Accident Investigation and Reconstruction Expert Witnesses: 86

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

Donald L. Hess, President of DLH Associates, Inc., has been providing expert witness services to attorneys and other clients, including Analysis of Vehicle Crashes since 1996. His specialty is crashes involving Commercial Motor Vehicles, including trucks, tractor-trailers, and buses.

With two million miles of safe cross-country trucking experience, followed by over 25 years as a driver trainer and creator / administrator of commercial driving programs, Mr. Hess is well-qualified to provide analysis of what drivers are trained to do in specific situations and circumstances, what federal and state regulations call for and require, and all aspects of the safe and proper operation of commercial motor vehicles. As a motorcyclist with over 45 years of riding and training experience, he is also qualified to comment on accidents involving motorcycles.

Mr. Hess has been nationally recognized as a leader in safety and training issues, is a winner of the American Trucking Associations Million Mile Driving award,and was a recipient of the Truckload Carriers Association Lee Crittenden award. Over his long and successful career in trucking and education, he has held numerous national board and officer positions in trucking and education.

Litigation Support - Mr. Hess is uniquely qualified to analyze and comment on driver behavior in virtually any situation,and has established a solid reputation as an expert witness in crashes involving trucks and commercial vehicles for both Plaintiff and Defense in over 500 hundred cases across the country since 1996. His experience includes significant deposition and trial testimony.

He possesses a unique combination of training, hands-on experience, and education that combine to position him as a leading expert in all facets of trucking. Mr. Hess still maintains a valid, current Commercial Driver License fully endorsed for Combination Vehicles, Doubles-Triples, Tankers, Hazardous Materials, Motorcycles, and Buses. He also holds a USDOT Medical Exam Certificate. His CDL and medical certificate have been maintained without interruption or fault since 1971.

Areas of Expertise:

Commercial Driver Training Truck Driver Training Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Commercial Driver Theory Commercial Driver Backing City Driving Federal Hours of Service Requirements Tankers

Highway Driving Extreme Weather Operations Live Skid Pad / Skid Prevention and Recovery Emergency Driving Skills Warehouse Issues Loading Dock Issues Forklifts Hazardous Materials

View Donald L. Hess' Consulting Profile.

4CA Consulting & Reconstruction is a General Accident Reconstruction Company, providing Expert Services in the field of Accident Reconstruction, including:

• A complete an unbiased accident investigation, using the latest investigative means such as Crash Data Retrieval & Analysis.
• Crash Scene Analysis and Documentation: Vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles.
• Seat Belts and Child Safety-Seats usage analysis
• Occupant injury kinematics, speed determination, time - distance, drag factor with use of Vericom Vehicle Computer System.
• Traffic Studies.
• Crash Animation / Simulation, Map scenes, Crash Zone, CAD.

About Kevin Forcier: ACTAR Certified Reconstructionist: #2054. Retired from the Pennsylvania State Police in April of 2010 after 25 years of service. Accident Reconstructionist since 1990, last four years as a full time Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Specialist responsible for the coverage of 3300 square miles of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Qualified Expert Witness in the field of Crash Reconstruction and related services.

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:

Construction Accidents OSHA ADA Labor Law Human Factors Household / Industrial Products Safety Engineering

Retail Store Safety Industrial Hygiene Textiles Fires / Explosions / Flammable Fabrics Slips / Falls Recreational / Sports Accidents Toxic Exposures

Peter J. Sullivan is a World Class Certified ASE Technician and ASE Certified Master Technician in Heavy Duty Truck, Passenger Car / Light Truck, Collision Repair, and Machinist, (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence). He has over 35 years of technical, academic, operational, and managerial experience in the private and commercial transportation, heavy equipment, marine, and recreational vehicle industries.

Mr. Sullivan has extensive experience performing vehicle inspections and downloads of event data recorders and electronically stored information (ESI), including analysis, validation, testing, and preservation on almost all makes and models of vehicles and equipment.

Litigation Support - Mr. Sullivan utilizes his comprehensive legal, technical, and FMCSA / DOT knowledge to specialize in:

Product Defect Cases Driver or Motor Carrier Compliance Electronic Engine Control (ECM) Electronic Throttle Control Electronic Power Steering

Anti-Lock Brake Supplemental Restraint Computerized Systems Closed-loop Systems Hydraulics

He and his team perform accident site and vehicle inspections, perform data downloads, including analysis, on most all makes and models of vehicles and equipment, reconstruct accidents, perform exemplar and product testing, metallurgical testing, fluid analysis, and CMV driver and motor carrier compliance analysis. His primary areas of expertise include medium duty / heavy duty truck, hy-rail, light duty car / truck, motorcycle, ATV, marine, heavy equipment, machinery, tire, bicycle, commercial motor carrier safety and DOT compliance, and commercial motor vehicle driver / operator qualification and compliance, and job site safety.

Mr. Sullivan's services are available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense. His litigation support services also include expert reports, depositions, and testimony for trial, OSHA, and governmental hearings.

View Peter Sullivan's Consulting Profile.

John Chadwick is an AEROSOL TECHNICAL EXPERT with 40+ years of Aerosol Industry experience. Mr. Chadwick has developed multiple aerosol product types and has in-depth familiarity with aerosol systems, aerosol valve systems, containers and propellants. He provides customized training in Aerosol Technology. His most requested training program is "Aerosol Technology 101" 

He has also designed State-of-the-Art Aerosol Laboratories with a focus on the safety aspects of filling flammable aerosol products. He's assisted multiple clients in identifying, analyzing, and resolving product development, manufacturing, and quality-related problems.

Mr. Chadwick has also advised Quality Departments of contract packagers on the design and implementation of upgrades to their existing aerosol quality assurance systems and provided Quality Control Procedures to support the launch of new and improved aerosol products.

Mr. Chadwick has invented a new technology, receiving issued and pending Patents in multiple areas of Aerosol Technology.  He is familiar with all types of aerosol product types including: 

• Household Products - oven cleaners, polishes, insecticides, air fresheners, dusters, etc.
• Health and Beauty Products (HAB) - hairsprays, deodorants, mousse aerosols
• Food Aerosols - PAM cooking spray, whipped cream
• Automotive Products - lubricants, solvent sprays, de-greasers, refrigerants, etc.
• Medical - foot powder, wound sprays

Litigation Support - John Chadwick has a proven track record of successfully participating as an expert witness in court cases involving Aerosol Products and/or Aerosol Technology. He is available to provide a full spectrum of expert witness services, including technical support for Product Liability case analysis, technical investigations to determine the Root Cause of Aerosol Product Failures, thorough expert reports, depositions, and testimony at trial if needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Aerosol Technology Aerosol Product Development Aerosol Propellant Systems

Aerosol Packaging Systems: Valves and Containers / Spray Optimization Product Scale-up for Manufacturing / Aerosol Product Quality Assurance Systems Aerosol Laboratory: Operation / Design / Safety System

View John Chadwick's Consulting Profile.

Experienced in Fire Cause and Origin, Arson Prosecution and Defense, Product Subrogation, Fire and Building Codes, Life Safety Codes, Fire Injuries and Fatalities, as well as Fire Department Operations and Management. 

John Michael Agosti & Associates provides assistance to insurance companies, attorneys and other agencies in the determination of cause and origin in fires and explosions. Our goal is to provide independent and articulate findings to you the client, quickly and accurately. 

With over 28 years of fire department experience and 15 years in the private sector, Mr. Agosti has completed over two thousand investigations of fires, explosions, and life safety incidents. He has testified in both federal and state courts for both plaintiff and defense clients.

Owen Ahearn, CPM, has over 35 years of experience in Premises Liability, managing and maintaining Residential and Commercial Real Estate.  He is a Certified Property Manager®, an Accredited Residential Manager®, an Accredited Commercial Manager® and a Public Housing Manager®.  He also holds an OSHA 30 Hour General Industry certification.

Mr. Ahearn has extensive experience managing federal property (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Resolution Trust Corporation, United States Marshals Service) and private real estate throughout most of New England. He has managed and maintained commercial and residential real estate including single family homes, duplexes, triple-deckers and multi-unit dwellings, condominium associations, home-owner associations, and commercial plazas. 

Litigation Support - Mr. Ahearn is an experienced Expert Witness with expertise in property management, property maintenance, reasonable standards of care, and risk management throughout the United States as well as Canada. His services are available to attorneys' representing plaintiff and defense and include site inspections, reporting, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

Reasonable Standards of Care Premises Liability Property Management Real Estate Management Property Maintenance Real Estate Management Management Neglect Condominium Associations Home Owner Associations Public Housing Maintenance Public Housing Management Snow Management Snow Removal

Smoke Detectors Carbon Monoxide Detectors Board of Health Issues Bed Bugs Pest Control Exterminations Fires Floods Slips and Falls Walkways Decks Railings Parking Lot Maintenance

View Ahearn Realty Management's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Adam K. Aleksander, PhD, PE, CSP, has over 40 years of experience in the areas of Mechanical Engineering, Human Factors, and Safety Engineering. He combines both academic credentials and active work in industry to provide a grounded perspective in Product Liability, Industrial Incidents, Warnings, and OSHA related issues. He is also a VP of an Energy Services firm, with over 35 overseas assignments related to forensic services, power utility issues, and equipment failures.

Dr. Aleksander has been a practicing engineer since 1972, focusing his Manufacturing, Consulting and Forensic investigations on Problem Definition and Root Cause Analysis of complex problems in confidential issues. His firm has experience encompassing an enormous variety of claims, from large $45 million dollar dam claims, to environmental clean-up claims, to small road construction claims. His litigation services often involve reconstruction, perception reaction studies, warnings, equipment operation, mechanical failures, industrial accidents, skiing, and bicycling injuries.

As an Expert Witness, Dr. Aleksander has worked with many clients, including plaintiff's and defendant's attorneys, both civil and criminal, attorneys representing corporations, corporations in the power utility area, and corporations that produce products. His services are also available to insurance executives with complex claims issues that involve industrial or utility related losses. Dr. Aleksander has been retained over 125 times in a wide range of technical investigations.

Litigation Expertise:

• Product Liability - Design, Manufacturing and Marketing Defects, Involving Damage, Injury or Fatality
• Equipment Failures - Proximal Cause of Failure with Contributing Factors
• Human Factors, Visibility, Ergonomics, and General Research Issues - Product Usability, Warnings, Instructions, Perception, Reaction Time, Visibility and Conspicuity Issues
• Construction, OSHA, and Safety Engineering - Regulatory and Safety Issues
• Industrial Projects
• Power Utility - Service and Equipment Failures

View Dr. Aleksander's Consulting Profile.

Dean A. Beers, CLI, CFDI-Expert, has been a legal investigator since October 1987 and a Medicolegal Death Investigator since 2002. His extensive experience in these areas is rare in the profession. Dean's clients benefit from a thorough methodology of reviewing official investigations conducted by law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner offices. This approach includes analyzing reports, records, and photographs to form detailed findings and opinions. 

As a deputy coroner investigator, Dean has personally investigated over 150 death scenes, assisted in over 400 autopsies, and participated in investigating nearly 600 non-autopsied cases.

Primary Areas of Expertise:

Medicolegal Death (or Bodily Injury & Catastrophic) Autopsy Reports & Photos Insurance Denial Appeals & Death Claims Firearms, Gunshot Wounds & Trajectories  Edged Weapons, Knives & Injuries

Mechanism of Death Cause of Death Manner of Death Homicide, Suicide & Accident Death & Dismemberment

Background Experience - From late 2002 to mid-2008, Dean worked as a deputy coroner and autopsy assistant in Colorado medical examiner offices, following an internship and training period. Since 2008, he has partnered with his wife, Karen, specializing in expert medicolegal consultations and legal investigations across the United States. Their focus is on personal injury, negligence, and death cases in civil, criminal, and probate litigation. Over the years, he has provided favorable expert consultations to public defenders and alternate defense attorneys, helping secure positive life insurance benefit appeals. His expert testimony has been recognized in multiple courts covering fatal and non-fatal events.

Death and Serious Bodily Injury Investigations

Dean's work has also included handling more than 1,100 cases that were not taken for jurisdiction, as well as cases requiring the collaboration of multiple investigators. Additionally, Dean's expertise covers forensic investigations, such as bridging crime scene evidence with autopsy findings.

Dean's background includes over 5,000 hours of full-time experience specific to death investigations, injuries, and negligence, not counting internships or part-time work

Michael Nranian, JD, MBA, MS has over 30 years experience focusing in Product Development, Intellectual Property, Patent Litigation, Legal and Technical Compliance, and Product Liability Litigation. He is a licensed attorney in Michigan, Texas, & the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Nranian is a Six Sigma Black Belt, Professional Engineer, & Certified Project Management Professional. He has an in-depth background and education in Law, IP, Electrical, Chemical & Computer Engineering, & Business. He has testified extensively as an expert witness in depositions, hearings, and trials in state & federal courts.

Mr. Nranian conducts Product and Technology Analysis, Patentability & Prior Art Research,and provides Technology & Litigation Support for Intellectual Property. His litigation background includes patent infringement / non-infringement under literal infringement and the doctrine of equivalents, patent validity / invalidity, prior art, & file-wrapper estoppel, for both ITC and Federal cases, including Inter Partes reviews. He conducts analysis of patents and products, prepares claim charts, & expert witness reports. This includes testimony and document preparation for cases before state, and federal court jurisdictions, and the International Trade Commission and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Mr. Nranian is thoroughly familiar with all 101, 102, 103, 112, and other enablement and prior art arguments. His experience includes Technology Standards Boards and Licensing Authorities, Antitrust / DOJ, Technology Development and Transfer, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, and Copyrights, Licensing, Unfair Competition/Trade, False/Deceptive Advertising, & Lanham Act Actions, & Class Actions.

His Product Liability Expert Witness litigation background includes all types of Safety Systems, Electrical Systems, Fires, Accident Reconstruction, and Evaluation of Alternative Designs for Automotive, Medical and other industries. He has over 29 years of experience in Automotive Safety Systems, Sensors, Seatbelts, Airbags / Curtains, Seats, Diagnostic Systems, Crash Recorders, Crash Pulse Analysis, System Diagnostic, Fault Codes, Structure (including roof-crush and door) and front, side & roll-over systems (including sensing and algorithm development) for domestic and international corporations. He is thoroughly familiar with all regulatory (including FMVSS), and corporate due-care requirements, & preemption arguments, occupant kinematics, & injury causation.

Keith M. Cianfrani, MAS, CRSP, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, the founder and owner, has over 30 years of aviation experience. He is a master army aviator, aviation safety officer, commercial pilot, instructor pilot, and was an accident investigator for the U.S. Army Safety Center.

Background - Mr. Cianfrani is rated in both rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft. As a safety officer, he has managed safety programs in organizations with over 100 aircraft stationed throughout 5 states. Mr. Cianfrani is currently an instructor for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and Kansas State University. He is also presently attending Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) as a PhD Student in Aviation Science.

Mr. Cianfrani is a certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and has also worked in the civilian, commercial aviation industry. He has been flying for companies such as Petroleum Helicopters, Damin Aviation, Keystone Helicopters, Island Helicopters, and Chopper 6 and Chopper 3 in Philadelphia. He also has experience in the flight for life, aero medical evacuation industry.

Litigation Support - Keith Cianfrani specializes in Human Factors and Material Failure in Aviation Accident Investigations. He serves as an aviation safety consultant for the Federal Aviation Administration and FIT. An IS-BAO Certified Safety Auditor, he provides safety evaluations in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulations. His services are available nationally and internationally and include written reports, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Pilot / Crew Performance Human Factors Maintenance Environmental Factors Meteorological Factors

Safety Training Material Factors Aviation Accident Reconstruction FAA Regulatory Compliance Safety Audits

View Keith Cianfrani's Consulting Profile.

Capt. David G. Bacon, is a Maritime Expert with over 30 years of vessel charter experience. He has a United States Coast Guard Captains License (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel). His expert work has included personal injuries, collisions, allisions, running aground, Rules of the Road and navigation. Capt. Bacon's vessel charters include fishing, research, cruising, eco-tours, whale watching, diving, kayaking, photography, oil seeps, and oil spills. As owner/operator, and captain of WaveWalker Charters, he has decades of vessel operations experience with zero accidents and zero injuries. Capt. Bacon is experienced with crew training, safety procedures, crew drills, and practice. The Founder and Executive Director of a nonprofit organization providing at-sea educational adventures for special-needs children and adults, he has extensive knowledge of passenger safety orientation and creating/maintaining a safe environment for passengers, including special-needs passengers in for-profit and nonprofit (501c3) ventures.

Introduction by Captain David G. Bacon

Litigation Support - Capt. Bacon offers expert witness services to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defendant and has successfully performed in depositions and testimony.  His cases include:

Boating Accidents Vessel Collision/allision, damage, sinking Personal injury Vessel Operations and Safety Seaworthiness Drownings Running aground

Jet Skis Sport Fishing Charter Boat Liability Boating Captain / Crew training and responsibilities Marine Electronics and Navigation Rules of the Road Boat Equipment Failures

Capt. Bacon has spent 30+ years participating as a technical writer for marine electronics and electrical journals, work procedures, user manuals, magazine articles, on-line publications, and social media. He is a public speaker with 15 years of experience hosting seminars, informational/motivational lectures, and presentations for civic organizations and clubs.

View Capt. Bacon's Consulting Profile.

Dr. William L. Bainbridge, Ph.D., FACFE, is a Forensic Education Expert with extensive experience in School Related Accidents, Incidents, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, College Athletics/Sports Injuries and Title IX compliance. He is court qualified in Schooling, Education Standards, Policies, and is considered to an Expert in over 35 states.

Dr. Bainbridge currently serves as President and CEO of the SchoolMatch® Institute and as a Distinguished Research Professor at The University of Dayton.

www.expertonschools.com

Thomas Barth has a foundation of 47 years as a Crane Operator, Crane Inspector, and Crane Operator Trainer, approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.

As a crane operator and crane inspector, Mr. Barth has proven his professionalism as an expert witness in crane accident investigations across the country. His career-long commitment to crane safety has led him to carefully study the industry's practices, procedures and equipment.


Experience:

• Water - Mr. Barth has 13 years of experience working cranes on the water, including off loading barges, jack-up platforms, general cargo and construction materials, pile driving, clamming and hook work


• Land - His operator experience on land includes working in Prudhoe Bay oilfield, setting steel, tilt ups, building trades, heavy picks, drag lining, and using multiple cranes to make various heavy picks

Litigation Support - Mr. Barth has over 15 years of experience as a crane accident investigator and expert witness. He has investigated more than 55 high-profile crane accidents.

Piers Morgan interview with Thomas Barth on CNN News

Mr. Barth's experience with a wide variety of cranes in diverse industries and locations has been invaluable to attorneys and legal teams in need of a professional evaluation. He has a keen understanding of the underlying principles and potential causes in accident scenarios. Mr. Barth also knows how to evaluate accident reports from government agencies, witness depositions, inspection reports, lift plans, and other evidence. He is an excellent communicator with the ability to clearly express his answers, and the reasons for them, during video or written depositions, or in the courtroom.

Types Of Cranes:

• Cranes - Crawlers, Trucks, Hydraulics, Pedestals, Overheads, Hoists, Lifts
• Construction & Farm Machinery
• Industrial Equipment & Machinery

View Thomas Barth's Consulting Profile.