ARTICLES

3/19/2015· Construction

Contractor Fraud : Don't Become a Victim Home Renovation Projects - CONTRACTOR FRAUD SERIES (Part 1)

By: Michael Panish

As a Construction Expert Witness, I have been involved in numerous homeowner vs. contractor lawsuits that turned out to be directly created by contractor fraud. In this article, I have combined a few different actual cases, highlighting the various tactics used by dishonest contractors to bait and then hook the homeowner. In all of these cases, the homeowner prevailed.

3/12/2015· Insurance

Claims Made Insurance : A Review of The Modern Form

By: Frederick Fisher, JD, CCP

Rarely are clients immediately aware of the wrongful or erroneous actions of the "professional" they trusted to perform specific duties or services; mainly because "professional" acts or errors do not or only seldom cause immediate injury. A "professional's" wrongful acts or errors may not manifest in client injury until long after the act is perpetrated or the error is committed.

3/11/2015· Psychology

Benefits of Forensic Psychological Evaluations

By: Dr. Ray Kim

Forensic psychological evaluations have become a valuable resource for the criminal justice system by addressing important forensic questions. For instance, assessing risk for violence can help courts make appropriate decisions on issues such as sentencing, granting privileges, and community reintegration. If an individual is assessed to be a high risk for future violence, a judge has grounds to order a more restrictive setting compared to someone who is a lower risk for recidivism. By tailoring court decisions based on accurate psychological evaluations, the community is safer while the defendant's rights are also protected.

3/10/2015· Education & Schools

Urban School Myth Busted by Micro-Experiment: Do Teens Really Hate Healthy Foods?

By: Dr. Virginia Rhodes

OK, I did learn enough in 35 years of high school teaching, administration, and marriage to know one thing: The way to anyone's heart is through their stomach! Feed them, and they will come.

3/6/2015· Transportation

Stop Positioning and Crossing Orientation

By: Ned Einstein

Except in rural areas with vast distances between intersections, a bus stop can reasonably be placed in one of three positions:

3/5/2015· Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

The Pros and Cons of Arbitration

By: Darryl Horowitt

Because of the increase in cost of litigation, and the more frequent use of arbitration clauses in all forms of contracts, arbitration is used with increasing frequency. Although arbitration is an excellent choice in many instances, it may not be right in every case. This article will discuss the pros and cons of arbitration so that you may know whether it is right for you.

3/3/2015· Construction

Best Practices In Coastal Construction

By: John Minor

With sea levels rising by some reports and inch a decade and the prediction of stronger hurricanes todays aging building stock is at risk. In addition for new construction we must learn from the past. The proliferation of coastal development begs for consistent and sustainable construction techniques.

3/3/2015· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Clues: Material Science and Accident Reconstruction

By: John Ryan, BSME, PE

Material science is a broad field that has applications in numerous fields. In product injury cases, material science can help identify defects, determine causes of accidents, determine failure modes, and identify inconsistent manufacturing processes.

2/24/2015· Damages

Life-Care Planners Can Help Simplify Damages For The Jury

By: Ronald T. Smolarski

How do you determine what care and how much money a chronically or catastrophically disabled individual will need for the rest of his or her life? Some attorneys representing either the plaintiff or the defendant in such cases are now getting the expert help they need from specially trained rehabilitation consultants called "life care planners".

2/18/2015· Construction

M. O. A. T. A New Approach to School Security

By: Michael Panish

The need to have increased security to public venues such as airports, schools, religious facilities, day care centers, shopping centers, and government buildings is nothing new. However, it has become apparent that many unexpected assaults and deadly attacks are coming from individuals that have gained a certain level of intimacy with the venues and organizations that they are invading. The attackers are not necessarily strangers, but people we know.