How Doug Landau and the Herndon and Reston Virginia injury and disability law firm of ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. and its clients receive notification of payments DIRECTLY from the Federal and State Governments

Yesterday, Doug Landau wrote a post about a Woodbridge lawyer who settled hundreds of cases without telling his clients or their families. Attorney Stephen Conrad then went bankrupt, was sentenced to 132 months in jail according to the FBI website and his practice is now in receivership. Many of his clients will either not get their settlement money or receive pennies on the dollar.

Apparently, this Prince William County lawyer did not keep in contact with his clients and certainly did not have the “date book open book” policy we have at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. Evidence tends to suggest that Conrad did not have an open invitation to clients and their families to see him “in action” in Court. This failure to notify clients that their money is on the way is not a problem encountered at our Herndon injury and disability law firm.

First, in ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. Social Security Disability cases, our clients receive, in writing DIRECT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, the decision and the accounting of how much they will receive and when future benefits will be sent. The checks are sent direct from the Federal Treasury to the client, and do not generally pass through our trust (escrow) account.

Second, in Workers Compensation claims for on the job injuries, ABRAMS LANDAU clients receive AWARDS and HEARING OPINIONS directly from the state workers comp judges, again telling them how much we have won for them, what our fees are to be, and whether future benefits are ordered. Beatrice Vargas, shown here, faxes a copy to the insurance company so that the money can be sent right away DIRECTLY TO OUR CLIENTS IN EVERY CASE, except where our clients do not have a valid address, ask us to receive their check or have special needs (i.e., live abroad, are under a mental disability such that there is a trustee, court appointed Guardian, or other person looking out for their funds). Mrs. Vargas, who has worked with Herndon and Reston injury and disability lawyer Doug Landau for more than a decade, also calendars settlement AWARD Orders so that we can track if a late payment is made and 20% penalties are due to our clients.

Third, in our personal injury cases, when a case has been filed in Court, we typically have the client sign the FINAL DISMISSAL ORDER in addition to the Release and Power of Attorney. Because nearly all insurance company lawyers and law firms do not include a signature line for the injured plaintiff, we type it in so that the client knows that their case is settled. In addition, clients are provided with a written costs and expenses printout, which shows what liens are being paid and what money has been spent by ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. on their behalf.

With these procedures, we hope that every client of ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. knows what is happening in their injury and disability cases and has written documentation of the settlement, payment Orders and distributions in their claims.