Parks and Recreation Accident Prevention & Safety Expert Witnesses: 10

Professor Heraghty currently serves as Chairperson of Health, Physical Education and Sport Management at the State University of New York (SUNY) college at Suffolk.  Prior to this role, he served as the Fitness & Aquatics Director and Men's Head Lacrosse Coach at SUNY Suffolk.  He is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) credentialed by the National Recreation and Park Association and is also certified by the National Program for Playground Safety.  He currently serves on the Sports Equipment, Playing Services, and Facilities committee with the American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM).  

Litigation Support - Professor Heraghty specializes in Risk Management Programs for various types of sports, recreation and fitness activities as well as the preparation of expert opinions for both plaintiff and defendants, in conjunction with Recreation and Sport Personal Injury cases. 

 Areas of Expertise

View Alphonses Heraghty's Consulting Profile.

The Rehberg Konin Group provides Litigation Support services in the area of Sport Safety and Reduction of Risk associated with accidents, illnesses and injuries using the most current evidence available. Their cutting edge practice and evidence-based approach ensures that their opinions are grounded in the latest scientific and professional evidence. A full-service consulting firm, The Rehberg Konin Group provides a wide range of services to the legal and insurance industries, including investigation, research and analysis, expert testimony at trial and depositions, expert reports, site inspections, document review, and on-site consulting during trial and depositions. They offer powerful and unbiased opinions and testimony for both plaintiff and defense cases. Their evidence-based approach means services grounded in the latest published research. 

Areas of Expertise Include:

Dr. Jeff G. Konin, PhD, ATC, PT, FACSM, FNATA  Dr. Jeff Konin is currently the Director of Athletics at Eastern Connecticut State University, in Willimantic, Connecticut. Prior to this role, he was an Associate Professor and the Vice Chair of Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, FL, where he also served as the Executive Director of the Sports Medicine and Athletic Related Trauma (SMART) Institute and the Director of the Graduate Athletic Training Program. Dr. Konin has an extensive background as a clinician, educator, administrator, author, and public speaker. www.experts.com

View The Rehberg Konin Group Consulting Profile.

Smith Aquatic Safety Service (SASS) was created in 1981, upon Dr. Smith's retirement from 25 year's service in the U.S. Coast Guard, to provide aquatic safety training. At retirement Dr. Smith was Chief, 2nd Coast Guard Boating Safety Division, St. Louis, MO, responsible for all federal boating safety activities in 15 primary states.

Litigation Support - In 1981 Dr. Smith first testified as an expert. Both aspects of SASS have grown markedly, with Dr. Smith being retained in hundreds of legal cases, for plaintiff and defense while also training thousands of aquatic safety/rescue personnel. He has been qualified in numerous state and federal court cases as a boating accident reconstructionist.

SASS provides consultation and related services to law firms in aquatics cases, plus water rescue and boating safety training seminars for fire, police, lifeguarding and EMS providers throughout North America.

Areas of Expertise:

Richard D. Arlington III, CSP, LICM, has been the president of Arlington Lawncare since 1986. For over 30 years, Mr. Arlington has directed the Landscaping, Lawn Maintenance, Lot Sweeping, Snow, and Ice Operations in Erie, Pennsylvania. 

Background Experience - Erie receives on average 54 plowing events and 70 salting events per year. The average snowfall in a 15 mile radius can range from 90" to as much as 200". Wide fluctuations of weather and the accommodating size of his company have given Mr. Arlington unique experience dealing with scheduling, routing, customer service, and subcontractor relations. In the past 10 years, he has dealt with over 160 subcontractors at a time.

Mr. Arlington is an expert on issues dealing with Ice Control with both Rock Salt and Liquid Calcium / Magnesium Products, which has resulted in 20 plus years of no at fault slip and fall incidents for his company, while maintaining over 150 accounts from large retail plazas to small convenience stores.

Litigation Support - Mr. Arlington is available to assist attorneys for plaintiff and defendant. His services include site review, contract review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

View Rich Arlington & Associates' Consulting Profile.

Laura Miele, PhD, CST-2, is a Sport, Fitness, and Education Expert with over 30 years of experience in various aspects of sport, fitness, and physical activity including the education, training, and supervision of athletes. Dr. Miele is a Nationally Certified Accredited Interscholastic Coach through the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) and has 14 years of physical education experience, (Pre-kindergarten-12) within multiple states across the country.  

Background Experience - Dr. Miele played Division I basketball at Arizona State; was Tight End for the Arizona Caliente, of the Women’s Professional Football League; and was also a New York Golden Gloves semi-finalist in 2004. She began coaching athletes in 1986 and has been involved as a personal exercise and fitness trainer since 1994.  She has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe as an athlete and coach and has been involved in consulting, coaching and teaching a wide range of sports including but not limited to; Basketball, Gymnastics, Volleyball, Softball, Baseball, Football, Archery, Bowling, Figure Skating, Hockey, Boxing, Wrestling, Field Sports, Golf, Soccer, Swimming, Track and Field, and Tennis. 

Dr. Miele is a level 2 Certified Service Technician for the International Association of Trampoline Parks. She serves on the Sports Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities Committee and currently serves and assists on the task force that is in the process of creating the standards for Amusement Challenge Areas. She has given numerous presentations on the topics of sport injury prevention as well as supervision and safety in Amusement Challenge Courses / Trampoline Parks Risk Management.

Litigation Support - Dr. Miele is an expert in fitness, sport and recreation with specific expertise in sports psychology, coaching, recreation, personal training, fitness facilities management/operations, and injury prevention. She is an accomplished athlete as well as an experienced trainer, coach and teacher. She provides expert witness services to attorneys for both plaintiff and defendant. Her services include thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed. 

Dr. Miele has relevant experience in the proper teaching standards required by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) for the:

• Proper Supervision Before, During, and After School
• Skill Progression and Instruction
• Proper Use of Safety Equipment
• Practices related to the Role and Responsibilities of Teachers and Administrators  

Areas of Expertise:

• Fitness Facility Operations including Personal Training, Supervision, Risk Management, and Injury Prevention
• Physical Education, Sport and Recreation-Risk Management
• School / Teacher Supervision
• Proper Coaching Training Practices and Procedures in Sports
• Gymnastics, Trampoline Parks / Amusement Challenge Courses
• Emergency Preparation and Response in Schools, Fitness and Sport Facilities

• Lifesaving, Lifeguarding and Aquatics Safety
• Water Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, and Ice Rescue
• CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
• Basic Life Support
• Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention and Emergency Management
• Lifeguard Training and Operations

Based on over 50 years of experience, Bill Uhl helps attorneys with standard of care, safety and training issues regarding ATV, utility vehicle/side by side, snowmobile, motorcycle dirt bike and other off-road vehicle accidents. Mr. Uhl also assists attorneys with cases regarding recreational facilities and tours using all-terrain vehicles and other recreational off-road vehicles (ROVs). Other cases have dealt with safety training for customers, trail route maintenance, mechanical maintenance, motocross racecourse design and construction safety, dual sport bikes, street bikes, quads, and mountain bike trails.

Mr. Uhl has been a Sr. Instructor for OHVtraining.org, designated a “Preferred Training School” for over 25 years, training off-highway vehicle users in agencies as diverse as all branches of Military Special Forces, government agencies, Honda ATV test riders, Quest, T-Mobile, Kinder Morgan Natural Gas Pipeline Company and power plants. He was also inducted into the AMA International Hall of Fame for his on and off course expertise

Mr. Uhl has been the co-owner, operator, and lead mechanic of a retail store selling OHVs and street bikes for 26 years. He has been sponsored by OHV companies to represent the U.S. in international competitions, winning 5 gold medals for the U.S. Racing over 150,000 miles in the most rugged terrain around the world, Mr. Uhl has been named "Enduro Rider of the Year" by Motorcycle Magazine and been honored as a "Cross Country Legend" by the AHRMA national organization. He has also been designing, constructing, and maintaining recreational trails for over 20 years.

Litigation Support: Since 2004, Mr. Uhl has completed over 78 Off-Highway Vehicle cases, working for both plaintiffs and defendants, helping attorneys identify case merits, writing reports, preparing exhibits and providing depositions and trial testimony. He also helps attorneys understand Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines for OHVs. He simplifies complex information about safety and risk issues related to incidents and injuries so they are easy for both attorneys and jurors to comprehend.

Areas of Expertise:

View Bill Uhl's Consulting Profile.

• Certified Pool Operator (National Swimming Pool Foundation)
• Aquatic Facility Operator Instructor (National Recreation and Park Association)
• Technical Adviser for the Professional Pool Operators of America
• Member, National Association of Aquatic Consultants
• Member, National Park and Recreation Association
• Member, California Pool and Spa Association

• Pool Design and Construction Review
• Mechanical Water Systems Analysis
• Accident and Drowning Analysis
• Pool Assessments and Reports

• Patron Injuries
• Operator Injuries
• Drowning, Near Drowning
• Pool Related Accidents
• Construction Disputes

Dr. C.J. Abraham, P.E. is a Licensed Professional Safety Engineer with over thirty five years of international experience consulting to insurance companies, municipalities, government agencies, and the legal profession. He provides consultation to International corporations in the areas of New Product Development, Manufacturing, Packaging, Warnings and Instructions. 

Dr Abraham's services include Expert Witness Testimony for both Plaintiff and Defense in matters involving Personal Injury and Product Liability. 

Areas of Expertise: