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04/23
THE MOTTLEY CREW REVIEW
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011
A MISSED EXIT ALMOST DESTROYED MY FUTURE
THIS IS WHAT SAVED IT!
Picture this: The year is 1993, and I’m about to graduate from Virginia Tech. I want to go to law school — but not just any law school! I have my sights set on the University of Virginia School of Law. I’m idealistic, hopeful, and definitely out of my league. See, to really understand that moment you need the context. At the time, the UVA School of Law was ranked No. 8 in the country right behind big names like Harvard and Yale. And while I was a solid student at Virginia Tech, and very involved in student leadership, my grades were only good, not exceptional. (I also didn’t get the world’s most impressive LSAT score.) On paper, I didn’t have a snowball’s chance of getting into UVA! But I was determined to give it a shot. I had three things in my corner: My work ethic, my fraternity advisor, Tom Tillar, and Virginia Tech President Jim McComas. Tom and President McComas both wrote me letters of recommendation, and Tom insisted that I ignore everyone else’s advice about the admissions process and give it a shot. “They’ll tell you that meeting the admissions dean at UVA doesn’t matter,” he said, “But it does. Don’t listen to them. Do that interview anyway!” “I’ll admit it: I almost turned around and went home. But I couldn’t give up on my UVA dream. I steeled myself, made it to the other side of the interstate, and sped back toward the lost cause.” I followed Tom’s advice and called the admissions office. Even they told me that an interview wouldn’t make a difference, but I persisted! On the day of my appointment, I dressed up in slacks, a dress shirt, and my only coat and tie, and slid into my beat-up 1985 Buick Century to make the two-and-a-half- hour drive from Blacksburg to Charlottesville. My palms were sweating and my nerves were firing like machine guns. I was so busy stressing about my future that I didn’t pay attention to my present — and I blasted right past my interstate exit. Worse, I didn’t realize the mistake until miles down the road! It dawned on me right there in the driver’s seat that I’d just blown my shot at UVA. I wouldn’t just be late to my interview. I would be a no-show, and because this was years before cellphones, I couldn’t even reach the school to explain why! I’ll admit it: I almost turned around and went home. But I couldn’t give up on my UVA dream. I steeled myself, made it to the other side of the interstate, and sped back toward the lost cause.
Incredibly, Dean of Admissions Al Turnbull was still there — and I could tell from the flies on his tie that he was a fisherman like me. Our 20-minute interview quickly turned into an hour-long discussion of the best fishing spots in Charlottesville. I left the school feeling hopeful against all odds. A few weeks later, my name showed up on the UVA waitlist! I couldn’t believe it. I felt like I’d just pulled a Tom Cruise in the movie “Risky Business” — but I’d won over admissions with fishing instead of a raging party. Still, I refused to get my hopes up. I accepted a spot at William & Mary Law School, and at the end of the summer, I was pulling out of my driveway to look for an apartment there when the mail arrived. There was a big, fat letter from UVA in the mailbox. I was in! To this day, I can hardly believe my luck. Except, it wasn’t luck, not really. I made it into UVA because of one thing: my relationships. The support of Al Turnbull, Tom Tillar, and Jim McComas truly saved my bacon, and to this day I believe that relationships are my biggest assets. I live and die by them, including the bonds I’ve built with you and everyone who gets this newsletter! If you didn’t read my newsletters and tell your friends, family, and clients about my firm, and then send me cases, I wouldn’t be in business right now. Just a few months ago, I worked on a case caused by a tractor-trailer accident at the very same interstate exit I missed on the way to UVA — all because someone I have a relationship with told the victim to give me a call. If you’ve ever done the same, I truly appreciate it.
I hope you know that you can count on me, just like I count on you.
–Kevin Mottley
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | 1
INCREASE YOUR LIFESPAN WITH THE VILPA METHOD IT ONLY TAKES 6 MINUTES EACH DAY!
Could ‘50 First Dates’ Really Happen? TBI IN THE MOVIES The rom-com “50 First Dates” was a big hit in 2004. It had everything: Adam Sandler as the hero, Drew Barrymore playing his adorable love interest, and an unexpected medical twist. In the movie, Barrymore’s character, Lucy, suffers from amnesia. Lucy’s condition is called “Goldfield Syndrome,” and she’s had it ever since surviving a car crash. She wakes up every day without any recollection of the previous one. It’s the perfect setup for rom-com magic. Adam Sandler’s character, Henry, has to win her over daily with fresh romance! However, just because a plot makes great movie fodder doesn’t mean it’s realistic — or does it? In this case, there’s more realism at play than you might think. Our team specializes in settling claims for people with traumatic brain injuries caused by car crashes, so we spotted it right away. While Goldfield Syndrome isn’t real, a similar condition called anterograde amnesia exists. It’s triggered by brain damage and causes short-term memory loss in real life. While it isn’t a 24-hour reset like in the movie, people who struggle with it often forget acquaintances they’ve just met or changes to their routine. Someone with anterograde amnesia might not remember taking a new job, for example, or breaking up with a partner. Picture this: You’re sitting in your doctor’s office at the end of a checkup, waiting for her final words of wisdom on your health. “Things are looking good,” she says, nodding thoughtfully. “But you could do better. I know a way to increase your lifespan by doing a simple task for just six minutes each day. Do you want to try it?” That scenario might sound like science fiction — after all, we don’t have a pill for longevity yet — but according to the latest research, it could very well happen on your next doctor’s visit! This January, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that by practicing a method called VILPA, it might be possible to lower your risk of death from any cause, including cancer, by 38%–40%. The method may also decrease your risk of death from heart disease specifically by 48%-49%. Both of these effects essentially increase your lifespan! What is VILPA? VILPA stands for “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity.” In other words: exercise. Specifically, VILPA involves doing short, intense bursts of challenging exercises like climbing stairs or jogging down a hallway — anything that gets your heart pumping. According to the study, you only need to practice VILPA for 1–2 minutes three or more times per day to get the protective effects!
Do you need to be in shape to try VILPA? Nope! The VILPA study JAMA reported involved more than 25,000 people ages 40–69 who identified as “non-exercisers.” They never hit the gym; the most strenuous exercise routine they reported was a leisurely walk once a week. How should you start? It’s easy to try out the VILPA method: Simply take the stairs instead of the elevator and carry your groceries to the car instead of pushing them in the shopping cart. That said, we recommend visiting a physical therapist before you jump in. Many PTs offer free or low-cost health screenings that can identify problem spots and weak areas of your body. Scheduling a screening before you push yourself with VILPA can save you from injuries down the road.
Lucy’s Goldfield Syndrome is entertaining in “50 First Dates,” but anterograde amnesia can be scary and debilitating in real life. The movie pokes fun at “10 Second Tom” (who forgets things every 10 seconds), but it isn’t exactly funny if you’ve met someone with TBI- triggered memory loss. If you know someone who has been seriously injured in a car wreck, slip and fall, or workplace accident, don’t write their symptoms off as new quirks. Call our team for help, and we’ll make sure they get the medical care and compensation they deserve. –Kevin Mottley
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SUDOKU
3 Types to Watch for, and How to Stay Safe As we said on Page 2, the movie “50 First Dates” made memory loss look fun and quirky, but the reality is anything but. Even minor memory loss is scary because when you lose your memories, you feel like you’re losing your sense of identity. There are three main types of memory loss that can happen after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). PROTECT YOURSELF AND LOVED ONES FROM MEMORY LOSS 1. Short-Term Memory Loss — This includes problems forming new memories or recalling recent events. People with short-term memory loss easily lose track of time, forget appointments, and struggle to find things like their keys. 2. Long-Term Memory Loss — This includes problems recalling older memories, including events dating back years before the injury. Imagine forgetting your wedding, or struggling to remember whether you visited Disney on your last trip to Florida. 3. Post-Traumatic Amnesia — This type of memory loss specifically surrounds the accident that caused it, like a car crash or bad fall. People often struggle with post-traumatic amnesia if they pass out at the accident scene, and it can become worse the longer they’re unconscious. The best way to prevent memory loss is by protecting yourself against TBIs. Brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia are often impossible to prevent, but you do have control over whether you wear your seat belt in the car, strap on a helmet before you bike, and wear proper shoes while walking on ice. You can also protect the people you love. Consider installing grab bars in your guest showers for older visitors. Insist the seniors you love have their eyes checked once a year. Use safety gates to keep babies and toddlers from falling down the stairs. (For a longer list of precautions, scan the QR code on this page.) If you do end up with a brain injury despite your safety precautions, the best thing you can do to protect your future physical and financial health is call an attorney. An experienced lawyer like Kevin can make sure you’re compensated for your medical costs and lost income.
SOLUTION
ONE-PAN CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS WITH EGG NOODLES
INGREDIENTS
• 3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, halved • Salt and ground pepper • 3 tbsp butter, divided
• 8 oz button mushrooms, trimmed • 8 oz shallots, peeled and halved • 3 cups chicken broth • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 8 oz egg noodles • 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pan over medium heat, cook bacon until browned, 7–9 minutes. Remove from heat, discard fat, and set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Return pan to medium-high heat and melt 2 tbsp butter. Add chicken, skin-side down. Cook, turning a few times, for 10–12 minutes until browned. Transfer to a plate. 2. Place remaining 1 tbsp butter in pan to melt. Add mushrooms and shallots; cook 8–10 minutes. Add broth and cream; bring to a boil. Stir in noodles. 3. Add chicken (skin-side up), cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring once halfway through. Cook about 10–12 minutes. 4. Uncover and simmer until thickened. Stir in dill and top with bacon. Serve and enjoy!
Inspired by MarthaStewart.com
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
8001 Franklin Farms Drive, Suite 125 Richmond, Virginia 23229
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011
1
Kevin Pulls a Tom Cruise
2
The Latest Way to Lengthen Your Lifespan
TBI in the Movies: ‘50 First Dates’
3
The Best Way to Avoid Memory Loss One-Pan Chicken and Mushrooms With Egg Noodles
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Earth Day Documentaries to Watch
SHARE THE FACTS WITH YOUR WHOLE FAMILY! 5 DOCUMENTARIES TO WATCH ON EARTH DAY
‘Extinction: The Facts’ — This hard-hitting documentary from famous nature historian David Attenborough is perfect for kids ages 16 and up. It tackles serious topics like species loss, food and water shortages, and the relationship between climate change and pandemic diseases. “Extinction: The Facts” is available on PBS.org or Prime Video. ‘Kiss the Ground’ — Join actor Woody Harrelson on Netflix for an inspiring look at soil, why it matters, and what farmers and activists are doing to save and enhance it — and our food supply. The documentary is family-friendly and rated G.
Earth Day is coming up on Saturday, April 22. But do your kids know why we commemorate the holiday? Do you? If you don’t know much about the history of environmentalism — or just want to learn more about the state of our planet — consider celebrating Earth Day by watching a documentary as a family. Dozens of fantastic films cover everything from the crusade to preserve our coral reefs to how farmers use soil health to enhance the planet. Here are a few of our favorites. ‘Kids Take Action Against Ocean Plastic’ — This short five-minute documentary from National Geographic follows a group of Hawaiian students determined to clean up their local beaches. It’s available for free on National Geographic’s YouTube channel! (If you watch it and love this documentary, check out the PG-rated flick “Plastic Island” on Netflix, which tackles the same issue in Indonesia.)
None of these documentaries existed in 1970 when
anti-pollution activists came together to create Earth Day, build the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and pass laws to protect our air and water. But they’re a wonderful extension of that spirit! Hopefully, you’ll be able to watch at least one of them this month. After watching, consider taking action and volunteering for a green project near you.
‘Brave Blue World: Racing to Solve Our Water Crisis’ — This PG-rated documentary about water security takes place on five continents and stars celebrities Liam Neeson, Matt Damon, and Jaden Smith. Check it out on Netflix.
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