The Athlete's Lawyer

Usually excited for the swim to get underway, Reston triathletes will not compete in Lake Audubon this weekend due to safety issues

Due to the torrential rains that have struck Northern Virginia, the dedicated directors of the annual Reston Triathlon have decided to eliminate the swim for only the second time in the popular multisport event’s history.  The following was posted on the Reston Triathlon Association‘s web site:

Swim portion of the 28th annual Reston Triathlon has been canceled. Our lake official has been checking the lake since yesterday and has come to the decision that in the interest of safety it is not safe to swim in the lake…there is widespread disappointment but “Safety Is First.”

All racers will be notified by email of the cancellation and of plans for a replacement run as soon as the board has met to determine the details.

Triathlon Trial Lawyer, All American Triathlete and Virginia Triathlon Series (“VTS”) race sponsor Doug Landau adds that racers should also be mindful of debris on the roads when cycling, and perhaps “preview” the course once again since the storms have ended.  Tight turns with washout, leaves, bark and other organic matter on the pavement and an early morning start can all contribute to less traction on the road surface.  “Let’s all bike safely – the Reston Triathlon race directors cannot sweep every centimeter of the race course, and road flooding requires extra vigilance on the part of all participants.” adds Herndon Reston lawyer Landau.  “In light of these changed conditions and as I have at least 2 more VTS competitions this season, I am not going to be putting the ‘pedal to the metal’ Sunday.  I encourage all participants to enjoy the race, the shwag and the comraderie and ride safely.”

Herndon injury attorney and Masters Triathlete Doug Landau was told he was “crazy” for inviting potential clients, existing clients and their friends and families to come see him “in action.” Other experienced trial lawyers attending the American Association for Justice’s National Trial Lawyers convention in New York City this summer, confessed that they would never consider having injured, disabled and out of work clients come and learn how and where their cases would be decided. Yet that is exactly what we do every at the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. Here are cases, meetings, volunteer work, athletic competition and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs currently on the calendar this Fall:

• 9/7/2011 Manassas, VA: Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, slip and fall at a federal facility job accident case.
• 9/8/2011 Washington, DC: Trial Lawyers Association of DC “Meeting with the Judges” (CLE), at The University Club, 16th Street, NW, preceded by a program introducing the OsiriX software for Macintosh computers
• 9/09/2011 Alexandria, VA; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, Motion in Limine (to exclude irrelevant evidence) in union construction plumber’s shopping mall on the job slip and fall case
• 9/10/2011 Reston, VA: South Lakes High School, bicycle helmet safety inspection and athlete registration volunteer for the Reston Triathlon
• 9/11/2011 Reston, VA: Lake Audubon, compete in Reston Triathlon,
• 9/15/2011 Washington, DC: Social Security Administration, Disability claim before an Administrative Law Judge
• 9/18/2011 Winchester, VA: Warrenton Aquatic & Recreation Facility, compete in Virginia Triathlon Series (VTS)
• Sprint Triathlon, currently in 4th place in the Age Group, Landau hopes to again win the Series by accumulating enough points in addition to Masters and Age Group awards. ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. is a sponsor of the series.
• 9/20/2011 Fairfax, VA: Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse, Ethics and Social Networking CLE program sponsored by the Fairfax County Bar Association.
• 9/22/2011 Williamsburg, VA: Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, job vehicle accident case, late payment penalties
• 9/22-25/2011 Atlanta, GA: American Association for Justice (AAJ) College, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, (CLE)
• 10/02/2011 Spotsylvania, VA: Acorn Sprint Triathlon, Lake Anna Beach marina, final competition in the Virginia Triathlon Series, Bumpass, VA
• 10/03/2011 Washington, DC: Social Security Administration, Disability claim before an Administrative Law Judge
• 10/5-6/2011 Monroe, LA: Social Security Administration, Disability claim before an Administrative Law Judge on a case remanded from an unfavorable decision for a client for whom ABRAMS LANDAU was successful in his car crash and related workers comp claims.
• 10/6-9/2011 Bergen County, NJ: Client visit, returning to volunteer at High School Parents Weekend, McLean, VA
• 10/10/2011 Richmond, VA: Mediation in a Virginia Workers Compensation claim for a disabled nurse with a Tidewater area insurance defense firm, even though the office is closed for the Columbus Day holiday.
• 10/12/2011 Fairfax, VA: Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, health care provider’s slip and fall brain injury case; the original claim was won, but when additional brain surgery was needed, the insurance company disputed that it was related to the original, on the job fall on the ice and refused to pay the medical bills.
• 10/13/2011 Fairfax, VA: District Court of Fairfax County, monitoring the Traffic Court prosecution of the defendant whose unsafe driving caused permanent injury and death.
• 10/15-16 Williamsburg, VA: Old Dominion University Department of Accounting, compete in annual 5km.
• 10/17/2011 Fairfax, VA: Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, nurse’s car crash back and head injury case. The original claim was won (covering her spinal surgery) and her car crash liability case settled for policy limits, but when additional traumatic brain injury case was sought, the insurance company disputed that it was related to the original, on the job crash and refused to pay the medical bills.
• 10/19/2011 Manassas, VA: Virginia Workers Compensation hearing for a Michigan client with a back injury
• 11/3/2011 Fairfax, VA: Virginia Workers Compensation hearing, after winning permanent and total disability hearing against the Department of Disability Services, seeking van modifications and other additional benefits
• 11/4-6/2011 Lakeville, CT: Volunteer Leadership Weekend, The Hotchkiss School
  nurse’s car crash back and head injury case.
• 11/11-13/2011 Richmond, VA: Virginia Trial Lawyers Advanced Workers Compensation retreat, (CLE) Courtyard by Marriott West
• 11/12/2011 Richmond, VA: Arthur Ashe Athletic Center Health Expo and Richmond Sportsbackers Marathon Festival, compete in 8km. road race.
• 11/18/2011 Herndon, VA: Herndon Community Center Annual Turkey Trot 5km cross country race (in the afternoon, just blocks from the Landau Law Shop !)
• 11/23/2011 Glen Ridge, NJ: United States Track & Field-NJ Championship Road Race, Ashenfelter 8K Classic, benefiting the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation (Landau Law Shop closed for the Thanksgiving holiday)
• 11/30/2011 Colorado Springs, CO: Triathlon World Championship Age Group Sprint Distance qualifiers, like All American Doug Landau, international paperwork for competition in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14-22, 2012

If you want to see Triathlon Trial Lawyer 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.  Several races and court cases (including a complex Interpleader for insurance policy limits in Chesterfield Circuit Court as the result of a single car crash injuring several international exchange students) have already been cancelled and postponed due to Hurricane Irene.  Herndon Reston area injury lawyer hopes to see you soon !

The National Football League is looking into kickoff modifications in order to help ‘deal with injury numbers’ according to news reports this week.  Indicating that it was a matter of safety, along with possible suspensions for player who make illegal hits, the NFL is recommending that kickoffs be moved from the 30- to the 35-yard line — as it was before 1994.  Also, kicking team members must line up within five yards of the ball.  This would prevent the kicking team members from lining up 10-15 yards behind the ball to get a running start.  By the time these offensive players got downfield, they were at full speed.

The sound of the impact when 300 pounds of professional football player, sprinting at top speed, strikes another player moving in the opposite direction at maximum velocity, it something not soon forgotten.  The momentum of each player (speed times mass) is truly shocking.  The league recognizes the potential for devastating and career ending head, neck and brain injuries and is looking into way to modify the game while still keeping its essential features.  Read more at the Washington Examiner.

When going to the office on cold winter mornings, I have seen bikers in covered helmets, booties and thick gloves braving the elements.  However, motorists around the W&OD Trail are often surprised to see cyclists and animals coming off the path and crossing Herndon, Sterling and Loudoun County roadways.  When a biker or deer appears in front of you on a snow covered road, and there is not enough time to brake, the following suggestions come from Rally Coach Tim O’Neil so that you do not end up killing the cyclist, the deer, yourself or totaling your car.

• Take your foot of the gas immediately.  Do not fixate on the biker, deer or motorcycle – you will just drive straight at it if you do.  Instead, look at the rear wheel or animal’s hindquarters, since cyclists, deer, elk, etc. are not likely to go into reverse !  Turn the steering wheel 90 degree to your right.
• Now your vehicle is headed toward the shoulder, ditch, guardrail, etc.  Do not panic.  You should look at where you want the car to go.  Fix your eyes on the center of the road and turn left twice as far, about 180 degrees.
• Once you have cleared the obstacle, animal, human or other, counter steer 45 degrees to your right and hit the gas to straighten out.

Hopefully, these tips will enable you to “live and let live.”  A car crash with a deer, cyclist or object in the road can be catastrophic.  The damage we have seen caused by impacts with deer are truly astounding.  The losses caused by car crashes with animals and cyclists are some of the most severe we see at the Landau Law Shop.  you might even want to practice, and take the newer drivers in your household out to an empty, safe parking lot, to practice winter driving techniques in order to prevent injury, property loss and death.

Virginia Cyclists heading West from Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun County biking toward Leesburg, Sterling and Lovettesville need the protection of sensible, enforceable traffic laws

In response to the Sterling Road and W&OD Trail bike crash post, Bruce Wright of the Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling.  Mr. Wright sagely notes, “Another lesson is that Virginia’s crosswalk law needs to be strengthened.  Currently motorists are only required to “yield” to pedestrians (and bicyclists) in a crosswalk.  Also, in some states motorists on multi-lane roads are required to “stop and remain stopped if a pedestrian (or bicyclist) is in their half of the roadway.”  For example, see New Jersey’s new crosswalk law.

Here in Virginia there have been several recent attempts to strengthen the law, and each year proposed changes get closer to passing.  Cyclists can follow this year’s legislative session at the Virginia Bike website.  Hopefully, through education, advocacy and cooperation, the laws protecting cyclists in the Commonwealth can be improved and enforced.

When a car turns and strikes a 50-year-old biker in Fairfax, it resonates with me, as I am now a half century and often ride on the County streets and trails of Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William.  The Fairfax Times reported that Crash Reconstruction detectives are seeking witnesses to a crash that occurred on Sunday, November 14th near the intersection of Fort Hunt Road and Belle Haven Road. At around 3 p.m., a bicyclist was headed eastbound on Belle Haven Road.  At the same time, a four-door 2005 Toyota Corolla attempted to turn left onto Fort Hunt from westbound Belle Haven. The bicyclist and the car crashed and the cyclist, age 50, was thrown from his bike.  He was medevaced to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Detectives ask anyone who may have witnessed this crash to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

The Chantilly Youth (CYA) U-17 BLAST girls travel soccer team won their last game today securing their season championship in the Old Dominion Soccer League (ODSL)

The Chantilly “BLAST” U-17 girls soccer team won their final season match 8-0 and secured their league championship this afternoon at Fairfax County’s Poplar Tree Park.  The Chantilly Youth Association (“CYA”) travel soccer team, despite sometimes being short-handed due to only 9 or 10 girls making it to a game because of other commitments, only gave up one goal this season.  More importantly, their coach announced that they had won the Sportsmanship Award as well.
Always playing exciting soccer, the purple clad CYA girls on the “BLAST” never showed any of the rancor or egotistical conduct that mars the records of other teams, especially in the ranks of major professional sports.  Furthermore, some of the girls compete for their high school soccer, cross country, tennis and other sports teams.  While Doug Landau coached several members of the “BLAST” when they were members of his CYA “Jumping Green Grasshopper” teams before they went up to travel soccer, they are now superbly lead by Coaches Ray and Irwin.  The team practices in Herndon Virginia near Dulles Airport, and plays its matches in Northern Virginia.  The “BLAST” was a finalist in the Spring 2010 U-16 Division of the Old Dominion Soccer League (“ODSL”) which fosters Travel Soccer and Sportsmanship.  Hoping to keep the roster together for another successful indoor season, Coach Ray noted that they may have to expand their roster if they are going to continue their winning ways in the U-19 division.

Drs. Thomas Fleeter and Dennis Sager provide superb experienced medical support at the Reston Triathlon

Long time Reston Doctors Tom Fleeter and Dennis Sager have contributed generously of their time, effort and resources to the Reston Triathlon.  Fleeter could be seen Saturday erecting tents and has previously been out on Lake Audubon with his son as a swim safety volunteer.  Sager, an FAA Inspection doctor, has been a perennial presence under the medical tent at the South Lakes High School finish line area.  Sager grew up and was friends with Mrs. Landau’s family in Richmond, Virginia.  Dr. Sager graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (“MIT”) as an Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineer and is an exceptional internal medicine specialist.  Before athletes lawyer Doug Landau departed the United States to compete on the US Maccabiah Triathlon Team, he had his physical performed by Dr.  Sager.

Dr. Fleeter, of Town Center Orthopedics in Reston, is the team physician for South Lakes High School and served as the medical director of the Women’s World Figure Skating Championship and the Reston Triathlon.  He is also an orthopaedic consultant to the United States Figure Skating Association.  And, as one who not just “talks the talk,” but also “walks the walk,” Fleeter is a strong cyclist who has participated in the Reston Century and knows routes through Northern Virginia that only a true lifetime cyclist would know.  Dr. Fleeter and his Town Center Orthopedic partners have operated on and helped a number of ABRAMS LANDAU clients who have been injured in motor vehicle crashes, sports and on the job accidents.

Doug Landau and the other participants in the Reston Triathlon are lucky to have such outstanding, board certified specialists at this local multisport race.  Thank you Dr. Fleeter and Dr. Sager.

Reston Triathlon Age Group Award Winner Doug Landau after changing into warm, dry clothes !

Injured athletes come back and finish strong at the Reston Triathlon.  A team of three ABRAMS LANDAU clients and Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau would have given other teams in the popular Reston multipart event this past weekend a run for their money !  With Henry Tragle, Rob Urbach, Bill Coquelin putting in solid efforts, the Herndon Law Shop‘s clients demonstrated that hard work, perseverance and pre-accident conditioning can help an athlete recover from broken bones, lacerations and other car crash injuries.  With three age group awards and several top 20 finishes, these clients support sports injury lawyer Doug Landau’s assertions that endurance athletes can achieve good recovery from car accidents, bike crashes and disabling sports injuries.  The staff at the ABRAMS LANDAU is proud of these clients’ accomplishments, as well as those clients who continue to participate in non-competitive events such as bicycle centuries, fun runs and charity walks.

Looking for his triathlon race number and singlet, trial lawyer Doug Landau loses precious time in transition

Having no race number can cause an athlete’s disqualification.  Doug Landau had carefully pinned his race number to his singlet the night before, and had brought it to Lake Audubon to put on after the Reston Triathlon swim.  However, when he emerged from the water and removed his wetsuit, it was nowhere to be seen.

With his bike number on his shorts, a quick gulp and out Doug Landau goes past volunteer Kevin Baldwin to run down the competition at the 2010 Reston Triathlon

Since the numbers on his arms, legs, helmet and bike and the computer chip on his ankle would suffice for the next hour, Landau hoped that his shirt and number was inadvertently left at the second transition, when he got off the bike and began the 10 km  run at South Lakes High School.  When he dashed into the transition area, he was dismayed to see no shirt and no number.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”  So the saying goes.  Looking around his transition spot, the injured athletes’ lawyer had an idea.  Landau Read the rest of this entry »