10/13/2015· Construction
Plastic Laminated Products: Fabrication & Installation Problems
By: Michael Panish
This article will discuss plastic laminated products only. Although many other laminated materials are used for residential and commercial applications, plastic laminates are one of the most common products involved in casework claims and personal injuries.
8/31/2015· Construction
Cabinetry & Millwork: Defective Design or Defective Workmanship? Who is Responsible?
By: Michael Panish
My job as a cabinetry and millwork expert witness is to inspect and evaluate casework, cabinetry, or millwork that may have either failed or may be deficient in some way. Many of the past cases where I have been designated as the cabinetry and millwork expert witness have involved analyzing products that no longer exist because they have either been replaced or destroyed. What is available for review is often in the form of architectural elevations (renderings), photographs of the damaged cabinetry, or shop drawings and samples of the materials that were used. Generally, there is a question as to what entity is responsible for the monetary loss sustained. The usual course of action by attorneys is to sue all parties in the chain of events, from design through installation.
7/31/2015· Construction
Tower Cranes Warrant Closer Look
By: Thomas Barth
According to statistics, about 125,000 tower cranes are operating worldwide and, on average, are erected in 2 days on various jobsites to build skyscrapers. There are two types of cranes, tower and mobile, which can be purchased or rented depending on the company's scope of work. Mobile cranes are limited because they must be moved from location to location on the jobsite to maneuver materials. Tower cran es can be placed closer toge ther, have a radius of about 140 square meters, and can lift steel, concrete, and a va riable range of building material. Contractors can save 50 percent on the cost of material handling by using self-erecting tower cranes and onsite labor, saving thousands. Due to the flexibility of tower cranes, they are becoming more commercialized and are high in demand.
7/21/2015· Construction
Elder Abuse - It Isn't Always About Physical Abuse
By: Michael Panish
Having recently testified as the door hardware, lock and security expert witness on a very serious elder abuse case involving the rape of a 93 year old resident of a retirement home, I am intimately aware of the potential for physical violence and neglect aimed directly at senior citizens. The following is about a completely different kind of abuse involving our senior population.
4/21/2015· Construction
Contractor Fraud: Beware of Unscrupulous Contractors
By: Michael Panish
Most of the misunderstandings pertaining to contractor and homeowner relationships occur as a result of unclear or wrongly interpreted construction contracts. Upon entering into a building contract, the enthusiasm for starting the proposed work often creates a kind of glazing over or dulling of the senses on the part of the homeowner. Many times questionable terms and arrangements for payment scheduling are accepted or unknowingly agreed to as the homeowner's urgent desire to start work overshadows common sense. Often, the lowest priced contractor seduces the homeowner with promises of more value for the money.
4/3/2015· Construction
Unfairly Blaming Tenants for Interior Mold?
By: Lonnie Haughton
Who likely should be blamed for the blackish mold growth found at this new three-bedroom, two-bath apartment in San Jose, California? Unfortunately, landlords often rush to accuse their tenants of generating too much "lifestyle moisture". In many cases, such assessments are both inaccurate and unfair.
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.
3/3/2015· 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.
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.
9/27/2013· Construction
Discrete Damages/Cost Variance Analysis Method for Quantifying Damages in Construction Claims
The "discrete damages/cost variance analysis method" for quantifying construction claim damages involves the specific distribution of all costs incurred on the project rather than quantifying only certain parts of the cost or damage analysis as may be used in the other methods.
by Michael Levine
by Michael J. Fagel, PhD
by Stephen P. Magee, PhD, et al
