip and fall causing brain injury is because a qualified trial lawyer will start investigation so that your case can be presented with the evidence necessary to win.

What kinds of things will counsel do for you after you’ve been smashed, crashed, bashed or trashed ?
An experienced lawyer like Doug Landau and the trial team at Abrams Landau, secure such evidence as:
1. Pictures of the vehicles,
2. Photographs of the accident scene,
3. Images, with scale markers, of the defective products
4. Medical Illustrations and/or photos of the injuries and medical apparatus used to treat the injured plaintiff,
5. Receipts, photographic records and perhaps the items themselves for the property damage claim.
6. Weather reports, news clippings, and other relevant notes from periodicals and local newspapers.
7. The Defendant’s other infractions, convictions, litigation history and case histories.

Doug Landau often meets with the police officers who investigated his clients’ accidents. Landau notes that it is not unusual for these meetings to result in additional information not contained in the official “Police Accident Report.” The Herndon “Super Lawyer” observes that his in-person discussions with the investigating officers reveals facts not even found in the Traffic Court trial transcript. Plus, it is important to meet with every witness well BEFORE they take the witness stand and testify in an Abrams Landau trial. In the Photograph, Virginia Injury Lawyer Doug Landau is shown during a meeting with a Virginia Tech Police Officer. Landau’s meeting was part of the investigation in a case where a Tech athlete was struck and knocked out by a truck in the middle of the campus. The team at Abrams Landau, Ltd. was able to get their client a large settlement due to the early and thorough investigation, which included Mr. Landau’s multiple trips to Blacksburg to get statements from all of the relevant eyewitnesses. Tomorrow’s posting will list some of the things YOU can do to help your own case or that of a friend, family member or neighbor.

In a case for a Rhode Island client who was injured while making a delivery in Virginia, Herndon Super Lawyer Doug Landau successfully settled the personal injury case against the store and also reduced the workers comp lien (“IOU”) of over $50,000. The Abrams Landau team also assisted with the client’s successful Social Security Disability case and other car accident claims in Massachusetts and Connecticut ! The client structured much of the settlement so that he and his wife could look forward to a long-term guaranteed, tax free monthly income. (more…)

The Supreme Court of Virginia helps prepare new trial judges for their duties in court.  The Educational Services Department of the Supreme Court has once again asked Herndon Super Lawyer Doug Landau to assist in the New Judges’ Training.  Mr. Landau has participated in mock trials for both Circuit Court Judges and General District Court Judges from around the state. 

 The 2008 Pre-Bench Orientation Program, includes mock trials for our new circuit and general district court judges.  Mr. Landau has presented negligence and slip an fall cases to the judges in the past.  These personal injury cases require the new judges to make “on the spot” rulings, and they are graded by Senior Reviewing Judges who have been in the bench for many years.  The mock trials will be conducted in Richmond-area courts April 10, 2008. 

Abrams Landau lawyer Doug Landau says that participation in these trials helps to sharpen trial skills for both the judges an the lawyers.  While this Herndon Super Lawyer does not need the Continuing Legal Education credits that are offered to participating lawyers, he always learns something new from the Senior Supervising Judges who are present for each trial to help the newly elected Judges “learn the ropes” after donning their robes !  

When a personal injury case settles, the Insurance Company wants a Release to be signed before the check is cashed so that they (and their insureds) will not get sued again on the same claim.  When a case is filed in Court, and a settlement reached or verdict in favor of the injured plaintiff returned, the Court wants a “Final Order” signed showing that the case is resolved and can be dismissed from the active Trial or Hearing calendar.  Many clients wonder, if the “Final Order” ends the case, why does the Insurance Company and its lawyers want signatures on a separate (and seemingly superfluous) “Release” ?

One reason the lawyers for the Defendants in Product Liability, Negligence, Defective Products and Food, Slip and Fall, Children’s cases, Sports Accident, Brain Trauma, and other types of Personal Injury claims, want this Release, is that

(more…)

While Herndon trial lawyer Doug Landau represents injured workers almost exclusively,
he takes on several defense cases for companies, medical practices and individuals
who have no insurance or whose insurance is not protecting them. In this case,
the accused doctor had no insurance protection from a six-figure claim.
(more…)

Airports, stores, gas stations, parking lots and other places where people get hurt have tape recordings of what happens on their “turf.” These tapes (or CDs, DVDs, etc.) often provide strong evidence of what really happened when someone gets hurt or attacked. Virginia “Super Lawyer” Doug Landau secured the actual Airport DVD showing the Defendant Security Supervisor taking his client to a remote place where she was sexually assaulted later that night ! (See 10/29/07 entry “Sexual assault by an airport security supervisor”)

In another case that came to Herndon personal injury lawyer Doug Landau, his client was struck by a “hit and run” driver. This nurse was leaving Alexandria Hospital after her shift and woke up in the roadway in front of the staff parking lot with her legs shattered. Doug Landau recalled that there were surveillance cameras (more…)

Insurance companies routinely pressure people into giving taped or written statements shortly after an accident.  Insurance claims adjusters know that injured victims are at their most vulnerable immediately after an accident.  They know that when the injured person is not represented, in pain, on strong medications, confused and unsure of their legal rights, that all the cards are stacked in the insurance company’s favor. 

Remember –

ANYTHING YOU SAY WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU !

In some states, the insurance company DOES NOT NEED YOUR PERMISSION (more…)