Check out our March newsletter!
03/23
THE MOTTLEY CREW REVIEW
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011
RAISE A PINT TO ST. PATTY’S!
JOIN OUR TEAM’S O’TOOLE’S TRADITION
Last year on St. Patrick’s Day, I took our team(minus Juliet, who was on vacation) to O’Toole’s Restaurant and Pub to celebrate like the Irish. We only meant to stay for a little while — I planned to raise a glass to my Irish ancestors and catch a few minutes of basketball on TV. But, of course, that isn’t what happened! The Guinness was flowing, and everyone in the room was wearing green. I couldn’t resist: We stayed for most of the afternoon watching the beginning of the NCAA basketball tournament. (Ben, Danielle, and I even took a picture to prove it.) As you might have figured out by now, I have a soft spot for all things Irish. My ancestors traveled to America from Dublin in the 1700s, and even my name comes from the leprechauns. Kevin is rooted in the Irish name Caoimhín, which means “gentle” or “handsome,” depending on who you ask. Maybe those family ties explain why I love St. Patrick’s Day so much. When I was in college at Virginia Tech, I even traveled to Ireland as part of an exchange program between the student body presidents of Virginia Tech and the University College of Dublin. I drank my first-ever Guinness at the University College of Dublin Student Union, watched an Australia versus Ireland rugby match in Aviva Stadium, and fell head over heels for Irish culture. This year, St. Patrick’s Day will be even more magical than usual. Not only does March 17 fall on a Friday, but it also aligns with the first round of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament — also known as March Madness! What more could you want? “If you swing by O’Toole’s on March 17, be sure to find me at the bar — I’ll buy you a Guinness!” To celebrate this supernova of coincidence, visit your local Irish pub, watch basketball on their big-screen TV, and drink lots of Guinness. We have plenty of pub options in the city, including Rare Olde Times on Patterson Avenue, Siné Irish Pub and Restaurant on Cary Street, and, of course, the two locations of O’Toole’s.
My team and I are already planning to camp out at the O’Toole’s on Forest Hill, which has quickly become a firm hangout. If you haven’t been yet, I highly recommend it! Irishman Jim O’Toole founded the pub in 1966 and secured Virginia’s very first by-the-drink liquor license in the process. Today, his sons John and Tom still run the place, pouring a wide variety of Irish beer from behind their beautiful bar and plating up Irish specialties like fish and chips, bangers and mash, and my personal favorite, shepherd’s pie. I can’t wait to dig into a slice and cheer on whichever Virginia team makes it to the first round of March Madness. (Of course, I’m always pulling for the Hokies, but as I write this, they’re not doing so well and don’t stand a chance of making the cut.) If you swing by O’Toole’s on March 17, be sure to find me at the bar — I’ll buy you a Guinness!
–Kevin Mottley
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | 1
LIVING IT UP MAKING THE RETIREMENT BUCKET LIST OF YOUR DREAMS
SUCCESS! WE CLOSED A $5 MILLION BRAIN INJURY CASE Almost five years ago, a middle-aged man named Todd* was walking through downtown Charlottesville. When he reached East Market Street, he strolled into the crosswalk and — BOOM! Todd’s skull exploded with pain. Something launched him into the air, and he crash-landed in a broken heap on the asphalt. When Todd gathered his wits, he was 30 feet from the crosswalk — and face to face with the city of Charlottesville car that had just hit him. A police officer was already on the scene, ticketing the city official behind the wheel for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a clearly marked crosswalk. Amazingly, Todd shook off the pain and stood up. He told the EMTs that he didn’t need to go to the hospital. After all, he’d just beaten cancer — how bad could this car accident be? It wasn’t long before Todd’s symptoms caught up with him, and he landed in the emergency room. In the days that followed, doctors diagnosed him with a concussion, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), secondary post-traumatic hydrocephalus, and a severe growth hormone deficiency, all caused by the head injury from the accident. Todd needed brain surgery, and to pay for his medical bills, he turned to The Mottley Law Firm for help. Crunching the numbers, our team calculated that between his past medical expenses, future care needs, and missed work in the banking and financial services industries, Todd needed at least $2.7 million in Some retire with all sorts of plans in mind, ready to do everything they never had the chance to do. Others worry about how they’ll fill the days without a daily job. If you’re not making the most of your golden years, it may be time to create a retirement bucket list. Start by thinking about what you value most. When are you happiest? What have you always wanted to try? What would you do if you could do anything in the world? Not every idea on this list will be realistic; you probably won’t win a gold medal at the Olympics or walk on the moon. But you might be able to run a marathon or visit a NASA space center. These questions will help you understand your priorities and how you’d like the rest of your life to look. It also helps to start small. Creating a 50-line list can leave you too overwhelmed to accomplish anything. And while it’s okay to include the trip to Rome you’ve always dreamed of, remember that many ideas are less expensive and closer to home. For example, maybe you’ve always wanted to take a cooking class or a Zumba lesson. Perhaps there’s a historical building in your town you’ve never taken the time to visit. Or you might aspire to something as simple as getting up early and watching the sunrise. Whatever you include, you should be excited about every item on your list. Simply going through the motions won’t help you find fulfillment. It might be cool to say you’ve visited all 50 states — but do you want to spend that
much time traveling? You should consider whether an idea is interesting and whether you are willing to commit to accomplishing it. It’s also okay if your priorities change. You don’t have to cross an item off your list just because you wrote it down two years ago. Your retirement bucket list should be about fun and fulfillment, not an obligation. Give yourself permission to abandon the ideas that start to seem like chores. Creating a retirement bucket list is an opportunity to find meaning in your 60s and beyond. None of us wants to reach the end of our lives with regrets. So, take the time now to focus on what you value most.
compensation. There was only one problem: The city refused to admit liability and pay up! Fortunately, we’re a stubborn group of lawyers. We kept pushing, and after mediation with Michael E. Harman, Esq. of The McCammon Group, we finally settled the case. Todd and his family walked away with $5 million — enough money to cover his health problems for years to come. We were almost as thrilled as he was. If you have a friend, client, or family member who has suffered a traumatic brain injury, send them to our team for help. We’ll use our expertise to get them the best possible result — just like we did for Todd.
–Kevin Mottley
*This name has been changed to protect the client’s privacy.
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SUDOKU
SOLUTION
WHAT THE HECK IS ‘CORPORATE VEIL-PIERCING’?
How We Can Help Find Your Money
Imagine you run a business, and another company you work with owes you money. Usually, that wouldn’t be a problem — you’d send an invoice, and they’d send a check. But this time, you hit a roadblock: They won’t pay up! No matter how hard you push, the other business owner insists they don’t have a dime to give you. Yet they’re driving a Lamborghini and vacationing in Hawaii every other month! What can you do? Well, if you’ve exhausted the usual options, it’s probably time to call our team for help with what we call “corporate veil-piercing.” “Often, when you get into a dispute of some sort with a business, you realize the business doesn’t really have any assets. It’s just a shell or a sham being used by the business owner to protect themselves from liability for things they are doing wrong,” Kevin Mottley explains. Business owners can run into this problem, but so can ordinary people who are scammed or refused a refund. “These ‘companies’ aren’t sufficiently capitalized, don’t follow corporate formalities, and/or intermingle money between the owners and the corporation for more personal things. In that situation, you might have to pierce the corporate veil to reach the assets of the business owners,” Kevin says. Piercing the veil isn’t easy because shady business owners will do everything they can to protect themselves. But it is possible, especially if the business owner makes a mistake — like using their business as their personal piggy bank. If a business owner has screwed you over, our firm may be able to help. Give us a call to find out if you have a case! And if you’re a business owner, take this lesson to heart: Keep your personal and business finances separate. If you don’t, your safeguards might fail and risk your family’s savings.
IRISH PANCAKES
INGREDIENTS
• • • •
2 cups all-purpose flour
• • •
1 large egg, beaten 1 cup buttermilk 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 tbsp white sugar
DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Set aside. 2. In a skillet, brown 1 tbsp of butter. 3. In a separate bowl, mix the beaten egg, buttermilk, and browned butter. 4. In a constant stream, add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients while stirring. Do not overbeat! 5. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tbsp of butter, stir until the skillet is coated, and then add a few large dollops of batter (about 3 inches wide) to the pan. Do not overcrowd. 6. Cook 4–5 minutes a side, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with butter, jam, and syrup.
Inspired by TheKitchyKitchen.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
How to Spend St. Patty’s in Richmond
2
Creating a Retirement Bucket List
How We Helped a Client Win $5 Million
3
How to Find ‘Hidden’ Money You’re Owed Irish Pancakes
4
Want a Vitamin Boost?
HEALTH BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D SOAK UP THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN
It reduces the risks of depression. Studies have shown that those who are deficient in vitamin D become more prone to mood disorders and depression. To ensure that you support your mental health, step outside and get some happy, feel-good rays! It’s possibly linked to weight loss. While it’s not fully proven that vitamin D helps with weight loss, many studies have found links between vitamin D supplements and shedding a few pounds. In one study, one group of people taking vitamin D and calcium supplements lost more weight than another group taking placebos. It prevents and helps multiple sclerosis. Not only is vitamin D proven to lower a person’s chances of getting this horrible disease, but for those who already have it, it can also reduce symptoms or slow down the disease’s progression.
With spring on the horizon, we all will be able to get outdoors a little more and soak up some sun — and extra vitamin D! Bring on the picnics, pool days, hiking, sports activities, and leisurely walks through the park! Let’s take a look at the many benefits this vitamin provides for our bodies. It boosts your immune system. Vitamin D helps your body fight off sickness. In fact, it’s been proven that deficiencies in vitamin D are connected to an increased possibility of developing infections and autoimmune diseases such as the flu, heart disease, and diabetes. It counters osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a loss in bone mass, is common as we get older. However, vitamin D is one of the key players in helping to slow down bone loss and prevent or treat osteoporosis so we can maintain a healthy skeletal system.
This spring, be sure to get outdoors and soak up some vitamin D; however, don’t forget to protect your skin, too! To avoid overexposure, only about 10–15 minutes a day of unprotected sun is recommended.
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