TheAthletesLawyer

How biker friendly are the streets ?

In Washington, bikers have found the city streets of Seattle to be more dangerous than friendly.  Six bicyclists have filed a lawsuit against the city of Seattle over safety hazards concerning the South Lake Union Streetcar tracks.  All six of the plaintiffs have suffered serious injuries as a result of their bike tires becoming caught in the tracks.  This happened as a result of the width of the streetcar tracks being wider than the bicycle tires, which caused the tires to catch and the cyclists to crash.  As in the instance of the six plaintiffs, this can result in serious and sometimes catastrophic injuries.  The lawsuit claims that the city was aware of the potential dangers to bicyclists, but failed to post warning signs or add any additional safety measures.  The lawsuit is seeking general damages, compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and attorneys’ fees.  The lesson to be learned is that “biker friendly” does not always mean “biker safe.”

Biker and trial lawyer Doug Landau and cycling friends at a Loudoun County rest stop in Hamilton, during the Reston Century, where well-marked sinkholes and road defects made for a safe ride.

At ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., we recommend that if you come upon grooves, street car or trolley tracks that are parallel to your direction of travel, avoid getting too close, as narrow road bike wheels can get entrapped and stuck.   We have represented injured bikers who have been thrown from their bicycles due to roadway defects and dangerous street conditions.  Move to a different street, or even walk your bike rather than risking damaging your bike and injury to yourself.

It’s no secret.  Triathlon Trial Lawyer Landau likes his wetsuit.  It keeps the Herndon Reston area attorney and multisport athlete warm in cold water.  It helps him swim faster.  And it keeps the sports injury attorney safe when training or in crowded open water swim competitions.

Doug Landau's cousin Dianna Erdman Sager shows how happy she is to be in a wetsuit at the Reston Triathlon swim start

However, USA Triathlon, the national governing body for triathlons and aquathons in the United States, has recently issued new wetsuit guidelines for multipart competition. Beginning in 2013, wetsuits may not exceed five millimeters in thickness.  Following extensive research, USA Triathlon announced that beginning in 2013 use of wetsuits exceeding 5 millimeters in thickness will not be permitted at USAT-sanctioned events.

The regulation, which falls under Article 4.4 Wetsuits of the “Triathlon Competitive Rules,” states: “Effective January 1, 2013, any swimmer wearing a wetsuit with a thickness measured in any part greater than five millimeters shall be disqualified.” Read the rest of this entry »

While injuries are often part of game, occupational disease and infection cases are rare in professional sports.  Athletes lawyer Doug Landau has seen excellent professional, collegiate and high school athletic facilities as well as others that were less than hygienic. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper, the Cleveland Browns have reached an undisclosed settlement with former wide receiver Joe Jurevicius in a lawsuit he filed against them after he contracted a staph infection in his right knee during practice. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the pro footballer claimed in his suit that the Browns did not sterilize their Berea facility properly, resulting in his infection. The infection caused Jurevicius to miss the 2008 and 2009 season and lead to his retirement. Jurevicius was one of six Browns players who contracted a staph infection between 2003 and 2009.

If you or an athlete you know has contracted a disease, infection or become disabled due to negligence off the field, e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once, as it is very important to get prompt correct medical care and to secure the evidence of the harmful practices that lead to the harms to the amateur, college, high school or professional athlete.

Reston Century bike riders at the Hamilton rest stop

The 28th Annual Reston Century took place today, starting and finishing at the Reston Town Center Pavilion.  Over 1,200 bicycle riders enjoyed the excellent weather, Virginia’s rolling hills, snow cones, lunch and a great t-shirt this year.  Herndon sports injury lawyer Doug Landau also managed to eat a half dozen peanut butter & jelly sandwiches at the Loudoun bike rest stop, as he did not expect to do over 108 miles on his sprint triathlon racing bike !

Traveling with friends from Herndon, the Reston Bike Club and the WorldGators Masters team at Sport & Health, Worldgate, the Triathlon Trial Lawyer managed to finish in a little over 8 hours.  The Triathlon Trial Lawyer saw no accidents, injuries, crashes or other mishaps on the roads or W&OD Trail.  In fact, Loudoun County police were out to provide extra safety at otherwise dangerous road crossings and insections.  While this is longer than any athletic event Landau has ever signed up for or ever plans to do, the athletic Virginia Trial Lawyer believes that it is important to have strength and endurance in order to succeed in sometimes gruelling trials.  The Reston Bike Club puts on safe rides and other events, and Landau and his wife have joined in order to participate in their weeknight rides in Reston and Herndon.

Doug Landau at the 20 mile marker of the W&OD Trail by the caboose in Herndon, Virginia, about 100 yards from the ABRAMS LANDAU buildings

In a word, “yes.”  Not including my own crashes while commuting, racing or just riding, I recently caused another rider to fall.  While riding with the Reston Bike Club, I got carried away talking to a new acquaintance.  I caused another rider to go off the the lip of the road – there was no shoulder, as it was the new construction near Shaker Woods in Herndon, Virginia.  Luckily the young cyclist, a Pharmacist with Prosperity Pharmacy suffered some scrapes and road rash but no more serious injury and is back riding (I later saw her again at the Reston Century !).  I have also since ridden with the Reston Bike Club “4s” as well as the 3s and 2s.  Riding with the Reston riders is fun, great exercise and I believe safer than riding alone sometimes.  I usually carry a small first aid kit as well as a phone, just in case another rider has a fall.  Hopefully, the rest of my 2010 bike riding season will be safe and uneventful…

While sports injury lawyer Doug Landau is frequently contacted to help an injured runner or biker, even in cases where the driver or other party is at fault, if there is no coverage or ability to pay for the harms caused, then it may not be a wise move to  go forward with a claim.  In other words, even if the ABRAMS LANDAU trial team wins the case, if no recovery can be made for the injured athlete, then it may not be a smart move to litigate the matter.  Recently, the question came up, if a runner is run over by biker, is there insurance coverage to pay for the injuries and losses sustained ?

While the automobile insurance probably would not pay, since the accident did not involve “a motor vehicle,” the defendant driver’s homeowner’s insurance policy may be a source of funds to pay for the damages.  And in a case where a bike crashes into another bike, the homeowners insurance may also be able to pay for the harms caused by the careless or negligent rider.  Absolutely.  Even renter’s liability insurance may be collectible in a case brought against a careless bike rider who causes serious personal injury to a runner, biker or other person on the road, bike path or sidewalk.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle, running or pedestrian accident or an insurance company is denying their injury claim, please e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once, as it is very important to investigate these cases as soon as possible after the crash.

USAT CEO Skip Gilbert and Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau at the USAT Duathlon natinal Championsips in Richmond, Virginia

As a Sprint Triathlon and Aquathon All American, as well as an Olympic Distance Honorable Mention award winner, Herndon multisport athlete and attorney Doug Landau feels that it is important to support the national governing body and the people who volunteer their time so that races can be conducted safely.  Over the years, Lawyer Landau has contributed to become a “gold member,” directed, sponsored and volunteered at athletic events.

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon – one of the fastest growing sports in the world – as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 3,100 races and connects with more than 133,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games.

Bike crash and head injury lawyer Doug Landau always wears his helmet when riding his bicycle outdoors

Sports and recreational injury lawyer Doug Landau is proud to announce that the DC Trial Lawyers Foundation is giving away 200 bike helmets to D.C. kids on Thursday, June 10, 2010.  The event will take place at the Anne Beers Elementary School located at 3600 Alabama Ave SE Washington DC.  The hours are from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  Stop by any time!  This event was rescheduled from an earlier date in June.  The DC Trial Lawyers Foundation is the charitable arm of the DC Trial Lawyers Association.

Attending the monthly educational meetings of the Trial Lawyers of DC enables Herndon Reston and Leesburg injury lawyer Doug Landau to keep abreast of the latest developments in personal injury law in the District of Columbia.  Landau is an active member of the DC and Virginia Trial Lawyers Associations in order to share notes and strategies with other experienced trial lawyers in the DC Metropolitan area.  Landau, who has represented injured bikers, children and athletes, also belongs to, teaches and writes for the American Association for Justice (”AAJ”), the national trial lawyer association for many of the same reasons.

Landau gets a prize at Broadlands, but no PR

Thinking he had ripped a new PR at today’s Sprint Triathlon, Broadlands bike injury lawyer Doug Landau went through the first loop in 15 minutes and cruised into the transition area at almost exactly 30 minutes.  However, the course was slightly shorter than the advertised 12 miles, so instead of 24 MPH average bike speed, the Herndon and Loudoun lawyer cycled 22.8 MPH.  Nevertheless, the Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax bike crash injury lawyer finished in the top 10 out of some 270 multipart racers.  Starting in the 60th position, Landau’s goggles failed immediately during the well run 400 Meter outdoor pool swim.  The triathletes divided into “odds” and “evens” and started every 15 seconds according to their swim seed time.  Landau predicted 7:40 and managed 8:08.  The distance was a 400 meter “snake swim.”  In other words, swimmers moved into the next lane after each lap.  So, for those who swim in 25 yard pools, this was akin to almost 19 lengths.

College roommates team up to "tri" the Broadlands Sprint Triathlon in Loudoun County, Virginia

The Infinitive Broadlands Sprint Triathlon ends with a 5k run.  In the August running of the “Dog Days of Summer” triathlon along the same course, no one broke 20 minutes.  The run is an out & back through Broadlands trails, tunnels and sidewalks. There were water aid stations that caused Landau’s Newton racing flats to lose their sockliner !  The thin “floor” of the shoes quickly turned into “sponges,’ soaking up sweat and water thrown on his head.  But, using clear iodine and running barefoot helped the hardened triathlete – trial lawyer so that he had no blisters after the race.  In fact, Landau went for a swim to “cool down” after the race and cheering on other finishers, including Alexandria General District Court Judge !  “Oyez, Oyez, Order on the Course !”

Doug Landau checking out the transition area at the Broadlands Triathlon in Loudoun County, Virginia

Tomorrow is the Infinitive Sprint Triathlon in Loudoun County, Virginia.  This triathlon, which starts at Broadlands Outdoor Pool off of Village Drive in Broadlands Virginia with a pool swim, then heads out to Claiborne Parkway for the bike and on the Broadlands trails for the run. This is a great first timers event and a fun challenging course for those with experience.  Bike injury lawyer Doug Landau has done other races managed by Tri Performance at South Riding, Worldgate, Herndon and Loudoun County, and Brian and Alissa Crow do a marvelous job of creating and pulling off fun, safe fitness events.

Could this be the "Crow-mobile" for Coach Crow ?

Usually triathletes and endurance athletes take a day or two off before a competition.  Many long distance athletes “taper” before “the big event.”  However, for races under 90 minutes, triathlon trial lawyer Doug Landau will often train right up to and even after the race.  Swimming today helps “flush out” the waste byproducts from a hard week of work and training, and swimming after the race will reduce the post-competition soreness that often hinders older athletes’ resumption of training.  As an award-winning masters triathlete and road runner, Landau is careful not to “overdo it” in the days leading up to a race.  But, a little non- impact exercise the day before a short sprint race should not impair performance  or recuperation or lead to excessive post-race soreness.