Forklifts Failure Analysis Expert Witnesses: 6

David Smith is an experienced mechanical engineer (MS, PE) with seven issued patents. Award-winning inventor. Vice President of Alpine Engineering and Design, a mechanical engineering consulting company with clients around the United States ranging from individual inventors to Fortune 500 companies. Worked on the development of multiple successful products including among other things: aerial lifts, garbage trucks, thrill rides, ziplines, trailers, oil and gas equipment, exercise equipment, manufacturing equipment, and multiple consumer products. 

Graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. Completed a master's of science degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA with an emphasis in product development. Licensed professional engineer (PE) and certified safety professional in comprehensive practice (CSP). Certified trainer for boom lifts, scissor lifts, rough terrain, and counterbalanced forklifts. Over 10 years of experience in product development, patents, equipment safety, and risk assessments. 

Experienced expert witness having drafted over 200 reports/declarations in patent cases and catastrophic injury and death cases. Designed and built multiple custom testing devices to obtain data and evaluate opinions. Created multiple demonstratives to explain the mechanics and circumstances of accident sequences and patented devices. Testified in deposition 11 times and in trial once.

Expert Witness Services Professional Expert Reports Testing Forensic/Failure Analysis Accident Reconstruction Demonstratives Inspections/Measurements Compliance with Standards Expert Testimony Patent & Patent Related Issues Patent Searches Provisional Patent Complete with Illustrations Patent Infringement Review

Product Development Innovative Concept Multi-Industry Experience Powerful Design Tools Full Service Fabricating Materials Design Analysis Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Electrical Structural Integrity Tests Value Analysis

Dax B. Wells, PE, is an experienced Mechanical Engineer with nearly 20 years in the design, development, testing, and failure analysis of Aerial Lifts and Agricultural Machinery. His career includes direct responsibility for engineering, product safety, structural analysis, prototype development, field evaluations, compliance testing, reliability assessments, and root-cause investigations for complex equipment systems.

Mr. Wells has extensive, hands-on experience with aerial work platform entrapment and tip over cases, including multiple serious-injury and fatal events. His work includes analyzing the interaction between equipment design, operator interaction, platform motion, safety devices, and environmental/jobsite factors. He brings a unique combination of technical engineering expertise, industry standards knowledge, and practical field experience that is critical for accurately assessing liability, causation, and defect allegations.

Litigation Support - Mr. Wells supports attorneys on both plaintiff and defense matters, including early case evaluation. He understands the urgency, clarity, and documentation standards necessary for litigation. He has conducted extensive and in-depth equipment failure analyses in support of attorneys for case evaluation and backing. With extensive experience in product design, development, and failure analysis, Mr. Wells has worked closely with attorneys on equipment assessments for safety risks and causation evaluations. He has experience in expert consulting including testimonial & evidence reviews, equipment assessment, case strategy, and report writing.

Areas of Expertise:

Aerial Lift Agriculture Machinery Aerial Work Platform ( AWP) Boom Lift Mobil Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) Spider Lift Nut Harvesting Equipment Frost Fans

Construction Accident Manufacturing Equipment Weld Failure Weld Design Bolted Joint Metal Failure Analysis Product Design Product Safety

Mr. Wells possesses a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Completed a master’s of science degree with an emphasis in product development and manufacturing systems.  Licensed professional engineer (PE) and trained equipment operator on boom lifts, scissor lifts, and numerous types of construction & agricultural equipment.

Mark Franklin has over 28 years of experience in Environmental, Health, and Safety Management, Training and Consulting-across many industries, including construction, manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical and others. Mr. Franklin has applied industry experience in chemical emergency response, hazardous waste management, safety and environmental program management, OSHA regulatory compliance, and management program auditing (safety, quality, environmental).Mr. Franklin is a highly experienced, dynamic trainer in over 80 individual training topics.

Litigation Support - Mr. Franklin owns the Cove Acre expert witness practice. He leverages his years of experience in Occupational Health and Safety management, consulting, and training for his expert witness clients. He has investigated over 150 incidents, including serious injuries, fatality, chemical spills, and equipment and facility damage. Mr. Franklin's services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant. Mr. Franklin provides site review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Construction Safety General Industry Safety Forklift Operation Fall Protection / Working at Heights Ladder Safety Chemical Safety Chemical Emergency Response Manufacturing Industrial and Construction Tool Use PPE Selection and Use

Aerial Lifts, Boom, and Scissor Lift MEWP Heavy Equipment Injury Safety Training, Failure to Train, Inadequate Training Confined Space Entry Selection and Use of PPE Respiratory Protection Machine Guarding Confined Space Entry Trenching and Excavation Safety Job Safety Analysis / Activity Hazard Analysis

Mr. Franklin is a dynamic and engaging trainer who can take often-complicated Occupational Health and Safety regulations and explain them so everyone in the audience can understand the meaning and intent. For deposition, in front of a Jury, or in front of a full conference room, his professional approach, calm demeanor, and organized presentation style ensure a thorough understanding for all. 

Reviewing regulations and their interpretations, researching industry and regulatory-body accepted best practices, reading peer-reviewed publications, and applying years of experience in general industry and the construction industry are all tools Mr. Franklin utilizes to provide thorough, reliable, and organized expert opinion reports.

Dr. J. P. Purswell, PhD, PE, CPE has extensive experience in Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Safety Engineering. He holds a doctorate in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech. He has taught Safety Engineering and Ergonomics in the Industrial Engineering Department at CSU-Pueblo since 1999. 

A member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the American Industrial Hygiene Association, Dr. Purswell also served as the Chair of the Industrial Engineers PE exam from 2005 to 2009. He continues to serve on the committee which is responsible for the preparation of the national professional engineering examination in industrial engineering. 

Dr. Purswell is the author of more than 20 publications and presentations on Product Safety, Occupational Safety, Printed Warnings, and Auditory Warnings. Examples of products addressed include silica, asbestos, cleaning chemicals, gasoline containers, and recreational equipment. Dr. Purswell maintains NIST-calibrated equipment for the measurement of light, sound, force, and whole-body and hand-arm vibration in addition to standard photo and video equipment. 

Litigation Support - An Expert Witness in the legal industry since 1997, Dr. Purswell has been qualified as an expert in state and federal courts across the nation in safety engineering, including safety analysis techniques such as Fault Tree Analysis and FMEA as well as product warnings / instructions and OSHA compliance issues. His services include site inspections, document review, drafting Rule 26-compliant reports, deposition, and trial testimony. He has been retained by attorneys for both Plaintiff (40%) and Defense (60%) more than 100 times, has been deposed more than 100 times, and has testified at trial over 20 times. 

Areas of Expertise:

Warning and Safety Instructions OSHA Compliance Chemical Accident Prevention Product Safety Lockout / Tagout & Machine Guarding Trucks and Forklift Accidents

Power Tools Safety Hazard Communication - Audible Alarms Employer Safety Training and Supervision Perception / Reaction Time Ergonomic Work Practices Working and Walking Surfaces - Slip, Trip and Fall

View Dr. Purswell's Consulting Profile.

Since 1988, Real-World Forensic Engineering, LLC ("RWFE") has provided engineering services to industries and government labs, as well as litigation support to both plaintiff and defense attorneys practicing in many areas.

RWFE Areas of Expertise Include:

Components & Machinery Metallurgy & Corrosion Dynamics of Impact & Collisions Friction Analysis / Slips, Trips and Falls Intellectual Property & Patent Review Accident Reconstruction / Animation Computer Aided Design Education & Training

Electrocution & Switch Malfunction Grounding & Lightning Protection Lightning Impulse Testing Products and Premises Liability & Safety High-Voltage & Current Power Systems Bridge Design and Safety Fire & Explosion Cause and Origin And Much More...

At RWFE, we proudly distinguish ourselves by our Four C's:

CREDENTIALS. COMPETENCE. CREDIBILITY. COMMUNICATION.

Credentials:	B.S., M.S., M.Eng., M.B.A., J.D., and Ph.D. Degrees Licensed Professional Engineers in Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil Engineering Tenured University Professors and Professionals NAFI Certified Fire and Explosion Investigators (CFEI) Licensed Master Electricians
Competence:	Over 80 Combined Years of Experience in Engineering R&D, Industry, Academia, Consulting, and Expert Witness Litigation Support Over 120 Combined Deposition and Court Testimonies
Credibility:	Internationally Recognized in Our Areas of Expertise More Than $19 Million in Peer-reviewed and Funded Research Grants Over 200 Combined Scientific Publications and Journal Articles
Communication:	Over 20 Different Undergraduate and Graduate-level University Courses Over 30 Invited Short Courses, Talks, and Lectures

Design Evaluation – Accident Investigation – Intellectual Property - Failure Analysis – Fire Cause & Origin – Component Testing - Computer Aided Drafting – Accident Animation - Expert Witness & Litigation Support

www.ExpertEngineering.com

Bransford Pickett, PE, DFE, BSc, MScBA, has over 25 years of experience as a Mechanical Engineer. SEFS expertise includes design and review of material handling equipment, material handling management, and ship board systems. SEFS offers litigation support services for Accident Investigation and Reconstruction covering failure analysis, process simulation, regulatory compliance, equipment reliability, and personal injury / safety. His materials handling and engineering services are offered to attorneys, insurance and end user companies nationally and internationally.

Mr. Pickett is a member on the American Society of Mechanical Engineers B30 committee on Safety Codes and Standards for cranes and rigging as well as a member of several subcommittees. He is also a member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers P30 Committee- Planning for the Use of Cranes, Derricks, Hoists, Cableways and Lifting Accessories. ASME BTH Standards Committee.

Mr. Pickett is a Professional Engineer, and holds a BSE from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a MScBA in Finance from San Diego State University, as well as a board certified Diplomate Forensic Engineer. He has qualified as an expert witness in the State of New York Supreme Court and the State of California Supreme Court.

Accident Investigation:

• Man baskets, Forklifts, Scissors Lifts, Aerial Lifts, Rigging Gear, Hydraulic Jacks, and Hydraulic / pneumatic Lift Systems, Automotive Lift Systems, Conveyors, Pallet and Packages Conveyors, Pneumatic Systems, Machine tools, Boats, Barges, and Elevators
• Tower, Mobile, Bridge, Truck, Portal, Container, Jib and Floating Barge Cranes, and Derricks
• Operator training compliance to National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, NCCCO, requirements for tower crane, mobile crane, overhead crane, articulating crane operator training and certification, signal person, and rigger certification
• Compliance covers applicable national and international standards that include the ABS, ASTM, ASM, ASME, ANSI, WSTDA, ALI, etc. and DIN, EN, FEM to list a few. National regulations include state and federal OSHA requirements as well as DOE, military specifications and standards

View Bransford Pickett's Consulting Profile.