Landau Injury Law

According to a presentation by a Fairfax County Police Department School Resource Officer attended by Abrams Landau staff, the product “4 Loko” is the equivalent of 4 beers plus caffeine.  Because of the delayed onset of its components, it is like a  “date rape drug.”  One Langley High School girl was found with a blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.34.  Comatose is 0.35.  She was passed out, face down in the parking lot after a High School football game.  Available at 7-11 and other convenience stores, “Four Loko”  has been banned in New York.
The Death of a 14-year-old Arlington girl spotlights the danger of Four Loko.  According to news reports, the girl’s death came the same week that the federal government called for an investigation of similar drinks that blend alcohol and caffeine, calling them “unsafe.” (more…)

One major question that courts look at in determining whether to make social network information discoverable to the insurance defense lawyers is the inured victim website user’s expectation of privacy when that information was posted. Any “public” information that is accessible to any person who happens to click on your profile will almost certainly not be subject to any expectation of privacy, and will likely be discoverable. Even information that is only viewable by the users’ preselected “friends” can potentially lose this valuable expectation of privacy. Therefore, it would be wise for any injured car crash victim using these sites to maximize the privacy settings available to them.

If your social networking pages contain questionable comments, wall posts or photos, you should consider making your profile private to ALL viewers to minimize the risk that this information could be used against you in your injury, workplace accident or disability case.

Furthermore, you should NEVER put anything on these sites that discusses your lawsuit or any injuries (more…)

At the Landau Law Shop, proving wage loss is a component of most car accident  and permanent disability cases.  Showing a judge or jury that our client was and may still be disabled is accomplished though the medical records and testimony of health care providers.  However, proving loss of earnings in a car crash, dog attack, slip and fall or bike accident case usually requires proof as to pre-injury wages.  If an injured car crash victim has switched jobs, been laid off, lost their W-2s, cannot find their tax returns, misplaced their pay stubs, or was paid via “direct deposit,” they may not have the documentary evidence to support claims of wage loss and earnings capacity.

So how does the personal injury trial team at Abrams Landau prove past earnings history for clients without all of the typical documentary evidence mentioned above ? (more…)

Following yesterday’s post on “Robotripping,” getting “high” on legal, over the counter (“OTC”) drugs, you are probably concerned and asking, “What can we do to keep our families safe ?”  Today’s post looks at useful information regarding cough suppressants and cold medications that contain dextromethorphan (AKA “Dex”).  According to Consumer Reports:

• Do not give these products to children younger than 4 years of age. If you give these products to children 4-11 years of age, use caution and follow the package directions carefully.
• If you are giving dextromethorphan or a combination product that contains dextromethorphan to a child, (more…)

Who would have thought that cough suppressants and cold medicines would become the new fad drugs for young abusers looking for an easy “high ?”  Just because the cough syrups are sold over the counter (“OTC”) without a doctor’s prescription, it does not mean they are without risks.  At the Landau Law Shop, we recommend that you protect your teenagers from cough suppressants which contain Dextromethorphan (“Dex”).  Dex is the active ingredient in over 120 over the counter cold and cough medicines like Robitussin, Nyquil, Tylenol Cold, etc.  (Hence the term “RoboTripping.”)

The numbers are telling.  A recent survey found that 8% of teens abused these cough suppressants.  The Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) reports that this epidemic has lead to a 70% increase in emergency room visits.  for the years 2004 through 2008.  Over 8,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms as the result of abusing Dex.

Teenagers have been known to take excessive doses of Dex.  Often they mix it with another prescription drug or marijuana in order to get high.  This dangerous practice is called “Robotripping.”  In addition to euphoric highs, the practice has been reported to cause a spike in heart rate, blood pressure and body  temperatures and in some cases, death.  Care should taken with these medications.  Mixing prescription drugs, over the counter medications and illegal substances can lead to tragedy. At Abrams Landau, Ltd., we advise  you to protect your family, keep track of the medicines in your household, and be alert for excessive dosages and abuse.  In tomorrow’s post, useful information for you and your family regarding cough medicines that contain dextromethorphan.

Reston Triathlon bike helmet safety inspection

Bicyclists participating in the Reston Triathlon must have their helmets inspected for cracks, breaks, missing straps and other unsafe conditions.  Once the biker’s helmet passes inspection, the triathlete can compete in this popular annual endurance sporting event.  All of the participants have been registered for months.

However, one bicyclist whose helmet failed inspection, approached registration volunteer Doug Landau and asked him to get a sticker from the inspectors so that he could ride with a cracked helmet !  Sports injury and bike crash lawyer Landau explained that he had several broken helmets already at the Landau Law Shop, and that the other volunteers were right to reject the unsafe head protection.  Proper fitting bike helmets can prevent or reduce brain injury, head trauma and TBI.  The registrant still protested, and so Landau promised to bring a USAT approved helmet to the race for him to wear at the Triathlon the next day.  ABRAMS LANDAU attorney Doug Landau often brings extra swim goggles, bicycle wheels and helmets to Triathlons and Duathlons, as he has also been in situations where he has needed to borrow necessary sports equipment and bike components from other racers.

WInchester area lawyers at the Virginia Trial Lawyers Annual Convention in Williamsburg

“We know Doug Landau travels all over Virginia and the East Coast, but how does he manage local issues that might affect a case ?”  This is not an unreasonable question.  Herndon Reston and Dulles Airport area in jury lawyer Doug Landau has built up a network of lawyers all over the country who have helped him over the years.   Landau regularly participates in answering and asking questions on national and statewide listServs, travels to teach lawyers all over the country and fosters networking among trial lawyers for injured people and their families.  These lawyers routinely help ABRAMS LANDAU with questions about local doctors, car crashes, premises liability cases, Social Security Disability and workers compensation claims.  Shown here with top Winchester area lawyers Nate Adams and Nick Parthemos at the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association meeting in Williamsburg, Landau has fostered good working relationships with them and other Clarke County attorneys.  These good relations enable workplace injury and car crash lawyer Landau to better assist his disabled clients, wherever their case may arise or they may live or work.

Mold and sick building claims require substantial time and expense.  Firms with which we have worked invest heavily in building mold claims.  We have seen first-hand that they are very complicated and difficult to prosecute successfully. They almost always require multiple scientific and medical experts to establish what kind of mold you’re dealing with, causation and the extent of any injury (with inevitable wide disparity in the opinions of knowledgeable experts). There are very few generally accepted, objective criteria by which even honest experts can evaluate claims and almost every day sees another scientific paper published either supporting or denying the possibility of serious permanent injury from exposure to mold.

Basically, a victim with pretty severe symptoms (typically, someone with a pre-existing, compromised immune system or hypersensitivity to mold) who has been exposed to a large quantity of “bad mold” (like stachybotros) over a sufficiently long period of time that they have suffered some type(s) of permanent injury (i.e., it won’t get better simply by eradicating the mold or removing the victim from the moldy environment) may have a chance of getting fair restitution and payment for what has been taken from them and their families.  If you or your family or friends have questions about mold or sick building illness, please e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555).

David Carson, moderator Deborah Waters & Doug Landau at the Annual VTLA Tort Law Seminar after the presentation on creative personal injury settlement packages and professional demand letters in Roanoke

Teaming up with another outstanding defense attorney enabled Herndon and South Riding area injury lawyer Doug Landau to show lawyers from South West Virginia how to maximize recovery for their disabled clients.  Roanoke defense lawyer David Carson of Johnson, Ayers & Matthews the view from the insurance company perspective in a “Point Counterpoint” presentation.  The Roanoke audience at this year’s Annual Tort Law Seminar heard from outstanding VTLA speakers as well as judges. Landau and Carson discussed personal injury settlement demand packages.

The two experienced Virginia trial lawyers gave their views and fielded questions from the audience, made up largely of attorneys who had been practicing for many  years.  Carson discussed some of the mistakes made by by lawyers who hold themselves out as being “personal injury lawyers,” but who do not actually try cases, invest properly in their disabled clients’ cases or even go to court.  Doug Landau showed effective ways of proving losses as the result of car crashes, dog attacks, bike accidents and slip and fall incidents.  If you would like to see Mr. Landau “in action,” please e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555), as his calendar is an “open book” for trials, speeches, races and meetings.

Car & truck crash injury lawyer Doug Landau hopes that soon police will be able to recover "black box" data that can prove which vehicle was at fault in a wreck

It appears that in the next few years, cars will be equipped with black boxes, much like in airplanes, that can record data during a crash. The debate now, between Congress and safety groups, is how much and what type of data these boxes should record.  Lawmakers and automakers are struggling to agree on how durable the boxes should be as well, with car makers balking at the idea of an expensive piece of equipment being required in all vehicles.  One proposal suggests that the boxes be able to withstand a rollover crash as well as fire and water immersion, and record 60 second before a crash and 15 seconds after.  For more on this interesting debate, go to The Washington Post

If you or someone you know has been injured due to the fault of a driver whose vehicle may have been equipped with a “Black Box,” please e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555), as these devices are sometimes removed by guilty defendants or destroyed when wrecks are salvaged for scrap.