Construction Accident Prevention& Safety Expert Witnesses: 21

William R. Acorn is founder of Acorn Consulting Services, LLC, an engineering firm. As a consulting mechanical engineer, Bill provides project analysis, forensic reconstructions and litigation support services relating to the design, delivery, and functioning of high-tech manufacturing facilities, semiconductor fabrication facilities, institutional laboratories, data centers, health care facilities and a variety of commercial buildings. He is a recognized expert in the evaluation of deficiencies in HVAC systems, cleanrooms, piping systems, refrigeration systems, construction defects, building and fire code compliance, and patent and trade secret disputes. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants. Bill has more than 40 years of experience as a professional engineer and is a recognized expert in assessing, evaluating, remediating and providing testimony on complex project design, construction and operational matters. His consulting expertise has been influential in shaping approaches to code compliance and life safety in semiconductor and similar advanced technology facilities.

Certifications and Designations:

• Registered as a Professional Mechanical Engineer in the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington.
• Registered with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying NCEES (Certificate No. 6999)
• Fellow in the HVAC industry leading organization ASHRAE
• Visiting lecturer at the Arizona State University Del E. Webb School of Construction in Tempe, AZ
• Advisor to CREATE, ACE – Alliance for Construction Excellence and the IAB – Industry Advisory Board, all affiliated with ASU

Building Systems Analysis:

HVAC and Refrigeration Process and Power Piping Plumbing Systems Standard of Care in Design and Construction

Chemical Exposures in the Workplace Cleanroom Design and Performance Codes and Standards Patent and Trade Secret Disputes

Litigation Support: Bill’s pragmatic approach to both forensic and litigation consulting as well as project consulting is based on more than 40 years of real-world experience as a design professional, mentor and forensic analyst, as well as many years as an instructor in professional and academic settings. Represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of jurisdictions throughout the US and Asia. Bill’s ability to explain complex issues to non-technical audiences, including juries, mediators and judges, is a key to successfully solving your litigation challenges.

• Forensic Analysis
• Strategic Litigation Consulting
• Trial Demonstratives
• Expert Testimony

Acorn Consulting Services

Consulting Services: Services range from peer review to conceptual design to development of strategies and programs for expedited project delivery.

Bill frequently acts as an owner’s agent and mentor, functioning as an extension of the owner’s project team. On other projects, Bill serves as a subject matter expert assisting project delivery firms in their development of viable solutions and review of construction documents.

As a project consultant, Bill assures the project gets off to the right start and provides his expertise through completion and operation to maximize return on investment.

Consulting Expertise Includes:

• Project Design and Management Consulting
• Forensic Analysis and Litigation Consulting
• Mentoring & Advanced Education

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.

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

Firm Profile: American Crane Training, Inspection & Certification, Inc. (AmCrane) is a multi-disciplinary professional firm that provides crane and heavy equipment training, inspections and certification across the US. AmCrane offers accident reconstruction and expert witness testimony NATIONALLY in Crane, Aerial Lift, Equipment Safety and Management Fields. 

Professional Experience: Mr. Burt Thorpe is a qualified Expert Witness in cranes, aerial lifts and heavy equipment with over 35 years experience in crane safety, equipment ownership and operation. His experience includes 4 1/2 years with the largest road and bridge contractor in the Southeast, with company wide responsibility in all cranes, rigging, critical lifts and operators. Mr. Thorpe spent 10 years as the Secretary/Treasurer, General Manager of a multi-office, multi-state equipment dealer and owner of cranes and aerial lifts. Duties included their purchase, new and used sale, rental, inspection, maintenance, repair, assembly, disassembly, transport and management. 

Direct Hands-On Experience In:

• Mobile Cranes and Boom Trucks
• Overhead Cranes and Hoists
• Aerial Lifts (boom type lifts, scissor lifts & bucket trucks)
• Tower Cranes
• Rigging
• OSHA compliance General Industry (1910)
• OSHA compliance Construction (1926)
• ANSI standards
• Bridge Beam erection and Pile Driving
• Multi-Crane and Critical Lift Engineering

Certifications:

• CCO Certified Crane Operator (all mobile, tower crane & rigging)
• CCO Authorized Practical Examiner (all above classifications)
• Certified Equipment Manager-AEMP
• Certified Safety Person
• OSHA "Outreach" Instructor-Construction and General Industry 10 hr & 30 hr

Education:

• Emory University-MBA
• Hofstra University-BA

Memberships: ASSE, AGC, AEMP, NSC, CFSC Trades Worked: Millwright, Teamster, Ironworker, Crane Operator For more information, please contact us.

Dr. Michael J. Fagel, PhD, CEM has over 30 years of broad based experience in a variety of fields relating to Crisis Management & Recovery, Consequence Management & Emergency Management. He provides specialized assistance in OSHA compliance assistance and training in Disaster Management, Emergency Response as well as Occupational Safety and Health. Aurora Safety has extensive experience in litigation guidance drawing from decades of experience in all phases of safety and emergency response and planning. They provide guidance to attorneys and insurance companies on a variety of topics and offer effective evaluations regarding the many facets of each case.

Dr. Fagel provides expert witness services to cases in across North America. He has served various Federal Agencies providing Occupational Safety Services at disaster sites. He also was EMS coordinator for the fire rescue division in North Aurora, as well as serving as an officer in the local fire service. Dr. Fagel currently teaches industrial safety and emergency medical services at several college locations and lectures at various professional trade conferences throughout the country. He offers Expert Witness Services and Litigation Support to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

Areas of Expertise:

• Disaster / Crisis Management and Recovery
• COVID-19 / Coronavirus Recovery
• OSHA Compliance
• Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs)
• Fire, EMS, Disaster Management
• Site Inspections
• Training Assessment Management and Development of Safety Programs
• Critical Incident / Crisis Management Site Inspections
• Safety Audits

View Consulting Profile.

Bellan Environmental Consulting Group (BECG) is an Environmental, Health, and Safety firm owned by expert Industrial Hygienist, Phillip Bellan, J.D., CIH, CSP. As a certified industrial hygienist, certified safety professional, and licensed attorney, Mr. Bellan specializes in cost effective expert witness services. 

Mr. Bellan has years of environmental / industrial hygiene consulting experience across multiple business sectors. 

Concurrently with BECG, Mr. Bellan serves as Manager of Industrial Hygiene at Louisiana State University where he oversees the industrial hygiene program for the flagship campus.

Litigation Support - Mr. Bellan specializes in Industrial Hygiene / Exposure litigation. Retained for nearly 30 cases, he works with plaintiff and defense attorneys offering site review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed. Mr. Bellan holds all LDEQ asbestos certifications and has federal and state court experience. 

Areas of Expertise:

Asbestos Mold Lead Benzene Noise Mesothelioma

OSHA Requirements Harmful Chemical Exposure Safety Claims for: Asbestos Abatement Mold Remediation Hazardous Clean-Ups

View Bellan Environmental Consulting Group's Business Consulting Profile.

Thomas J. Young, PE, has over 39 years of experience in national and international Transportation Construction, the Civil Engineering specialty regarding highways, bridges, rail, airports, harbors, and associated infrastructure.

Mr. Young is a skilled integrator of the parameters of program and project life cycles, leadership, management, business operations, engineering and construction. He has extensive knowledge of regulatory compliance, environmental processes, industry standards, best practices, and field operations in urban and remote areas.

Mr. Young has broad construction management and design background for many of the knowledge and skill areas required in mining operations, bridges, highways, land development, major soil/structure type facilities, land survey, and construction surveying, including work in Arctic facilities and in desert regions.

Selected Background Experience:

• Completed 34 bridge structure designs, seismic retrofits, and special studies, including large cut and cover tunnels and numerous other complex structures for the $700 million design/build Eastern Transportation Corridor toll roads in Orange County, California
• Bridge construction oversight on $1 billion Cypress Corridor reconstruction in Oakland, California. 
• $10 million Sunrise/Highway 50, and $40-$50 million Douglas/Interstate 80 Interchange and Corridor designs in Sacramento, California.
• Bridge and highway project development duties in Caltrans Districts 1-5, 7, 10-12.

Thomas J. Young: PowerTeam Interview

Litigation Support - Mr. Young can act as an expert witness in all cases related to Forensic Transportation Construction Engineering. A persuasive communicator skilled at negotiating successful outcomes to complex situations, his expertise at analysis, problem solving, and bringing parties together in the public and private sectors is an asset in his performance in forensic engineering and expert witness testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

ADA Violations Architecture Bridges Building Codes Civil Engineering Construction Accidents Construction Claims Construction Defects Construction Failure Analysis Construction Injuries Construction Safety / OSHA Cost Estimating / Overruns Design Codes Design Engineering Drainage Driving Human Factors Engineering Quality Assurance Fall Protection Forensic Engineering Investigation Geotechnical Engineering Highway Engineering

Highway Safety Hydraulics and Drainage Hydrology Industrial Facilities  Land Development Land Surveying Landscape Architecture Management Professional Responsibility Public Works Sewers Signage Strategic Planning Structural Engineering Structural Engineering  Failures Surveys Temporary Structures Traffic Safety Transportation Transportation Construction

View Civ-Tek International's Business Consulting Profile.

Since 2010, Craig Moskowitz, MBA, MS, PE, the President and Managing Member of CLM Engineering Associates, LLC (CLM), has been concentrating the comapny's focus on forensic engineering/expert witness work for the insurance industry and legal community. In addition, they offer construction management, civil engineering and building inspection services. 

CLM has extensive construction management experience on both commercial and residential projects. Projects have included:

•  Safety inspections on both civilian and military projects through application of OSHA regulations. Designed drainage systems for the government while an officer with the United States military. Cost estimating for various projects exceeding $500 million<li>
• Designed document creation and management of high-rise construction in Manhattan
• Management of telecommunications projects for Verizon in Manhattan including CPM schedule creation and updating
• Directed and managed all water distribution system and sewer system work while working as a contractor to the New York City Department of Design and Construction. 
• Marketplace Services

Litigation Support - Forensic work related to evaluation of structural steel systems with commercial building construction and insurance-related claims due to storm damage on commercial and residential structures. Craig Moskowitz has been deposed several times in litigation matters. Mr. Moskowitz has testified 17 times in the past four years. 

View Craig Moskowitz's Consulting Profile.

" WHO IS AN EXPERT?
ONE WHO HAS ACQUIRED COMPREHENSIVE SPECIFIC EDUCATION,
ADVANCED AND CONTINUING TRAINING, AND EXTENSIVE SPECIFIC
EXPERIENCE TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE AND AUTHORITATIVE ABILITIES
REPRESENTING THE MASTERY OF THE SPECIFIC FIELD AND OF THE SUBJECT."

Nation Wide and International Expertise.

Timothy G. Galarnyk: Educated in Construction and Safety.  Continued Training in Construction and Safety. More than 45 Years of HANDS-ON Field Experience. Actively involved in construction since 1976. Equipment operator, member of International Union of Operating Engineers since 2004, Certified by ATSSA in Construction Work Zone Traffic Control - MUTCD since 1988. More than 1,000 Incidents Independently Investigated. 

Traffic Crashes in Construction Work Zones - Related to MUTCD Compliance. CERTIFIED by ATSSA in Work Zone Traffic Control since 1988. 

Construction Risk Management, Inc., is a corporation with experts in construction safety, structure collapses, construction means and methods, and construction work zone traffic control.  Investigation focuses on:

Bridges, Buildings, Residential, Industrial, Commercial, High-Rises, Marine, Highways, Underground, Water, General and Subcontractor Issues

Litigation Support - We conduct Forensic Investigations of Construction Accidents / Injuries / Deaths to establish the Cause. What happened? How did it happen? Where and When did it happen? Why did it happen? Who is Responsible? Depositions and Trial Experienced. State and Federal Courts. Defense and Plaintiff - Makes no difference as the case facts and evidence rules. 

Areas of Expertise (include but not limited to):

Scaffolding Cranes Rigging Earth Moving Equipment Aerial Lifts Forklifts Trenching / Excavating Falls Steel Erection Electrical Injuries / Electrocution

Confined Spaces Concrete Work OSHA Issues Bridge / Building Structural Collapse Trucking of Construction Material Steel Materials Reinforcing Bars Concrete Pilings Loading / Unloading Injuries

Deborah E. Dickerson is an associate professor of Safety Engineering and Human Factors Engineering, and the Director of the Healthy Work Design Laboratory in the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.  

Dr. Dickerson holds an MS and PhD degrees in safety engineering and the certified safety professional (CSP), certified industrial hygienist (CIH), and certified hazardous materials manager (CHMM) credentials. She has over 25 years of experience in the fields of industrial hygiene and safety engineering: conducting investigations and designing safe work systems.  

 Dr. Dickerson led a compliance organization responsible for conducting investigations and ensuring compliance with safety and health standards (OSHA and EPA). She has 21 years of university teaching experience and has taught courses on occupational safety, industrial hygiene, risk control, and human factors engineering. Her expertise is in the control of occupational health hazards and Prevention through Design.  Prevention through Design (PtD) emphasizes the elimination of hazards associated with the design of equipment, tools, materials, and systems.  

Dr. Dickerson has been involved in Prevention through Design efforts at the national level and has served on an advisory committee of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) concerning the development of PtD initiatives. She is the author of a textbook chapter on the subject in the Handbook of Industrial and Systems Engineering. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Dickerson provides expert witness services to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant. Her services include on-site investigation, thorough reporting, deposition, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Workplace Injury Workplace Illness Product Liability Premises Liability Industrial Accidents Warnings and Labels OSHA Worker's Compensation Human Factors Safe Equipment Design

Respiratory Protection Respiratory Illness Chemical Exposures Dust Asbestos Silica Lead Temperature Extremes Laboratory Safety Hazardous Materials

Dennis W. Eckstine is an expert on cranes, aerial work platforms, various types of lifting equipment, heavy duty trucks, carriers, and other similiar construction, industrial and agricultural equipment. He has held senior positions in engineering, quality, product safety and reliability for major manufacturers including representing the company at trial. 

Through his active involvement in current standards committees, his education, and his engineering and product safety experience at Grove Worldwide, Mr. Eckstine brings a solid scientific and practical background to his clients. He was previously Vice President, Senior Director of Product Safety & Reliability, and Director of Engineering Administration for different major manufacturers. He possesses a BSME and MBA. 

Mr. Eckstine started as a full time employee in the construction equipment industry in 1971 for Grove. He is currently a member of numerous committees within the organizations of ANSI (American National Standards Institute), SAE (Society of Automotive Engineering), ISO, and National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. Mr. Eckstine was the founding International Chairman of ISO TC 214 for Elevating Work Platforms. He is currently International Chairman of ISO TC 96 SC 6 for Mobile Cranes, and a Commissioner of CCO. 

Services Offered

• Expert on construction, industrial and agricultural equipment
• Evaluate Product to Promote Safe Design and Safe Use of Equipment
• Hazard Analysis, Design Review, Warnings Development, Safety and Operational Training
• Offer Guidance on Human Factors
• CIE - Certified Industrial Ergonomist
• Develop Standards for Design and Safe Use of Products
• Develop Training Materials and Perfrom Training for Operators of Lifting Equipment Including Cranes and Aerial Work Platforms
• Conduct Presentations at Seminars and Work Shops

• Over 35 years of experience in Mechanical / Structural Engineering & Design, Failure Analysis, Product Liability, Industural Asbestos,Pressure Vessel & Boiler analysis and evaluation of mechanical and structural components.
• Extensive trial experience. Has been involved in multi-million dollar cases. Areas involved included:

  
  

  - Piping & pipe supports - Structural failure of products - Failure analysis - Industrial asbestos - Seismic analysis - Fire protection - Pressure vessels

  - Tanks - Construction - Heat transfer analysis - Environmental qualification of equipment - Welding - Product design - Patent information

• Expertise in developing litigation rate-case exhibits and detailed supporting testimony, and in organizing case documentation into easy-to-use computer databases for trial use.

Prof. Makarand (Mark) Hastak, PhD, PE, CCP, CRIS, is the Professor and the Dernlan Family Head of Construction Engineering and Management as well as Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University. Dr. Hastak has been involved with the construction industry for the past 35 years providing his expertise through consulting, research, teaching, and service to the industry. 

Dr. Hastak is a world renowned expert in the area of construction engineering and management including risk management, profitability of Construction companies, process improvement, disaster risk reduction, resilience and capacity building, infrastructure management, intelligent planning for the built environment, project control, project management decision-making, and strategic planning. As a Fellow of the American Council on Education (cohort of 2013-14) at Cornell University his work focused on the various facets of Hybrid RCM budget, engaged institution, and Public-Private Partnership in academia.

Dr. Hastak is a Professional Engineer (PE), a Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS), and a Certified Cost Professional (CCP). He  has worked on numerous projects sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute (CII), NSF, State DOTs, and City Agencies. He is the current President of CIB (International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction) and the Chair of the Advisory Board of teh Global Leadership Forum for Construction Engineering and Management programs (GLF-CEM). He also serves as an Academic Advisor to the Downstream and Chemicals Committee of the Construction Industry Institute (CII).

Dr. Hastak  has authored over 200 publications in his areas of expertise. He has co-authored a widely used book on Infrastructure Planning, Engineering, and Economics (McGraw-Hill 2006 and 2015). Dr. Hastak served on the Education Board of the Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering (2004-2016). He was Editor for two AACE books, the Skills and Knowledge of Cost Engineering (6th Ed. 2015) and the CCP Certification Study Guide (2nd Ed. 2016). He was also the Editor-in-Chief of the ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering (2009-2016). 

Dr. Hastak has given over 50 keynotes and invited lectures around the world. As a prominent educator and consultant, he also engages in developing training material and workshops as well as regularly teaching professional courses for the A/E/C industry. His services include consultation, on-site investigation, data collection, assessment, and reporting. He has completed the 30-Hour OSHA Hazard Recognition Training for the Construction Industry 

Dr. Hastak Lectures at the 2015 International Conference on Building Resilience

Litigation Support - Dr. Hastak offers expert witness services to attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant. He has served as an Expert Witness on twenty-six (26) cases since 2017 and was deposed on eight plus two evidence depositions. His services include case reviews, written reports, depositions, and trial testimony as needed. 

Areas of Expertise:

Construction Engineering Construction Management Cost Overruns Schedule Delays Construction Safety/OSHA Modular Construction Patent Infringement

Factory Built Construction Infrastructure Planning Data Center Construction Project Risk Management Disaster Recovery / Disaster Mitigation Trade Secrets Misappropriation Contracts & Warranties

View Dr. Hastak's Consulting Profile.

The experts at Miller Engineering are Ann Arbor-based professional engineers celebrating 30 years of service to University, Government, Insurance, and Industry through research, publications, presentations, and testimony. Miller Engineering has a staff of engineers and experts in the Mechanical, Chemical, Agriculture, Industrial, and Human Factors fields of engineering with specific knowledge in the following areas: 

Vehicles Car/Truck Accident Reconstruction Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) Visibility & Reaction Time Analysis Tires, Trailers, Brakes & Accelerators Truck/Off Road Vehicle Egress/Ingress Traffic Signing and Construction Zones Mechanical & Electrical Safety Product Safety & Analysis Machinery - Metal, Wood, Plastic Molding Machine Guarding & Safety, Robots, Automation Hazard and Risk Analysis Employee Safety Procedures – OSHA Electrical Distribution & Transmission Hazards

Warnings & Instructions Warning Labels & User Manual Design Hazard Analysis & Product Label Designs Medical Device & Drug Warnings & Instructions Inadequate Warnings Analysis Standard Compliance (ANSI Z535) Product Recall Information & Strategies Consumers/Household Safety Appliances & Tools Child Furniture, Choking, Playgrounds Swimming Pools & Exercise Equipment Recreation - ATV, Boats, Bicycles, Boards Ladder, Stair, Step and Railing Accidents Slip, Trip, & Fall Accidents

Chemicals Safety & Labeling NEW OSHA HAZCOM (2012) & GHS Review MSDS, SDS and Product Label Compliance Toxic Torts - Diacetyl, Asbestos, Benzene, Lead, Carbon Monoxide Vaping & E-Cigarette Health Effects Chemical Exposures & Workplace Safety Chemical Inhalation, Ingestion, Dermal Contact Contamination - Water & Environmental Manufacturing & Process Line Accidents Slips, Trips, Falls, & Entanglements Fires & Explosions Cause & Origin Investigations Gas, Vapor, & Electrical Spontaneous Combustion Vaping & E-cigarette Battery Failures

Agriculture Tractor & Equipment Accidents Chemical Applications & Exposures Crop Storage & Harvesting Accidents Pesticides Construction Vehicle Visibility Accidents Slip, Trip, & Fall Accidents Power Tool Repetitive & Immediate Injuries Scaffolding - Cranes - Hoisting - Fork Lifts Insurance Subrogation & Forensics Accident Investigations Electrical & Fire Causation Chemical Leakage Damage Defective Equipment Injuries Premise and Process Damages

James M. Miller, PE, PhD – Founder Dr. Miller is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Michigan College of Engineering and a registered professional engineer and consultant with over 30 years of experience as an expert witness. He has served as a consultant to industry and government and is highly qualified to give engineering testimony. Dr. Miller specializes in warnings, labeling and instruction manuals, consumer product design, machine guarding, process safety, fire science, vehicle visibility, tractor egress/ingress, pedestrian and worker slip and fall prevention, recreational vehicles (ATVs, boats, and personal watercraft), compliance with occupational safety and consumer safety standards (OSHA, MSDS, CPSC, ANSI, ASTM, UL, etc.).

Mark R. Lehto, PhD – Co-Founder Dr. Lehto is a Professor of Engineering at Purdue University. He completed his Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Michigan in 1985, where he specialized in Human Factors Engineering, in particular Warnings and Labeling. He has taught courses at Purdue in human and safety factors areas, as well as decision making and artificial intelligence. He has authored numerous professionally-reviewed articles, and he has authored / coauthored internationally-recognized textbooks in the areas of human factors and ergonomics. Dr. Lehto specializes in knowledge engineering, warnings and instructions, structuring expert systems, accident modeling, accident statistical analysis, consumer product safety, boating safety, in-field national surveys of product usage and product information effectiveness.

David R. Clark, PE, PhD – Co-Founder Dr. Clark is an Emeritus Engineering Professor at Kettering University. He was an engineering Ph.D. graduate from the University of Michigan, where he specialized in human factors engineering and system safety analyses. In particular, his earlier degrees in mechanical and electrical areas have given him a special expertise in electrical fire- and explosion-related accidents. Dr. Clark is also published on the topics of warnings and labeling. With considerable in-plant experience at General Motors, he is uniquely qualified to provide student theses and design projects while teaching at Kettering that deal with many types of mechanical and optimization projects. Finally, he has extensive experience working for loss control companies, performing over 150 fire origin and cause investigations in the past few years.

Michael Fagan, QEC, is a nationally recognized Elevator Consultant with over 50 years of industry experience in elevator Design, Construction, Modernization, Maintenance, and Repair. 

As a Managing Partner at JSG Elevator, Mr. Fagan interfaces with Federal, State, and Local governmental agencies and universities, owner representatives, architects, managing agents, and elevator code authorities in the locations of operations, new product availability, and reliability research. 

Mr. Fagan's background includes working with NASA, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the Veterans Administration on special projects, specifications for maintenance, repairs, and modernization. He has served as a National Elevator Industry Educational Program Instructor and is the author of numerous articles on elevator maintenance, modernization and repair for Building Operating and Management magazine. 

Litigation Support - Michael Fagan has been a court approved Expert Witness for over 20 years. He has provided knowledgeable research and effective analysis in over 400 litigation cases and has been deposed over 200 times. Mr. Fagan provides litigation support, including mediation, investigation, and technical services to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defendant, carriers, and manufacturers, in the areas of:

Construction Claims Accident Investigation Accident Reconstruction Elevator Safety

Wrongful Death Vertical Transportation Safety Engineering Risk Management