Fire - Explosions (General) Expert Witnesses: 24

Rapperport Associates, Inc., provides exceptional capability in Failure Analysis, Fire and Explosion Investigation, Accident Reconstruction, Structural Analysis, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials Science. We have provided superior technical support for litigation since 1974, and possess an extraordinarily talented technical team with impeccable academic and industrial credentials and proven analysis capability. Our team of distinguished scientists and engineers is drawn principally from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) and Stanford University. 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

Failure Analysis Structural Design Analysis Metallurgical Failures Finite Element Stress Analysis Fracture and Fatigue Analysis Scanning Electron Microscopy Corrosion

Accident Reconstruction Automobiles / Trucks Biomechanics / Injury Mechanism Off-Road Vehicles Occupant Motion Aircraft Animation

Fire & Explosion Analysis Cause and Origin Electrical Gases, Liquids and Dust Industrial Processes

Safety Machine and Industrial Safety Machine Guarding Construction Failures Slips, Trips, Falls

Engineering

• Mechanical
• Structural / Civil
• Metallurgy
• Materials Science
• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Electrical

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

John Chadwick is an AEROSOL TECHNICAL EXPERT with 35 years of Aerosol Industry experience. Mr. Chadwick has designed State-of-the-Art Aerosol Laboratories for Fortune 500 aerosol marketers. 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 including Household Products, Hair Care, Cooking Release Sprays, VOC Reduction, and many more. His broad experience includes the following types of aerosols:

• 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.

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.

Gregory J. Cahanin, CP works in the Fire Protection Engineering field. Over 40 years of experience in the application of sound engineering principles work to produce results in litigation cases. He is nationally recognized as a Life Safety and Fire Protection expert. He performs fire origin and cause, fire alarm, fire sprinkler, kitchen suppression, fire wall and compartmentation failures, and slip and fall forensic investigations. Gregory J. Cahanin Fire & Code Consulting has been based in St. Petersburg, FL for over 25 years.

Background - Mr. Cahanin served as a Senior Life Safety Engineer with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the organization that writes Fire Protection Codes and Standards. He was staff liaison for building construction standards and the Fire Prevention Code. Special project work included support of the International Division of NFPA in a survey of fire protection for all oil production facilities of LaGoven SA in Venezuela; an evaluation of the existing airport terminal in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; and a code comparison study for the National Institute of Building Sciences. Mr. Cahanin investigated multiple fatality fires for NFPA and his reports are nationally published and peer reviewed. Mr. Cahanin holds Professional Grade Membership in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. Mr. Cahanin has earned three undergraduate degrees in Fire Science and Fire Protection and a Master in Public Administration.

Litigation Support - Mr. Cahanin regularly testifies in fire cases offering opinions on the origin and cause of fires in addition to component failures in construction, fire sprinkler systems, kitchen suppression systems and product failures. He is nationally published on fire protection requirements in the building code as a contributing editor on the 2006 edition of the International Building Code (IBC) Commentary where he edited the sections on fire-resistance rated construction. He currently serves on code committees with both the NFPA and ICC. Mr. Cahanin holds a NALA paralegal certification and is well versed in Civil Procedure, interrogatory, expert report writing, and trial procedures.

Mr. Cahanin meets the professional qualifications of NFPA 1033, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator as documented in a Florida Declaratory Statement held by no other fire expert in the state of Florida.

Investigations of note include the Warwick. R.I. Station Nightclub Fire in 2003 with 100 fatalities. In Wyatt v. Security Alarms Co., Inc. key testimony on the failure of a Viking automatic fire sprinkler established a product liability that resulted in a $1.4M dollar jury award for Wyatt in Oklahoma.

Mr. Cahanin's services are available to plaintiff and defendant attorneys. Case work can include site investigation, materials testing, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

Fire Origin and Cause Determination Kitchen Fire Suppression Systems Fire Hazard Analysis Fire Sprinklers Fire-based Construction Defects CPVC Sprinkler Pipe Failure

Fire Walls and Compartmentation Life Safety Egress & Compliance Fire & Building Code Compliance Explosion Analysis and Cause Fire Alarm Failures Walking Surface Slip Trip & Fall

View Cahanin Fire & Code's Consulting Profile.

Robert C. Hoffman Jr, PE, CFEI, is a licensed Professional Engineer certified as a Fire and Explosion Investigator. With 30 years of experience, the primary focus of his knowledge is a deep understanding and application of all aspects of Product Safety for the Consumer Goods Industry.

Background Experience: For 27 years, Mr. Hoffman worked with the Whirlpool Corporation in various roles. He served the company as a Drum Sub-System Design/Development Engineer, a Laundry Product Approval Engineer, and Dryer Platform Structures Sub-System Leader and Engineer. His final position with the company before retirement was Principal Engineer, a position he served in for 8 years. 

Mr. Hoffman's primary areas of specialization are Heat / Combustion Containment strategies, and Electrical System Design strategies in expected customer abnormal use.  His involvement in field investigation evaluations and product liability support allow him to understand how products react in the field and produce both relevance safety tests and design solutions.

Litigation Support: Mr. Hoffman works as an expert witness with clients needing to understand if a product in the field has some type of design or manufacturing defect, as well as clients needing support to defend their product against a potential field hazard allegation. His background in statistics and presentation of data allows him to take complex situations and break the information down into simple, yet accurate assessments of the situation.

Mr. Hoffman's services include product failure mode and effects analysis, root cause investigations, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Product Safety / Appliance Safety Product Fire Hazard Electric Shock Lacerations Suffocation

Contact Burn Hazards  Warning Labels Faulted Components Clothes Dryer Fire Containment Code Evaluation

View Robert C. Hoffman's Consulting Profile.

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:

Marina Operations Standards and Design Considerations Navigation Rules Accident Investigation and Reconstruction Personal Watercraft (jet ski) Collisions and Allisions Longshore and Harbor Worker Injury Crew Injury Marine Fires and Explosions Passenger Injury Intact and Damage Stability Analysis Repair and Construction Contract Dispute

Salvage Engineering Vessel and Crew Safety Structural Analysis of Hulls Cargo Damage and Loss Marine Safety and Security Risk Analysis / Product Risk Assessment Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Marine Product Safety Assessment Marine Equipment Evaluation Cargo Rigging and Handling, Heavy Lift Standards Compliance

Edward S. George PE, has over 30 years of experience in the field of Product Liability and Failure Analysis.

Mr. George earned his BS and MS degrees from the University of Florida Department of Materials Science and Engineering, graduating with a specialty in metallurgy. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Florida. Mr. George is a member of The National Society of Professional Engineers, The American Welding Society, The National Association of Forensic Engineers, The Florida Engineering Society, American Water Works Association, and The International Society for Fall Protection.

Mr. George has experience in a variety of material failures including Metals, Polymers, Plastics, Composites, Ceramics, Glass, and Porcelain.

Litigation Support - A court-qualified expert, Mr. George has over 13 years of experience and has testified in depositions and trials. His forensic training is complemented by his industrial experience including:

• Heat Treating of Metals
• Welding and Joining of Materials
• Materials Testing and Evaluation
• Quality Control and Assurance
• Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopic Techniques
• Destructive and Non-destructive Physical Testing
• Laboratory Equipment and Procedures

View Edward George's Consulting Profile.

Paul Eason is a Licensed Professional Engineer, Nationally Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator and Forensic Consultant. His expertise comes from a strong background in industry and academia. In addition to his consulting practice, he is a professor in the School of Engineering at the University of North Florida, and maintains a graduate faculty appointment in the Materials Science and Engineering Program at the University of Florida. 

Dr. Eason has testified in numerous trials and depositions in the following practice areas: 

Product Design & Manufacturing Analysis - Metallurgy & Materials - Fire & Explosions - Industrial Accidents 

Areas of Expertise: Product Liability and Materials Failure Analysis, Product Defect & Safety Issues including: Metals, Plastics, Glass, Ceramics, Corrosion, Fatigue, Overload & Material Selection 

Fire and Explosion Analysis including: cause and origin determination, product related fire causation, industrial process accidents, dust explosions, welding / brazing accidents

Envista Forensics is a global leader in Forensic Engineering & Recovery Solutions. They provide Cause & Origin, Failure Analysis, Fire and Explosion Investigations, Accident Reconstruction, Damage Evaluations and Equipment Restoration Services following disasters of all kinds. Envista has offered Consulting Services to the insurance, legal and risk management industries, as well as businesses, public entities, and universities for over 25 years.

Their Experts travel globally from 30 offices located across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Australia and Singapore. Envista's experience counts when equipment, systems, structures, or data have been threatened by catastrophe or litigation. Their experts and advisors determine cause and responsibility, and identify the nature and extent of damage or loss and provide a full range of solutions to protect their assets.

Envista's technical professionals are trusted advisors and industry leaders. Their expertise is broad and deep, capable of withstanding all forms of scrutiny. Envista's services are available globally so that certainty is assured no matter where in the world it is needed. As the recovery from disasters has grown more complex, Envista has developed a comprehensive array of services to help their clients and has associates located around the globe to provide assurance no matter the type of loss or location of the disaster. Envista helps attorneys quickly get to meaningful answers on the many technical issues at the center of a dispute. Their engineers have decades of experience working with both defendants and plaintiffs.

They offer effective Expert Witness Testimony, with the ability to communicate effectively, build rapport with juries and judges, and maintain adherence to structured, methodical approaches in drawing conclusions are all extremely critical. Envista Forensics understands how critical the selection of an expert can be, and we understand what makes experts effective. Their court qualified experts have extensive experience providing expert testimony on a wide variety of engineering and technical matters.

Areas of Expertise:

Aviation & Aerospace Biomechanics Construction Defects Digital Forensics Electrical Injury & Electrocutions Causation Chemical Computer / Network Equipment Failure Construction Defect Disputes over Reparability of Damage Electrical Failure Equipment Restoration Fire & Explosion Analysis Equipment Restoration

Industrial / Manufacturing Equipment Materials Failure Mechanical Accidents Mechanical Failure Medical / Laboratory Equipment Product Failure / Liability Project Management Structural Failure Subrogation Utility & Energy Valuation of Structures or Equipment Vehicle Accident Investigation Workplace / Premises Accidents

View Envista's Consulting Profile.

John A. Williams, PhD, PE, CFEI, MBA, ASA, AIChE Fellow. 

Dr. Williams delivers Technology Assessments and Financial Valuation Analysis for business disputes involving intellectual property, trade secrets, patent infringement, licensing, royalties, capital investment, manufacturing operations expenses, ad valorem taxes, and lost profit calculations. He is an Accredited Senior Appraiser by the American Society of Appraisers, 

Practical 40 years of engineering experience in renewable and conventional energy technologies and facilities encompassing oil & gas, refining, biofuels, biomass, solar, wind, geothermal, coal, chemicals, steel, and power generation. A NAFI Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator, Dr. Williams performs forensic investigations of fires, explosions, equipment failures, and industrial accidents. 

Dr. Williams is a licensed Professional Engineer in the States of Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusettes, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

William Guentzler, Ph.D. has over 30 years as a Forensic Examiner and 36 years as a University Professor. Dr. Guentzler specializes in the area of FAILURE ANALYSIS for autos, trucks, ATCs, ATVs, motorcycles, motor homes, marine and golf carts. 

Areas of Expertise:

BRAKES TIRES IGNITION FUEL SYSTEMS COOLING ALTERNATIVE FUELS / BI and DUAL FUEL SYSTEMS

ELECTRICAL SEAT BELTS BATTERY EXPLOSIONS HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES VEHICLE FIRE CAUSE AND ORIGIN

Dr. Guentzler has served as an Expert Witness for both Plaintiff and Defense in over 550 Cases. References are available upon request.

California Main Office: 793A East Foothill Blvd., #200 San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

Global Forensic Services, LLC (GFS) is a Forensic Consulting, Laboratory and Investigative Firm offering over 37 years of experience and training in a wide range of forensic science and private investigation disciplines.

Larry Stewart has personally examined tens of thousands of individual items of evidence from sources such as state, local, and federal agencies (e.g. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Central Intelligence Agency, and others), and foreign governments. On several occasions he has examined cases involving international disputes between governments. 

Mr. Stewart has testified as an Expert Witness in state, federal and military courts of law, as well as in foreign court systems to include; Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sri Lanka and Thailand. He has also testified at The Hague in the Netherlands and three times as an expert before the U.S. Congress. 

Areas of Expertise Include:

Questioned Documents Crime Scene Evaluation Trace Evidence Ink Analysis Age Determination Authenticity Fraud Investigations Fingerprints

Handwriting Daubert and Cold Case (consultant) Investigations Indented Writing Striations Typewriting Erasures Office Machines Tracing

Meyer R. Rosen, FRSC, FAIC, CPC, CChE, is a leading creative consultant for the Legal Profession, Specialty Chemical / Personal Care Industries. He is Founder & President of Interactive Consulting, Inc. (www.chemicalconsult.com). 

Meyer is a Forensic Litigation expert for both plaintiff and defense in hazardous chemicals, products liability, personal injury, fires and explosions, intellectual property and trade secret cases. He also provides Technical Marketing, New Business Development, Technical Consulting and Professional Editing services internationally to the Specialty Chemical, Personal Care, Cosmetic, Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, and Allied Industries. 

Meyer also has 15 years experience as a Professor of Fire Technology at Westchester Community College. Mr. Rosen is Editor- in- Chief of Harry’s Cosmeticology, 9th Ed. A 2,600 page trilogy on all aspects of the cosmetic industry (www.harryscosmeticology.com)’ as well as being Editor-in-Chief Emeritus for EuroCosmetics magazine (Germany). 

Technology Expertise (Intellectual Property/Chemical Industry): Mr. Rosen provides consultation and litigation support in patent infringement, trade secret issues and licensing matters. His scientific areas of expertise include, but are not limited to:

• Organosilicones: Surfactants, Emulsions, Foams, Antifoams, Silane Coupling Agents
• Water Soluble Polymers, Poly(ethylene oxide), Polyethylene Glycol, and Poly (acrylamide) and Water Insoluble Polymers
• Colloid and Surface Chemistry: Stability of Dispersions, Wetting & Spreading Phenomena, Suspensions & Emulsions, Clays, Paint & Coatings, Personal Care, Cosmetics
• Flocculating and Coagulating Agents
• Applied Rheology, Rheology Modification of Aqueous & Non-Aqueous Media

Certifications:

• Chartered Chemist and Fellow: Royal Society of Chemistry – London
• Nationally Certified Professional Chemist and Professional Chemical Engineer
• Fire and Explosion Expert (Advanced Training)
• Fellow: American College of Forensic Examiners
• Fellow: American Institute of Chemists
• Diplomate: American Board of Forensic Examiners
• Diplomate: American Board of Forensic Engineering and Technology

View Meyer Rosen's Consulting Profile.