Aquatics - Boating / Sailing - Marine Recreation & Sports Expert Witnesses: 8

George Zeitler, MSc, has over 30 years of experience in the Marine Industry in various regulatory, management, and consulting roles. He is an Accredited Marine Surveyor (Y&SC) by the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors and a Member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying.

Background Experience - Mr. Zeitler served 18 years as a USCG Marine Inspector / Casualty Investigator, and 7 years as a Class Society principal surveyor (DNV).  He then spent 1 year as VP of Operations for a niche cruise line. Mr. Zeitler went on to serve 5 years as a technical consultant for various segments of the marine industry, including 2 years as third party environmental auditor for criminal pollution cases. He has been an Accredited Yacht and Small Craft Surveyor for over 15 years. 

In 2002, Mr. Zeitler formed Zeitler Marine Services (ZMS), using his experience and knowledge to offer condition and valuation (pre-purchase and insurance) and damage survey services to the yachting and recreational boating communities in south Florida. He is currently the Director of the Chapman School of Seamanship Yacht and Small Craft survey course.

Litigation Support - Mr. Zeitler uses his vast experience verifying Compliance with Applicable Maritime Laws / Regulations through on site surveys and audits of client's vessels. His years of operational and regulatory enforcement help provide clients with a unique perspective that is key in identifying vulnerabilities onboard vessels as well as gaps in policies and procedures. He functions as a Court Appointed Monitor in situations where vessel operators are negotiating a plea agreement for a DOJ-approved Environmental Compliance Programs.

Areas of Expertise:

• Vessel Design and Construction
• Vessel Compliance with International and US Laws and Regulations
• Compliance with Federal and Voluntary (ABYC) Standards for Yachts and Small Craft
• Casualty Investigation
• Vessel Operations
• Cruise Ship Management, Operation, and Safety
• Environmental Compliance and Auditing

Dr. Alan Steinman is an expert in Maritime Medicine with particular emphasis on Sea-Survival, Drowning and Hypothermia. He has served as Surgeon General and Director of Health and Safety for the U.S. Coast Guard, as medical advisor to the Coast Guard's Chief of Operations, and as rescue physician on numerous Coast Guard search and rescue missions. He has an international reputation in hypothermia and cold-water survival. Dr. Steinman is widely published in the field of environmental medicine, including a chapter on immersion hypothermia in a leading textbook of emergency medicine. His research into human cold-water immersion and hypothermia merited the prestigious Arnold D. Tuttle Award from the Aerospace Medicine Association. The results from his human hypothermia studies contributed to the basis of current U.S. Coast Guard cold-water survival time charts. Dr. Steinman is Board Certified in Occupational Medicine; he is a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. His Doctor of Medicine degree is from the Stanford School of Medicine; his post-graduate medical training was at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Steinman has experience in both federal and state courts serving as an expert witness in numerous cases involving sea-survival, drowning, and hypothermia.

Pool Operation Management (POM), founded in 1980, is an Aquatics Safety and Risk Management firm that is nationally recognized for pool consulting services including liability and risk management, compliance with governmental regulations, facility operations, mechanical questions, and personnel requirements. Trevor A. Sherwood II has extensive experience in the swimming pool industry, with 30 years of experience in service, consulting, training and education, code/regulations development, and expert witness. He has contributed to aquatic textbooks and related articles, influenced State Recreational Bathing Codes, and presented at national industry conferences. He has provided leadership to such organizations as National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF), Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA), Community Association Institute - New Jersey Chapter (CAI), New Jersey Apartment Association (NJAA), New Jersey Parks and Recreation Society (NJPRS), Pennsylvania Parks and Recreation Society (PRPS) and New Jersey and Massachusetts Health Departments. He has been retained by attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense. Mr. Sherwood's extensive swimming pool consulting experience qualifies him to appear in court on the following matters:

View Consulting Profile.

Gerald M. Dworkin is a professional Aquatics Safety & Water Rescue Consultant for Lifesaving Resources, LLC. He has an extensive background in Aquatics Safety, Lifeguard Training and Operations, Water Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, Surf Rescue, and Ice Rescue, EMS and Firefighting.  Along with several textbooks, he has written and published over 40 articles, and has consulted in over 500 drowning and aquatic injury litigation cases as both a Plaintiff and Defense Expert Witness.

Expert Witness Services

As an expert witness, Mr. Dworkin evaluates the Standard of Care as it pertains to Incident Prevention, Victim Recognition, and Emergency Management and provides accident reconstruction, depositions, written reports, and courtroom testimony. 

His Areas of Expertise Include:

• Lifesaving, Lifeguarding and Aquatics Safety
• Water Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, Surf Rescue, and Ice Rescue
• CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) & Basic Life Support
• Mechanisms & Physiology of Drowning
• Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention and Emergency Management
• Lifeguard Training and Operations
• Mechanisms and Emergency Management of Diving Accidents

Gregory T. Davis is an internationally recognized expert in Marine Forensics and Marine Survey. He has over 40 years of experience as a Professional Marine Surveyor and Investigator, and is the founder and President of Davis & Company, Ltd. the nation's leading marine survey and loss investigation firm.

Mr. Davis was formerly Senior Managing Consultant with Engineering Systems Inc. (ESi) and Director of the Marine Practice Group. His firm, Davis Marine Consulting Associates, LLC, formed in June of 2018, offers professional services to a wide variety of clients, for investigations related to Marine Accidents that range from recreational and commercial watercraft design and loss evaluations to marina operations. 

Mr. Davis is a Fire and Explosion Investigator certified by the National Association of Fire Investigators, and a Marine Surveyor certified by the National Association of Marine Surveyors, Inc., He is a ‘Special Expert’ on NFPA 303 “Marinas and Boatyards,” and is NTSB training certified in Marine Accident Investigation. 

He is a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), serving on their O-45 Fire Protection and Safety Panel and is Chair of the MF10 Small Boat Forensics Panel. He is a member of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), having served on their Board of Directors and is currently serving on the Technical Board.

Mr. Davis has been recognized by Marquis Publications with their “Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award” and by Lawyer Monthly magazine within their “2019 Expert Awards”.

Litigation Support - Mr. Davis offers comprehensive, project specific expert witness services to help identify project goals and issues. His service are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant. General areas of specialization include: 

• Marine Forensics and Marine Survey
• Marine Accident Investigation and Reconstruction
• Failure Analysis, Safety Assessments, and Risk Analysis
• Marine Fire and Explosion Origin and Cause

Specific Areas of Expertise:

Jack G. Cohen has been involved in the Automobile Industry for over 30 years, wholesaling and retailing, and running several dealerships and franchises. Mr. Cohen has been retained as an expert witness over 50 times since 2015. His services are available to attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant. He consults with attorneys, dealers, consumers, and insurance companies. 

Areas of Expertise:

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:

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.

Jason Young, BESc., MASc, PEng, is the President of Advantage Forensics Inc., a multi-disciplinary forensic engineering firm in Ontario with service across Canada and the U.S., including N.Y., Michigan, Ohio, Penn., Mass., Vermont, California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Missouri & Hawaii. Mr. Young is an outstanding seasoned expert in collision reconstruction, human factors, biomechanics, patent infringement, and waterparks with an exceptional track record at mediation and trial. 

Our firm was VOTED #1 EXPERT WITNESS in Accident Investigation & Reconstruction in Canada.  We have conducted thousands of forensic investigations with tremendous success at trial for our plaintiff & defence clients in:

• Collision Reconstruction - pedestrian, nighttime visibility, motorcycle, bicycle, truck, data recorder download & analysis, freeway collisions, computer simulation, winter maintenance, road design, forensic video analysis, snowmobile, Segways
• Human Factors - perception reaction time, driver behavior, road signage, warnings & labels, product misuse
• Slips, Trips & Falls - friction testing, staircase building code assessment, fall hazard assessment
• Biomechanics - seatbelt use, injury thresholds, fraud investigation, fall dynamics, occupant ejection, whiplash & concussion thresholds
• Product Failure - materials failure, design assessment, safety factor testing, electrical failure
• Playground, Fitness Equipment & Sports Accidents - playground, exercise equipment, marine, trampoline, ski, sports facilities
• Waterpark, Pool, Zipline & Amusement Ride Accidents - waterslides, friction testing, zipline, aerial adventure, acceleration testing 
• Fire & Explosion Investigation

Our team of over 30 experts and consultants provides the full complement of forensic, academic, research & courtroom experience.

Mr. Young is a licensed professional engineer and seasoned expert with over 20 qualifications at Superior Court level, over 20 publications, and 2500 forensic investigations with 1500 trial-ready reports over 20 years in Collision Reconstruction, Human Factors, Biomechanics, Patent Infringement, Road Design & Waterslide Design. 

Mr. Young has a Masters in Biomedical Engineering and a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, as well as numerous certifications and contributions to standards in these areas. Mr. Young has provided seminars to law conferences for over 15 years on these topics. Mr. Young is a long-time member of CATAIR, HFES, CARSP, and ASTM. See our website at www.aforensics.ca for additional information. We also offer the option of fixed file quotes GUARANTEED within 10%. View Advantage Forensics' Consulting Profile.