The Athlete's Lawyer

The "Pink Bank" is the home of HPC - Herndon's Compu Trainer Bike facility where Susan Hefler trains current and future cycling and triathlon champions

The facts speak for themselves.  With top finishes in the bike portion of triathlons this season it’s official, Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau is now a better cyclist than he is a runner !  The Herndon Reston sports injury lawyer owes this improvement on two wheels to the intense winter training sessions at HPC in Herndon.  Susan Hefler is a top trainer of teen, elite and masters bicycle racers, and trying to stay with them is what kept Landau cycling hard all winter long.

Classes are starting, and HPC has acquired even more advanced VO2 max testing equipment.  So stop by our neighbor’s facility and check out Compu Trainer biking at the pink bank next to Great Harvest Bakery (home of the wonderful healthy free samples) !  Coach Hefler reports that over 100 cyclists have already signed up for the Fall training session.  To register, CLICK HERE

A pedestrian was struck in a hit-and-run at the Dumfries commuter lot Tuesday, but the Prince William Police would not take a report.  And it was not the first time this week someone was hit at the Dumfries commuter parking lot on Virginia Route 234 !  After a 38-year-old man was struck and killed there Friday morning, now the news reports that a U.S. Air Force Airman who had just gotten off of an OmniRide commuter bus after a day of work at the Pentagon, was hit by a car at the lot about 6 p.m. Tuesday.

He was walking past the entrance of the lot that faces Va. 234 when a car pulled into the lot from the busy six-lane road and then hit him in the knee, injuring the Medial Collateral Ligament.   “The guy stopped and got out of the car and told me the sun was in his eyes and he couldn’t see me,” the victim said.  He did not believe that he was seriously injured at the time. But when he got home he started to feel pain in his knee, and his wife then convinced him to call police and report the crash.  She called for him only to find an officer would not Read the rest of this entry »

Maryland law defines aggressive driving as committing at the same time or during a continuous driving period, three or more of the following offenses:

• traffic signal violation
• improper passing
• failure to drive in a single or proper lane
• following too closely
• failure to stop/yield right of way
• exceeding the speed limit

To Report an Aggressive Driving Incident that Occurred in Maryland you have two options. You can Read the rest of this entry »

To Report an Aggressive Driving Incident that Occurred in the District of Columbia you have two options for reporting an aggressive driver to law enforcement. You can report an aggressive driver by dialing 311 and your call should be directed to the appropriate department. 311 is designed to help citizens report non-emergencies such as situations that are not serious, not life-threatening or not currently in progress. To report the incident after the fact, you must be able to identify the operator of the vehicle and provide a tag number, car make and model and be willing to serve as a witness.

NOTE: Each law enforcement agency has specific requirements and procedures for reporting traffic safety violations. It is up to each agency to respond to file reports.

Going 3-for-3 in Virginia Triathlon Series sprint races this season enabled Herndon Reston injury lawyer Doug Landau to work on his speed for the USAT National Championships and qualify for the World Championships. Racing all over Virginia also enabled the Triathlon Trial Lawyer to visit with clients and counsel as well. While no other lawyer we know of does this, Landau makes public his trial and triathlon schedule so that clients, their friends and families can see him “in action” and talk to him in person about what is expected when it comes time for their “day in court.”  Upcoming Races, Cases and Places include:

• 10/13/2010 Alexandria (VA) Circuit Court, Defendants Motion to reduce the amount of a recent personal injury case verdict achieved by ABRAMS LANDAU on behalf of an innocent motor vehicle passenger in the morning, Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, job accident case hearing, Manassas midday, and Fairfax Bar and Medical Society Legislative Meeting, Falls Church (VA) in the evening (!)
• 10/15/2010 Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, job accident case hearing, Manassas
• 10/16/2010 Hagerstown (MD) Duathlon (running and bicycling !)
• 10/23/2010 Litchfield County (CT) Bike Tour with the Litchfield Hills Cycling Club during Lakeville (CT) High School volunteer weekend
• 10/25/2010 Social Security Administration, Washington, D.C., Disability Hearings
• 10/26/2010 Virginia Workers Compensation Commission, workplace accident hearing, Fairfax
• 10/30/2010 Either Leesburg or Fairfax (VA) 5km. road running race
• 11/2/2010 Virginia Workers Compensation Commission workplace injury hearing, Fairfax
• 11/4/2010 Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, job accident case hearing, Manassas
• 11/6-7/2010 University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables (FL), Reunion and co-counsel meetings
• 11/13/2010 Virginia Trial Lawyers Advanced Workers Compensation Seminar, Richmond (VA), Arthur Ashe Athletic Center Health Expo and Richmond Sportsbackers Marathon Festival 8km. road races
• 11/20/2010 Herndon (VA) Community Center Annual Turkey Trot 5km cross country race (in the afternoon, blocks from the office !)
• 11/25/2010 Ashenfelter 8K Classic, Glen Ridge (NJ), on Thanksgiving Day, the United States Track & Field-NJ Championship Road Race, benefiting the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation
• 12/9/2010 Virginia Workers Compensation Commission, workplace accident hearing, Fairfax in the morning, Washington, D.C. Trial Lawyers continuing education meeting in the evening in the District of Columbia

If you want to see Landau “in action” at these or other events, please e-mail or call the Landau Law Shop (703-796-9555) beforehand, as insurance companies settle on the eve of trial,  judges postpone trials and races get canceled due to weather or other unforeseen events, and your time is valuable.

While many races start “in water,” there are times and courses where that is not possible.  In a race this summer where very low tides resulted in a several hundred meter sprint from the show to water deep enough to swim, several competitors suffered lacerations from shells below the surface.  One triathlete contacted ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. because he sustained a severe injury to the bottom of his foot with what appears to be permanent residual nerve damage.

Sports injury lawyer Doug Landau consulted with this fellow athlete.  Advising that a liability case would be difficult, and that the Release signed by all competitors would be used to show that the competitor assumed the risks of injury from such a sports event, Landau suggested that the injured athlete look into medical coverage that may be available for the event.  Just because an athlete is injured during competition does not mean that Read the rest of this entry »

Brain Injury Services (“BIS“) running races Sunday increased participation and money raised this year.  Herndon Virginia Lawyer Doug Landau received word (and thanks) from the Director  for helping to make the Kit Callahan’s Miracle Mile a success for BIS.  There were close to 500 participants at the event this year.   Runners, sponsors like ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. raised approximately $33,000.  Doug Landau served on the race committee and handed out hundreds of race flyers for the events at the Fairfax Virginia campus of George Mason University.  Members of the Landau Law Shop hope to be back next year to make these athletic and educational events even better !

Doug Landau, who was declared the Masters Champion of the inaugural Warrenton Virginia Sprint Triathlon, and Colorado triathlete John Brannock, after the race

Rarely are the results re-done after the day of the race.  However, the Virginia Triathlon Series published final results from Sunday’s inaugural Warrenton Sprint Triathlon.  Several athletes were not just penalized under the USAT Rules, but disqualified.  After posting 5 km running splits of 13 – 15 minutes on a difficult course, it became clear to officials that some triathletes had only done one lap of the 2-loop run course.  With the corrected results, ABRAMS LANDAU‘s Doug Landau became the winner of not only his age group, but also the Masters competition champion.  However, this was not the only winning verdict this day…

In the Landau Law Shop‘s jury trial in Alexandria, Virginia, the civil jury returned with a verdict of $182,000 plus pre-judgment interest from the date the personal injury lawsuit was filed after 4 hours of deliberations at the King Street Court House.  This was also a “correction,” as Landau’s client had been badly injured as the result of a 2 car crash while she was simply the innocent passenger, and yet the 3 insurance company lawyers made NO OFFERS to settle the case since November, when the case was filed.

Biker AND bicycle safety lawyer Doug Landau in Old Town Alexandria (VA)

Bike racks do not have to be ugly metal masses in our city centers.  Rather, the places to secure one’s bicycle can be artistic, and even be incorporated into the overall look of the town.  While arguing Pre- Trial motions at the Courthouse in Old Town Alexandria, bike crash injury lawyer Doug Landau noticed the bike racks along King Street in front of the Courthouse Plaza – the original home of ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd.  Art and function in the same unit !  Landau salutes the Alexandria City planners, architects and artists.

Support the work of the Brain Injury Services by running in one of the several races at George Mason University’s beautiful Fairfax Virginia campus September 26th.  Don’t wait any longer.  Sign up today to join us at the 7th Annual Kit Callahan’s Miracle Mile. There are only 10 days left and you don’t want to miss out on one of the premier events in Northern Virginia.  This year’s event has a new 10K course, a new 2 mile event and a new “little tykes” fun run.  Click here to register today!

Sunday, September 26, 2010 – Order of events

7:30 AM to 9:00 AM     Pre and Day of Registration Check in
8:30 AM to 9:00 AM     Opening Ceremony
9:00 AM    Kick-off 10K Run/Walk and 2 Mile Run/Walk
9:15 AM    Kick-off Survivor’s Circle of Hope and Kids Fun Run
10:00 AM    Kick-off “Little Tykes” Fun Run
10:45 AM    Award Ceremony

The Brain Injury Awareness Fair will be open from 9 am to noon.  Please join us at the education fair and enjoy the following activities:  Brain Injury Services Education Booth, Virginia Wounded Warrior Program Booth, Face Painting by Dee Vinchey and Friends, Dr. Aravich Brain Education, Bike Helmet Giveaway (while supplies last), Coloring Station, Kids Passport, Buy an Angel Booth, Fire Truck, Massage Booth by AKS Massage School, Washington Business Journal Booth and Light Refreshments. ABRAMS LANDAU. Ltd. is once again a sponsor.  For more information please visit www.kitsmiraclemile.org