The Athlete's Lawyer

Triathlon volunteers, motorcycle officials and race police must coordinate safety procedures in order to avoid injuries to competitors, spectators and themselves

Having volunteered at triathlons, running races and other sport events, the LA Times story that a multisport event volunteer was crippled at an major competition caught my attention. A Los Angeles triathlon volunteer was in a car crash that left him a paraplegic. The injured triathlon volunteer was on his motorcycle officiating the bicycle portion of the race when he was hit by a car. The race official suffered a fractured vertebrae, underwent multiple surgeries and spent two years in the hospital.

.The injured plaintiff’s lawsuit contended that the accident was caused by a traffic cop who allowed a vehicle to enter an intersection into the volunteer’s path, causing the accident. As a result of the motorcyclist’s impact with the car, the biker’s body was flung about 20 feet. The disabled plaintiff was a motorcycle aficionado for more than 40 years and had volunteered for various events with his motorcycle club. A police report at the time had concluded that the motorcyclist had been speeding and was responsible for the accident.

.Nevertheless, the city of Los Angeles paid $7 million to settle the lawsuit brought by this 2007 LA Triathlon race volunteer. The paraplegic plaintiff and his wife are slowly building the foundations of a new life, ordering a customized wheelchair and a van that can accommodate his needs. The city also paid $250,000 to a race official who was riding with the biker on his motorcycle and $500,000 to the driver of the car.