ABRAMS LANDAU lawyer Doug Landau donated a Wii system to the Brain Injury Services and volunteered at last year's Kit Callahan's Miracle Mile running races

Get ready for the 7th Annual Kit Callahan’s Miracle Mile, 10K, 2 Miler, Kid’s Fun Run and a Brain Injury Awareness Fair.  Join us on Sunday, September 26, 2010 at George Mason University for a great day of fun and learning for the whole family.  All activities at the Fair are FREE and Kid’s Under 10 Run/Walk for FREE.  You can not ask for a better family outing then this event.  Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau has been a volunteer and sponsor of this wonderful event, and you may have seen the Herndon brain injury lawyer passing out flyers at local races for these running races.

Brain Injury Services Fair Activities will include:

• Face Painting by DeeVinchey and Friends
• Fire Truck
• Dr. Aravich and his Brains
• Coloring Station
• Bike Helmet Giveaway (while supplies last)
• Brain Injury 101 Education
• Virginia Wounded Warrior Program Education Booth
• and much, much more!!

Great Family Fun Activity
From Brain Injury Services!
and……it won’t break your bank!

For more information or to register today please visit Kits Miracle Mile website

The plaintiff lived in Henrico County, near Richmond, Virginia.  One afternoon, the plaintiff was playing with friends close to his home when he was hit in the eye by a rock thrown by the 13 year old defendant.  The injured plaintiff alleged he sustained a fracture of his left orbit and a concussion as a result of the incident.   Counsel for the injured child claimed the vision in the child’s left eye was permanently decreased.  Defendant disputed the plaintiff child’s injuries. The plaintiff claimed an orbital fracture, traumatic maculopathy and a concussion.  Plaintiff alleged that in addition to the traumatic brain injury, the vision in his left eye was permanently decreased.  The eye and head injuries would result in life long deficits.

The insurance carrier for the Defendant parents’ homeowner’s policy settled the case after filing a reservation of rights with regard to whether the rock was thrown intentionally. If it was an intentional act, the claim would have been excluded under the policy as an intentional tort.  Most insurance contracts exclude coverage for intentional and criminal acts by their insureds.  If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident or an insurance company is denying their injury claim e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once, as it is very hard to undo the damage caused by this dishonest and cowardly practice.

Doug Landau at the 20 mile marker of the W&OD Trail by the caboose in Herndon, Virginia, about 100 yards from the ABRAMS LANDAU buildings

In a word, “yes.”  Not including my own crashes while commuting, racing or just riding, I recently caused another rider to fall.  While riding with the Reston Bike Club, I got carried away talking to a new acquaintance.  I caused another rider to go off the the lip of the road – there was no shoulder, as it was the new construction near Shaker Woods in Herndon, Virginia.  Luckily the young cyclist, a Pharmacist with Prosperity Pharmacy suffered some scrapes and road rash but no more serious injury and is back riding (I later saw her again at the Reston Century !).  I have also since ridden with the Reston Bike Club “4s” as well as the 3s and 2s.  Riding with the Reston riders is fun, great exercise and I believe safer than riding alone sometimes.  I usually carry a small first aid kit as well as a phone, just in case another rider has a fall.  Hopefully, the rest of my 2010 bike riding season will be safe and uneventful…

USAT CEO Skip Gilbert and Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau at the USAT Duathlon natinal Championsips in Richmond, Virginia

As a Sprint Triathlon and Aquathon All American, as well as an Olympic Distance Honorable Mention award winner, Herndon multisport athlete and attorney Doug Landau feels that it is important to support the national governing body and the people who volunteer their time so that races can be conducted safely.  Over the years, Lawyer Landau has contributed to become a “gold member,” directed, sponsored and volunteered at athletic events.

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon – one of the fastest growing sports in the world – as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 3,100 races and connects with more than 133,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games.

The scene outside my neighborhood this morning after the rush hour bike crash just East of the Fairfax County Parkway, Virginia Route 7100 on West Ox Road

As I left my Oak Hill neighborhood this morning, I was immediately stopped because a biker had apparently been hit by a car and badly injured at West Ox Road and Ashburton in the Herndon – Oakton Woods area of Fairfax County.  Emergency Medical responders and Fire and Rescue teams were dispatched quickly.

EMTs assess, secure and prepare to transport thte injured biker this morning after an apparent crash at West Ox Road and Ashburton, in Oak Hill, Virginia

The EMTs and ambulance came to the scene of this rush hour bike crash and immediately set about to assess and then treat the injured athlete.  This car and bicycle crash occurred between Oak Farms Drive and the Fairfax County Parkway (Route 7100), about exits North of Fair Oaks Hospital.  The injured cyclist was being loaded onto a stretcher and had been placed in a neck brace to protect his neck from spinal cord damage as we were allowed to pass.  It brought home the fact that bike crashes can happen around the corner as well as far away on the trails, tours and race courses.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the injured cyclist and his family, and we hope that he gets appropriate medical care and recovers quickly.

If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a bike crash, car accident or sports injury, please contact us by e-mail at ABRAMS LANDAU or call (703)-796-9555.

Bike crash and head injury lawyer Doug Landau always wears his helmet when riding his bicycle outdoors

Sports and recreational injury lawyer Doug Landau is proud to announce that the DC Trial Lawyers Foundation is giving away 200 bike helmets to D.C. kids on Thursday, June 10, 2010.  The event will take place at the Anne Beers Elementary School located at 3600 Alabama Ave SE Washington DC.  The hours are from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  Stop by any time!  This event was rescheduled from an earlier date in June.  The DC Trial Lawyers Foundation is the charitable arm of the DC Trial Lawyers Association.

Attending the monthly educational meetings of the Trial Lawyers of DC enables Herndon Reston and Leesburg injury lawyer Doug Landau to keep abreast of the latest developments in personal injury law in the District of Columbia.  Landau is an active member of the DC and Virginia Trial Lawyers Associations in order to share notes and strategies with other experienced trial lawyers in the DC Metropolitan area.  Landau, who has represented injured bikers, children and athletes, also belongs to, teaches and writes for the American Association for Justice (”AAJ”), the national trial lawyer association for many of the same reasons.

Landau gets a prize at Broadlands, but no PR

Thinking he had ripped a new PR at today’s Sprint Triathlon, Broadlands bike injury lawyer Doug Landau went through the first loop in 15 minutes and cruised into the transition area at almost exactly 30 minutes.  However, the course was slightly shorter than the advertised 12 miles, so instead of 24 MPH average bike speed, the Herndon and Loudoun lawyer cycled 22.8 MPH.  Nevertheless, the Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax bike crash injury lawyer finished in the top 10 out of some 270 multipart racers.  Starting in the 60th position, Landau’s goggles failed immediately during the well run 400 Meter outdoor pool swim.  The triathletes divided into “odds” and “evens” and started every 15 seconds according to their swim seed time.  Landau predicted 7:40 and managed 8:08.  The distance was a 400 meter “snake swim.”  In other words, swimmers moved into the next lane after each lap.  So, for those who swim in 25 yard pools, this was akin to almost 19 lengths.

College roommates team up to "tri" the Broadlands Sprint Triathlon in Loudoun County, Virginia

The Infinitive Broadlands Sprint Triathlon ends with a 5k run.  In the August running of the “Dog Days of Summer” triathlon along the same course, no one broke 20 minutes.  The run is an out & back through Broadlands trails, tunnels and sidewalks. There were water aid stations that caused Landau’s Newton racing flats to lose their sockliner !  The thin “floor” of the shoes quickly turned into “sponges,’ soaking up sweat and water thrown on his head.  But, using clear iodine and running barefoot helped the hardened triathlete – trial lawyer so that he had no blisters after the race.  In fact, Landau went for a swim to “cool down” after the race and cheering on other finishers, including Alexandria General District Court Judge !  “Oyez, Oyez, Order on the Course !”

Doug Landau checking out the transition area at the Broadlands Triathlon in Loudoun County, Virginia

Tomorrow is the Infinitive Sprint Triathlon in Loudoun County, Virginia.  This triathlon, which starts at Broadlands Outdoor Pool off of Village Drive in Broadlands Virginia with a pool swim, then heads out to Claiborne Parkway for the bike and on the Broadlands trails for the run. This is a great first timers event and a fun challenging course for those with experience.  Bike injury lawyer Doug Landau has done other races managed by Tri Performance at South Riding, Worldgate, Herndon and Loudoun County, and Brian and Alissa Crow do a marvelous job of creating and pulling off fun, safe fitness events.

Could this be the "Crow-mobile" for Coach Crow ?

Usually triathletes and endurance athletes take a day or two off before a competition.  Many long distance athletes “taper” before “the big event.”  However, for races under 90 minutes, triathlon trial lawyer Doug Landau will often train right up to and even after the race.  Swimming today helps “flush out” the waste byproducts from a hard week of work and training, and swimming after the race will reduce the post-competition soreness that often hinders older athletes’ resumption of training.  As an award-winning masters triathlete and road runner, Landau is careful not to “overdo it” in the days leading up to a race.  But, a little non- impact exercise the day before a short sprint race should not impair performance  or recuperation or lead to excessive post-race soreness.

TriPerformance Coach Crow at the Inifinitive Broadlands Triathlon packet pick up & bike safety inspection

Race Director and TriPerformance Coach Brian Crow runs a smooth race, which starts with a well-staffed pre race packet pick up.  Pre-Race Packet pick up, bicycle and helmet safety checks, and course tours and pre-race meetings all help triathletes and bikers avoid injury and crashes.  Broadlands, South Riding and Warrenton Sprint Triathlon prizewinner and cyclist Doug Landau of the ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. law firm in Herndon Virginia notes that there is a clear advantage to knowing the course.  “I can ride faster AND more safely on a course where I know the turns, hills, road conditions and transition area.  In over 25 years of multi-sport racing, I have seen too many cyclists and triathletes get hurt when they did not know when to turn, shift gears or slow down.”

A bike crash and still 3rd place overall !

[N.B. In the Broadlands Sprint Triathlon, a 16-year-old crashed, but managed to finish in 3rd place (see photo, left); another racer did an extra lap on the 2 loop course; and, another cyclist went off the course and may have received a penalty.]

Sunday’s race raises funds for the Infinitive Foundation, which was established to support programs focused on health and enhancing family life. Proceeds from the Infinitive Race Series will support local and US Military families. Infinitive Infinitive is a Northern Virginia based management consultancy that delivers Change Engineering expertise. Click for more information about Infinitive.

So for moms and dads attending football parents’ meetings in the coming months, it might be worth asking the coach or athletic trainer (if there is one) how they diagnose and manage these invisible injuries and whether they use the ImPACT program or a similar one. What’s their sideline action plan when such an injury occurs?  “When bad things have happened to athletes,” Dr. Peter Gonzalez of Eastern Virginia Medical School said, “the vast majority did not have athletic trainers on the sideline.”  Under present guidelines, a concussion in a football game on a Friday night almost always means the player should sit out the following week’s game. “When in doubt, sit them out” is the medical mantra.  More than half the states in the country in recent years have passed or considered more restrictive concussion guidelines for young athletes, including Maryland and Virginia.  It’s up to coaches at all levels of sports to stay current on the recommended procedures.