The Mottley Law Firm - June 2022

The Mottley Law Firm - June 2022

06/22

THE MOTTLEY CREW REVIEW

www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011

For the last few years, my backyard has been the opposite of a relaxing oasis. Just stepping into it caused me stress! The deck was 20 years old, rotting, and infested with carpenter bees. The grass wouldn’t grow, and the bushes grew too much, taking over everything. And what little open space we had was home to a 14-foot trampoline that hadn’t been used by my daughter in about a year. IT’S FINALLY FINISHED! “Just like my high-stakes personal injury cases, the landscaping project needed constant supervision, but it was well worth the effort.” At first, we only wanted to replace the deck and get rid of the trampoline. But our plans quickly exploded into something much larger. Within weeks, we were committed to a massive renovation project! One challenge of the “yard” was its size. It’s more like a small courtyard, like you would find in a city. The side yard at our house is the larger one. So that raised the question, “what do we do with the small backyard to make it enjoyable?” After doing a little research, I came to admire Japanese gardens because they’re calming and great for small spaces. We also have an appreciation for Charleston-style courtyards. So that gave me an idea. What if we smashed together a Charleston-style courtyard with a Zen type garden? To make it happen, we first hired Tom Paul at Premiere Design & Construction to oversee the excavation and patio construction. I then hired

STEP INSIDE MY BACKYARD OASIS

Marcia Fryer Landscape Designs to help me map out the plants and beds. Then, I bought in John Richmond Landscaping to put it all together. Teams of contractors ripped out the deck and brought in heavy excavation equipment to clear out the rubble. It took months of work with stone and brick masons, irrigators, and electricians … but the result was worth it! Today, where there used to be a rotting, bee-infested deck, we can step out onto a brick and bluestone terrace strung with twinkling lights. From there, stepping stones lead us through the grass-free Japanese garden lined with ferns, a Japanese black pine, and pleached holly trees. There’s a dry riverbed filled with beautiful stones and even a traditional Japanese bamboo water fountain (which I’m still constructing). I couldn’t be happier with how this project turned out. The biggest lesson I learned is that you can’t just turn something like this over to a contractor. You have to be there every day, explaining what you need and making sure things are done the way they ought to be. Just like my high-stakes personal injury cases, the landscaping project needed constant supervision, but it was well worth the effort. When I’m not at work, you can find me here, relaxing in my oasis. After my family’s semi-disastrous spring break trip a few months ago (read all about that on Page 2) I was glad to have a place to de-stress!

–Kevin Mottley

www.MottleyLawFirm.com | 1

‘SAY WHAT?!’ Exploring exotic flavors and enjoying memories through scent are just a couple ways our senses allow us to connect with others. But when you struggle with age-related hearing loss, a critical component of how you experience the world can disappear quickly — taking with it your mental well-being. Why is this so?

blood flow to the ears, which is problematic for the auditory function. Our sense of hearing relies on a strong circulatory system. Your Mental Health Living in a world you cannot fully understand or hear can exhaust your mental well-being. Those with hearing loss may refrain from common social activities for fear they won’t be able to understand WHY HEARING LOSS HURTS YOUR OVERALL HEALTH

Your Brain Small, challenging activities or “exercises” for your brain can enrich your cognitive well-being as you age. But constantly straining to hear puts the brain into overdrive, and much like overdoing a physical workout, your brain becomes tired very quickly and degenerates. This increases your chance of developing dementia. A 12-year study by Johns Hopkins found that mild hearing loss doubled dementia risk, moderate loss tripled this risk, and those with severe issues faced a risk five times greater than the average person.

what is happening. Furthermore, they may face exasperated relatives whose patience grows thin after repeating themselves or enduring TV volume above an acceptable level. Due to these situations, those who struggle to hear may experience greater social isolation and diminished feelings of self- worth. Depression is common among those with hearing loss. The best way to prevent these health concerns is to seek professional guidance. Speak with an auditory expert about your hearing concerns and discover solutions that will help you hear better and improve your well-being!

Your Heart Experts are still determining a direct link between hearing loss and cardiovascular disease, but the research has found a startling correlation. Those with hearing loss are more likely to also have heart conditions. One suggestion is that those with hearing loss also have diminished

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has resources to help you learn more. Visit CDC.gov to access this information.

THIS TRIP ALMOST DIDN’T HAPPEN SPRING BREAK DISASTER!

It has been a few months since spring break, but I just can’t get my family’s trip to Florida out of my head. The story is too funny not to share — at least in hindsight. At the time, all I felt was frustration over American Airlines’ absolute inability to get us to our destination! The chaos started the morning of our trip. We were supposed to leave at 9 a.m., but at 5 a.m. I woke up to a text saying our flight had been canceled. We were all disappointed, but we assumed we could book another flight on the American Airlines app. How silly of us. The app didn’t work! We couldn’t get through on the phone, either. So, I ended up getting in the car and physically

driving to the airport in jeans, my pajama shirt, and a baseball cap. (I was supposed to be on vacation, dang it.) At the American Airlines counter, a very sweet lady told me that there was a plane leaving right then for Miami, direct from Richmond, and she’d put my family on it … if we could get there in time. I texted Tricia and raced home as fast as I could. Tricia and Catherine met me in the driveway with my suitcase. We scrambled into the car and raced back to the airport. Amazingly, this direct flight would get us to Miami even earlier than our original one. I was a hero! The high lasted for about an hour. The moment we arrived at the gate, an announcement blared: “Due to a mechanical problem, this direct flight to Miami has been canceled.” Just our luck! Things didn’t look up from there, either. We ended up spending the first day of our vacation here in Richmond, then flying into West Palm Beach at 1:05 a.m. — five minutes after the car rental counter closed. A two-hour taxi ride later, we finally got to our South Beach hotel at 3:30 in the morning on what should have been the second day of our trip. I suddenly understood why the rich have private planes. Fortunately, that chaotic start didn’t ruin spring break. We spent the week eating at delicious restaurants; visiting author Ernest Hemingway’s haunts; and soaking up as many rays as we could before returning to Richmond.

2 | (804) 823-2011

SUDOKU

LIVE BY THESE 3 BIKING RULES Ahh, summer! It’s the perfect season to tune up your bike and take it for a spin. However, biking in Richmond isn’t always as idyllic as we imagine. When you’re sharing the road with cars, pedestrians, and other cyclists, things can get dicey! Follow these three tips to stay safe and avoid an accident-induced traumatic brain injury or other serious wound. SAVE YOURSELF FROM A BRAIN INJURY! 1. Go beyond the law. You may be surprised to hear that Virginia doesn’t have a statewide law requiring cyclists to wear helmets. It’s true! But you shouldn’t take that oversight as permission to be careless. It’s crucial that you wear a helmet while biking. You can still get a traumatic brain injury while wearing a helmet, but it will protect you and could even save your life. 2. Ride like a car. There may not be a helmet law on the books in Virginia, but there are other rules governing cyclists. When you’re riding in the street, for example, you have to behave like a car by following the flow of traffic and staying in your lane. Make sure you stick to these rules — doing something unexpected and surprising a driver could get you killed. 3. Always get help. If you’re in a biking accident this summer, take a trip to the doctor afterward and encourage your family members or friends to do the same. Even if you feel fine and don’t have any symptoms, you could still have a traumatic brain injury! Sometimes it takes weeks for the cognitive, behavioral, and physical effects of a brain injury to show up. If your doctor discovers a problem, call a personal injury attorney for help. Our team has the knowledge and experience to handle your personal injury case while you focus on what matters most: your recovery. We’ll treat your friends and family the same way if you send them to us for help. To make a referral, simply pass along our phone number (804-767- 5656) or website (MottleyLawFirm.com). We’re ready to jump into action!

SOLUTION

SWEET AND SPICY BBQ CHICKEN SKEWERS

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS For the Marinade • 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp soy sauce

1. In a bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. 2. In a reusable freezer bag,

combine cubed chicken and all but 1/4 cup of the marinade.

• • • • • •

2 tbsp chili garlic sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

3. Seal bag and massage

marinade into the chicken. Chill in the fridge overnight. 4. The following day, preheat the

3 tbsp honey

Juice of 1 lime

3/4 tsp smoked paprika

grill to 400 F. Thread chicken and pineapple onto skewers, adding two cubes of chicken for each cube of pineapple.

1/2 tsp salt For the Skewers •

2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite-size cubes 1 small pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes

5. Grill the skewers for 3–4 minutes per side, brushing with the reserved marinade in the final minutes. 6. Serve over rice or with your favorite barbecue sides!

•

Inspired by RecipeRunner.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 Builds a Charleston-Zen Fusion Garden

2

Hearing Loss Leads to Other Health Concerns

Spring Break Gone Wrong

3

How to Prevent a Biking Brain Injury

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken Skewers

4

3 Dreamy Northeastern Hiking Trails

GET YOUR HIKING BOOTS ON! 3 DREAMY TRAILS IN THE NORTHEAST

Want to feel like you’ve stepped into a lush dream? You don’t need to travel too far to experience truly stunning outdoor adventures. The U.S. has plenty within our borders! Here are just a few, located in our Northeastern states. No. 1: White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire If you want to visit an enchanted forest, look no further than White Mountain National Forest! Whether you want to hike its various mountain ranges to spy some gorgeous views, wind through an endless sea of trees, or spot a plethora of unique local fauna and flora, this beautiful national forest has a trail for everyone. You can even hike the Appalachian Trail to walk a mile in our American ancestors’ shoes. No. 2: Stepstone Falls (Ben Utter Trail), Rhode Island If you’re in Rhode Island, especially in spring, you won’t want to miss this perfect trail. Follow this walk along a picturesque river and you’ll see fabulous slabs, cascades, woods, and much more. Unlike the popular — and often busy — White Mountain trails, this one is relatively quiet with its narrow foot path. It’s also a gentle walk, being mostly flat with some alternating, gentle ups and downs. It’s a great walk for all ages. No. 3: Camel’s Hump Trail, Vermont As the third highest peak in the state, Camel’s Hump Trail offers unbeatable views in nearly every direction. It’s easy to reach the trailhead,

as it’s just off Camel’s Hump Road with a small parking area for visitors. It’s very convenient, but make sure to arrive early in warmer months and on weekends — the road is not an option for parking. The trail offers stunning views of Vermont because of the high elevation, but it may be challenging if you’re afraid of heights. The last part of the trail is quite steep, but once you reach the peak, you’ll see an incredible 360-degree view of the surrounding area. On a clear day, you can even see Canada!

If you want to live out your outdoor dreams, these are excellent places to start! Give them a try!

4 | (804) 823-2011