Entomology Expert Witnesses: 2

Joel Coats, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Entomology and Toxicology in the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University. Specializing in Insecticide Toxicology and Environmental Toxicology, he has been on the faculty at Iowa State University since 1978 and served as Department Chairman for seven years.

Dr. Coats’ research program includes two main areas: (1) insect toxicology and (2) environmental toxicology and environmental chemistry of Agrochemicals. His research in the insect toxicology area is focused primarily on natural products as insecticides and insect repellents, including investigations of their spectrum of activity, mechanisms of action, metabolism, synthesis of biorational derivatives and analogs, quantitative structure-activity relationships.

Dr. Coats is familiar with all types of pesticides and insect repellents, including synthetic and botanical insecticides, acaricides, fumigants, and repellents; toxicity, mechanisms of action, environmental and comparative toxicology, ecological risk assessment, persistence of pesticides, movement in the environment, and residue analysis.

Litigation Support - Dr. Coats provides expert witness services to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense. He has been deposed and testified on numerous occasions. Dr. Coats offers opinions regarding pesticide cases of many types, including:

Non-target / Off-target Effects Residues Toxic Tort

Environmental Contamination Efficacy of Products Patent Infringement

Dr. Coats has received the International Award for Research in Agrochemicals from the American Chemical Society Agrochemical Division, and he is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America. In October he received the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Illinois College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

View Dr. Coats' Consulting Profile.

Douglas L. Seemann, BCE,  is a Board Certified Entomologist (BCE) with expertise in Applied Forensic Urban Entomology and Pest Control Practices, and holds several Pest Control Licenses in California and Arizona. Mr. Seemann recently held the Qualifying licenses for 2 southern California pest control companies and currently, an Arizona School District. He previously held licenses in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey and additionally managed pest control branches in New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, and Sonora Mexico.  

A graduate of the University of Connecticut where he focused on medical entomology and parasitology, Mr. Seemann has served as Technical Director, Manager, VP and Owner of Pest Control companies across the country since 1983, and is currently the Technical Director of a pest control company in Arizona.

Mr. Seemann has been a consultant since 2000 and served as the Arizona Governor's appointed State Entomologist Advisor to the Arizona Office of Pest Management, and is on the BCE Continuing Education Committee for the Entomological Society of America. He was one of the authors of the Arizona State Pest Control Certification Manual, has written numerous articles in the trade publications, and taught Pest Management as Associate Professor at the State University of New York. 

Litigation Support - Douglas Seemann has served as an expert witness in numerous cases and have found that these cases rarely go to trial and typically result in a settlement once the conclusions and the supporting data are presented. If it does become necessary to appear in court or deposition, he is well prepared and qualified to do so with extensive public speaking, educational, and instructive experience. 

Mr. Seemann has represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants in numerous civil cases. To date, in cases where he was allowed to testify, none of his clients, plaintiffs or defendants, have lost a case.

Areas of Expertise:

Urban Entomology Urban Pest Control Wrongful Death Non-disclosure Personal Injury Pesticide / Insecticide Application Product Failure and Fraud Bedbugs Habitability Mosquitos

Termites / Wood Destroying Organism Damage  Cockroaches Rodents Spiders Scorpions Birds / Bats Fleas / Ticks Pest Control Practices Arthropod Vectored Disease