Machinery (General / Rotated) Expert Witnesses: 19

Kristopher J. Seluga, PE, is a Mechanical Engineering, Accident Reconstruction, Biomechanics, and Safety Expert with over 20 years of experience. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Mechanical Engineering department at MIT where he worked on the development of novel three-dimensional printing technologies.

Mr. Seluga is also a licensed Professional Engineer in New York and Connecticut, and has served as a member of the ANSI engineering committee for the Z130.1 and Z135 standards for golf cars and PTV’s. His research interests and peer reviewed publications span the topics of Motor Vehicle Dynamics, Product Safety, and Biomechanics.

Litigation Support - Mr. Seluga has been working as a forensic engineer at Technology Associates since 2001. He has investigated 100s of accidents for both plaintiffs and defendants. Mr. Seluga has been qualified to testify as an expert in state and federal court and is experienced in testifying in depositions and trials. He has successfully defeated Daubert / Frye challenges and can prepare and explain compelling exhibits at trial.

Areas of Expertise:

Motor Vehicle Accident Reconstruction Mechanical Engineering Premises Liability Biomechanics Product Design and Safety

Product Liability Falls Safety - Warnings / Visibility Simulation and Animation

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

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

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

Accident Investigation:

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

View Bransford Pickett's Consulting Profile.

Thomas W. Caldwell, PE, has over 40 years of experience in Materials Research and Development, Process and Product Development, and Manufacturing Operations in the Precision Cast and Machined Products industry.

Mr. Caldwell has designed and manufactured components for consumer and industrial products, including safety-critical applications such as aircraft landing gear brakes, seat belt lockup devices, windshield wiper, and window lift motor systems. He has experience creating and guiding technology development and manufacturing partnerships in Europe and Asia, licensing and selling intellectual property and creating supply chains in China.

Mr. Caldwell has lectured in the USA, Germany, Switzerland, and India on manufacturing premium quality metal products and manufacturing processes, and was a technical paper peer reviewer for 20 years for the Society of Automotive Engineers. A United States patent holder, he has published peer reviewed research in electrochemistry and materials processing, and has written and spoken numerous times on the subject of Materials Selection.

Litigation Support - Thomas W. Caldwell, PE, is a testifying and consulting expert for both plaintiff and defense counsel. His cases involve product failure for ferrous and non-ferrous alloy products such as hand tools, recreational and exercise equipment, fire fighting apparatus, rotating industrial machinery, construction hardware, piping, and lighting fixtures. Mr. Caldwell utilizes destructive and non-destructive methods for insuring product integrity.

Areas of Expertise:

Design Engineering Materials Failure Analysis Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering Metallurgy Power Tools Products Liability Design Defects

Manufacturing Defects Fitness for Use Equipment Operation and Maintenance Accident Reconstruction Material Selection Manufacturing Process Design and Scale Up Safety Component Product Quality Control Safety Component Quality Systems Management

View Thomas A. Caldwell's Consulting Profile.

Greg Gerganoff, CSP, Esq., possesses extensive experience in safety compliance and practice involving OSHA and MSHA.  He obtained is law degree from Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School and practiced general civil law for approximately 12 years in Colorado prior to entering the safety profession. Mr. Gerganoff earned a Certified Safety Professional certification and has 18 years of field safety experience in mining, oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, power plant outages, and light rail construction.

His professional safety experience includes OSHA / MSHA Safety field work and compliance with experience in the heavy construction, manufacturing, light rail construction, power plant outages, public schools, oil and gas, mining, pipeline, and trenching and excavation industries.

• Authorized Outreach Trainer for OSHA General Industry.
• PEC Safeland Basic and Core instructor (Oil and gas).
• MSHA Approved Instructor (Blue Card) for Surface, Metal/nonmetal.
• Member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

Litigation Support: Mr. Gerganoff assists with discovery questions regarding safety matters. Safety opinions based upon statutory, administrative, judicial rulings and related industry association safety policies ancillary to OSHA and MSHA.  Mr. Gerganoff is retained by attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defendant. Some of the subject matter litigation he has handled include:

Forklift Safety and Operation Lock Out Tag Out/Natural Gas Compressor Stations Oil and Gas Safety Manufacturing Safety Construction Safety Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety

Crane and Aerial Lift Safety Mining Safety Traffic Control Plans / MUTCD Working at Heights, Employee Safety Training Fall Protection, Ladders, Stairways

View Greg Gerganoff's Consulting Profile.

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

RWFE Areas of Expertise Include:

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

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

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

CREDENTIALS. COMPETENCE. CREDIBILITY. COMMUNICATION.

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

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

www.ExpertEngineering.com

Brian Darr, P.E. IAAI-FIT(V), CFEI,has extensive experience with tire failure analysis, fire investigation, vehicle accident reconstruction, and product failure investigation. 

Mr. Darr has over 25 years of experience with tires including failure analysis, tread design, development, manufacturing, quality investigation, race tire preparation, and testing of tires at numerous testing facilities. He worked in a tire manufacturing facility as a plant technical engineer where he investigated quality related issues, and in a Research & Development (R & D) center where he designed, developed, tested, and analyzed tires. Mr. Darr has visited numerous tire production plants such as Goodyear, Bridgestone, Michelin, and Continental tire. He has inherent knowledge of the PAX run-flat tire system and C3M manufacturing process. He also was responsible for verifying standards and regulations were met, related to tire product and tire pressure monitoring sensors. Mr. Darr has been qualified as a tire expert in State and Federal court. He has completed forensic tire failure analysis on many types of tires (passenger, light truck, radial medium truck, retreads, motorcycle, etc.) in which he referenced hundreds of publicly available tire related documents. He reviews forensic tire reports from outlying offices along with providing marketing support and giving seminars nationwide.

Mr. Darr has conducted numerous vehicle and residential fire origin and cause investigations with various findings including fires that were intentionally set, accidental, and electrical in nature. He has also conducted fire suppression system investigations. Mr. Darr holds multiple fire certifications and designations with the International Association of Arson Investigators and the National Association of Fire Investigators.

In addition to conducting tire failure analysis and fire investigation, Mr. Darr’s forensic experience includes vehicle accident reconstruction for passenger and commercial vehicles, motorcycles, vehicle component failure analysis and insurance fraud/consistency evaluations. He also conducts crash data retrieval (CDR) downloads for passenger vehicles and engine control module (ECM) downloads for commercial vehicles. Mr. Darr evaluates traffic signal timing relating to intersection collisions. He also provides services in product and material failure analysis, cause analysis of plumbing failures, mechanical equipment and machinery failures, vehicle and residential fire investigations, fire suppression system investigations, lightning strike investigations, nondestructive examinations and testing, product design and assessment of conformance to government, corporate, industry, safety, and international standards.

Mr. Darr is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Learn more at: TireFailureExpert.com or Qforensics.com

See Full Bio & CV

Expertise:

Tire Failure Analysis Tire Tread Design and Imprint Analysis Vehicle Fire Investigation Residential Fire Investigation Fire Suppression System Investigation Vehicle Accidents Motorcycle Accidents

Vehicle Component Failure Analysis Insurance Fraud / Consistency Evaluations Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) Tractor Trailer Electronic Control Module (ECM) Analysis Product Failure Analysis Lightning Strike Investigation Product Design and  Assessment

View Quality Forensic Engineering's Accident Reconstruction Biomechanics Engineering Expert Witness Profile.

Quality Forensic Engineering, LLC is a full-service forensic engineering firm, providing engineering support to clients in the areas of accident reconstruction, biomechanics, fire investigations, patent litigation analysis, premises liability, product liability, and tire failure analysis. We use the latest technology and industry proven techniques to provide thorough analysis, expert testimony, and conclusions for the most difficult engineering questions. Our forensic engineers are strategically located throughout the U.S. to support clients nationwide.

Dr. Brian Pfeifer, PhD, PE - Dr. Pfeifer is an Engineering Expert with over 27 years of experience investigating thousands of cases involving a variety of forensic engineering issues. He is a leading expert in accident reconstruction, roadside safety, maintenance of traffic, commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and the analysis of mechanical systems and product failures. Dr. Pfeifer has a strong background in the design, development, and implementation of roadside safety hardware including guardrails, bridge rails, and crash cushions. Over 30 patents have been filed worldwide on behalf of Dr. Pfeifer and associated colleagues who invented safer guardrail systems, vehicle storage systems, shipping container handling systems, and material handling and storage methods. He has also utilized his technical knowledge and understanding of patents to assist in a number of matters involving patent litigation.

Dr. Pfeifer has published numerous papers to various organizations, covering topics such as new guardrail systems, energy absorbing guardrail terminals, breakaway sign mechanisms, and material handling technology. He has shared his expertise with many organizations on topics including vehicle collisions, bicycle accidents, roadway construction zones, and accident reconstruction expert witness utilization. Dr. Pfeifer is a registered Professional Engineer in nine states and he continues to refine his skills and knowledge of accident reconstruction and roadside safety by staying current with new technology and best practices. Dr. Pfeifer has extensive experience with providing deposition and trial testimony as an Engineering Expert. See Dr. Pfeifer's Full Bio & CV.

Expertise:

Automobile Collisions Tractor-Trailer Collisions Guardrails / Bridge Rails Construction Zones Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Occupant Kinematics

Roadside Safety Airbag Control Module (ACM) Analysis Tractor Trailer Electronic Control Module (ECM) Analysis Product Failure Analysis Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) Evaluation Restraint System Analysis Patent Litigation Technical Analysis

Dr. Ian M. Zeller, PhD, PE, ACTAR, is an accomplished engineer with more than 14 years of experience in Biomechanics and Computational Dynamics fields. He has investigated hundreds of cases ranging from motor vehicle accidents, recreational incidents, medical device designs, as well as injuries from product liability all across the United States. 

Dr. Zeller has graduate level experience in computational dynamics and orthopedic biomechanics with a specific emphasis in dynamics, vibrations, joint contact mechanics, and muscle control during static and dynamic loading applications. Dr. Zeller’s past research includes clinical and computational analysis of the human body with respect to the design and implantation of orthopedic devices for the knee, hip, and spine. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented research at both technical and surgical conferences in North America, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Zeller also worked with surgeons across the United States in the design and assessment of knee replacement devices, including personalized and prototype devices to optimize for efficacy and safety. 

Dr. Zeller is also accredited as a traffic accident reconstructionist and continues to conduct research as well as maintain a current knowledge of developing trends and best practices in the biomechanics and engineering fields. Dr. Zeller has published to various organizations on topics ranging from knee replacement design, forward solution modeling, joint mechanics, personalized joint replacements, material structures and properties as well as biological modeling of disease distributions. He also has an extensive testifying history including depositions, trials, and arbitrations. See Dr. Zeller's Full Bio & CV.

Expertise:

Biomechanical Analysis Accident Reconstruction Injury Consistency Mechanism of Injury Analysis Vehicle Occupant Kinematics Falling Object Mechanics and Analysis Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Amusement Park and Playground Accidents Crash Data Retrieval and Analysis

Product Failure Analysis Seat Belt Analysis Restraint System Occupant Position Determination Sequential Events Analysis Speed Analysis Vehicle Damage Consistency Collision Avoidance Material Fracture Analysis

Dr. Michael Hill, PhD, PE, has over 20 years of experience in the field of Biomechanics, including over 6 years of experience investigating, analyzing, and professing matters involving a variety of forensic engineering issues. He is an expert in experimental, theoretical, and computational tissue biomechanics, with a focus on injury mechanisms, human tissue damage, and nonlinear soft tissue mechanics. In his current role, Dr. Hill applies a biomedical perspective to a variety of cases, including vehicle and pedestrian collisions; biomechanical analysis and injury consistency; occupant and pedestrian kinematics; product and machinery failures; and slip, trip, and fall investigations.

Dr. Hill is a registered and licensed Professional Engineer in multiple States and holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Bioengineering with a focus on Biomechanics. He has investigated hundreds of cases involving motor vehicle accidents, slip, trip, and fall accidents, medical device failures, and industrial accidents across the United States. 

Dr. Hill has collaborated with cardiovascular and orthopedic surgeons, engineers, and scientists in the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom on various medical research projects. He has lectured in the field of biomechanics and numerical methods, and his research has been presented at over 40 international and national scientific conferences and published in 17 academic articles with over 1,000 citations. Dr. Hill also has an extensive history of testifying in depositions and trials. See Dr. Hill's Full Bio & CV.

Expertise:

Vehicle Accident Reconstruction Occupant Kinematics Orthopedic and Cardiovascular Biomechanics Human Tissue Damage Mechanics Slip, Trip, and Fall Analysis Injury Consistency Analysis Statistics

Computational Mechanics  Experimental Biomechanics Image Analysis Mechanical Design Event Date Recorder (EDR) Data Retrieval and Analysis Automobile Restraint Analysis Numerical Methods

View Qforensics' "Tire Defect & Fire Origin and Cause" Forensic Engineering Expert Witness Profile.

D. Larry Dunville has over 45 years of Overhead Crane experience. Mr. Dunville has built, installed, engineered, estimated, sold, and serviced overhead bridge cranes. He has sat on the industry committees that wrote the crane specs for the steel industry, written articles, and taught professional architects and engineers about the special requirements required when designing buildings that will house overhead cranes. Larry was formerly the Executive Director of the Crane Certification Association of America and is currently on the ASME/ANSI B30.2 Overhead and Gantry Cranes Committee, ASME/ANSI B30.16 Overhead Hoists, and AIST (American Institute of Steel Technology) TR-13 Guide for the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings.

Business Experience

Mr. Dunville was the Owner and president of Dearborn Crane & Engineering Co., a builder and installer of overhead cranes and crane runway systems, from 1975 to 2012.  Mr. Dunville is the Owner and President of Overhead Crane Consulting, LLC (2016 to present). 

Speaking Engagements

Larry speaks on crane safety, crane inspection, and runway design. In the last year, he has spoken to AIST (American Institute of Steel Technology), CCAA (Crane Certification Association of America), CMAA (Crane Manufacturers Association of America), and FEWA (Forensic Expert Witness Association). 

D. Larry Dunville's Video Introduction 

Litigation Support—Larry Dunville offers expert witness services in crane cases involving industrial, manufacturing, mining, warehousing facilities, and power plants. His expertise is available to counsel representing both Plaintiffs and Defendants. 

Areas of Expertise:

Overhead Cranes Bridge Cranes Overhead traveling cranes Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes Overhead Bridge Cranes Gantry Cranes Jib Cranes Workstation Cranes Hoists Crane Operator Training Workplace accidents Workplace safety Accident Investigation

Monorails Crane Runways Crane Safety OSHA/B30 Crane Safety Requirements Crane Inspection Crane Manufacturing Crane Installation Crane Runway Installation Crane Fabrication Runway Fabrication OSHA Crane Inspections Corporate Crane Safety Programs OSHA authorized training

Overhead Crane Arizona Office 3606 N. Larrea Lane Tucson, AZ 85750 Telephone: 574-210-8612

Overhead Crane Michigan Office 12666 Highland Shore Drive Sawyer, MI 49125 Telephone: 574-210-8612

View D. Larry Dunville's Consulting Profile.

John L. Ryan, BSME, P.E. is a Mechanical Engineer who provides general Mechanical and Structural Engineering expertise. Mechanical and Safety Engineering (MASE) provides full service analysis and accident reconstruction of products involved in accidents. 

Mr. Ryan's services have been requested for attorneys and insurance companies needing forensic engineering expert witness testimony to determine whether machinery and products involved in injury cases were adequately designed or whether they have a Design, Manufacturing, or Material Defect. All products are lab-tested on site to determine adherence to industry standards and engineering design protocol. Alternate preventative designs are developed when none exist commercially. 

Mr. Ryan is available for both Plaintiff and Defense, depending on the individual case. His services include producing high quality reports and visual aids in the courtroom such as scale models to help explain accident scenarios and alternate designs to judges and juries. 

Areas of Expertise:

• Accident Investigation and Reconstruction
• Machine Guarding Accident Investigation
• Climbing Gym Accidents
• Belay Device Failure
• Rock Climbing Accidents
• Fall Protection Failures
• Ladder Failure Investigation
• Tree Stand Failures
• Industrial Accidents
• Power Press Accidents
• Connection Failures
• Bolt Failures
• Weld Failures
• Testing Products to Industry Standards to Determine Compliance
• Design Defect Analysis
• Structural Analysis of Buildings
• Product Liability Investigations
• General Engineering Injuries and Issues
• Industrial safety
• Engineering Continuing Education
• Product Certification

View John Ryan's Consulting Profile.

LECS (UK) Limited  is an International Engineering Firm specializing in Lifts, Escalators, Facade Access and Funiculars (cable cars). With over 20 years of trading history, their specialized engineers are qualified, experienced and carry full professional insurances. Members of the engineering team have all worked for major contractors and have held positions including Senior Engineer, Project Manager and Commissioning / Test Engineers. As a result, LECS has over 150 years of accumulated experience within the key staff of the engineering team and currently employs 10% of the world’s graduates of the MSc in Lift Engineering from the University of Northampton.

LECS (UK) Limited is a member of independent bodies such as ACE, BSI and ConstructionLine. They have an accredited Quality Assurance scheme to ISO 9001 (2008) and are regularly audited. They provide services for many market sectors including overseas projects, hotels, retail, commercial health, local authority and heritage. The engineers at LECS (UK) have extensive experience as Expert Witnesses and Consultants in litigation involving lifts and escalators. Their services include preparing expert reports in accordance with Regulation 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules and also in Criminal cases. They are also available for adjudication and arbitration cases. LECS (UK) expert witness services have been called on in overseas situations including Gran Canaria, Dubai, Hong Kong, Spain and Turkey.

Services Include:

• Expert Witness - Litigation Support
• Statutory Inspections
• Maintenance Audits
• Acquisition & Condition Surveys
• Project Management
• Traffic Analysis
• Risk Assessments
• New Installations & Modernization Specifications
• Maintenance Specifications
• Training
• Portfolio Management

The four PhD and registered PEs at Miller Engineering are celebrating 40 years of Professorships at three universities along with providing services to Government, Insurance, and Industry—through research, publications, presentations, and expert testimony. We have a dedicated office with a full time staff of engineers, researchers, and technical writers. The span of our collective academic and experiential expertise covers well the Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Agricultural, Industrial, Human Factors, Ergonomic and Safety fields of engineering. The areas listed below are from actual projects completed in our 40 years of history. 

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 Electronic Vehicles 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 CPSC Recall Information & Strategies

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 Fire Control & Explosion Issues

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 Engineering Professor at the University of Michigan. He has directly served in Washington originating several Federal OSHA safety regulations, and interacts regularly with CPSC regarding safety and product recalls. Dr. Miller often works on projects relating to compliance with occupational safety standards, provides upper management guidance on product design, recall and liability issues, and serves as an expert witness.

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, where he specialized in Human Factors Engineering, in particular Warnings and Labeling. 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.

Adam M. Olshove, PE, MSE – Engineering Manager Mr. Olshove has over 10 years of experience providing consulting services to industry and the legal profession. He holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on control systems and battery modeling (2019), and a BS in Mechanical Engineering (2012), both from the University of Michigan. He has performed dozens of on-site investigations nationwide in relation to consumer product design and industrial accidents, including failure analysis and testing.

James M.L. Miller, MS, PhD, EIT – Engineering Associate Dr. Miller is an Assistant Professor of mechanical engineering at Trine University in Angola, Indiana. Dr. Miller graduated with a Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering from Stanford University in 2021, advised by Dr. Thomas W. Kenny. At JMME he has applied his expertise to biomedical heat transfer problems and energy management in hydroelectric systems, solar arrays and portable battery usage.

Jeffrey D. Rupp, MSE – Engineering Associate Mr. Rupp has a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and a MS in systems engineering and engineering management from Wayne State University. Among his company affiliates is 26 years with Ford Motor Company and Volvo Car Corporation, where he was involved in crash development and crash sensing calibrations.

Dr. Kevin A. Rider, PhD, PE, CPE of Forensic Human Factors, LLC., providing forensic engineering and specializing in catastrophic motor vehicle collisions, illumination and conspicuity, driver behavior/attention/distraction, workplace safety, machine guarding, slips, trips and falls, and the adequacy of product warnings and instructions. His work focuses on identifying the Human Factors that lead to unfortunate incidents, and what should have been done to prevent them. 

Dr. Rider is a Licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Professional Ergonomist, and has studied human movements and behavior, and served as a human factors consultant since 1999, including five years teaching industrial engineering and occupational safety courses at West Virginia University. He has presented at professional conferences, both nationally and abroad, and his research is published and cited in a number of peer-reviewed journals. He continues to serve as a reviewer for conference and journal manuscripts. 

Dr. Rider has testified over 250 times, and excels at educating attorneys and jurors. His services are available to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense. 

Michael A. Pollock, PE, USPTO, is a Mechanical Engineer responsible for the design and engineering of commercial, industrial, manufacturing, institutional, and residential venues, as well as efforts relating to services and products used in and around these facilities. Mr. Pollock's full CV can be viewed at cogentexpert.com.

Business and industries include electronics, safety and construction, building materials, polymers and plastics, instrumentation manufacturing, petrochemicals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, colleges, athletic facilities, textiles, coatings and resins, food storage, biosciences, supermarkets, inks & pigments, automotive, facility and real estate operations, agricultural, transportation, nuclear, healthcare, nutrition, retail, distributors, pulp and paper, packaging, utilities, apparel, and R&D centers.

Litigation Support - Mr. Pollock is a subject matter expert in Commercial and Industrial Engineering Applications and Projects, as well as engineering standards and applicable codes (ASHRAE, ASME, NIST, NFPA, NBIC, ASTM, SAE, LEED, ASCE, GMP, ISA, BOCA, and EPA Regulations.) He has engaged with local, state, and governmental officials and agencies regarding numerous matters over his commensurate years of experience.

Areas of Expertise:

Investment Engineering Economics Mechanical Engineering Standard of Care Architectural Standard of Care Construction Delay Construction Defect Construction Schedule Analysis Accident Analysis Metallurgical Failure Rotating Equipment Electrical Failure Chemical Failure Processes Instrumentation and Controls

Chillers Coatings Refrigeration Thermodynamics Water Treatment Steam Systems and Boilers   Power and Utilities Energy Conservation Environmental Impact Safety HVAC Project Management Product Development

Registrations

• Professional Engineer: PA (PE075410)
• American Bar Association (ABA) – Construction Forum
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Act Certification – Universal (includes Chillers, HVAC & Refrigeration)
• United States Patent & Trademark Office Registered (USPTO)                              

Forensic Consulting Experience

Warehouse Distribution Facility – Maryland - Evaluated a $10M (million) claim relating to purported construction defect claims by the 600,000 sq. ft. facility owner against the facility construction contractor and an original equipment manufacturer relating to installed infrastructure in the facility. Developed an expert opinion and expert report regarding the analysis of the purported defects and a proposed repair solution to correct said defects. 

 Psychiatric Hospital Facility – North Carolina – Evaluated a $28M (million) construction claim by the general contractor against a hospital facility concerning a $100M facility construction project.  Developed an expert opinion and report for general construction issues, constructability, design revisions, and corresponding delay analysis for mechanical, HVAC, electrical, smoke and fire, structural, security and building automation systems. 

Forensics Consulting Work-in-Progress 

• 2022 – International Trade Commission (ITC) Matter – Resin Manufacturing Facility Construction Delay / Completeness Analysis
• 2022 – Mechanical Systems Coatings Matter Analysis
• 2021 – Industrial Manufacturing Facility Standard of Care Matter, Construction Defect, Construction Delay     
• 2021 – Electrical Distribution System Construction Defect Matter, Standard of Care
• 2021 – Hotel Facility HVAC Materials of Construction Related Defect Matter

Thomas H. Burtness, PE, is an Electrical Engineer specializing in both Electrical and Building Construction - equipment selection, specification, and installation (actually “working with the tools”), as well as cost control techniques.

Background - Mr. Burtness has 40+ years of experience in the design, specification, construction contract administration, installation, startup, and troubleshooting of electrical power, on-site generation, distribution, control, and instrumentation systems and equipment for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal occupancies. His experience also includes water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment plants, and military facilities.

Additional expertise includes Illumination Engineering for street, roadway, and area lighting including photometric footcandle requirements, calculations, field verification, equipment specifications, installation, and analysis of failure, glare, overlighting and underlighting.

Litigation Support - Since, 1981, Mr. Burtness has been providing forensic electrical engineering services to insurance companies and attorneys including accident and failure investigations, determination of cause and origin, litigation support, expert opinions, reports, and testimony. His services are available nationwide, with PE registration by comity available in most states.

Cases Involve:

Industrial Accidents Electrocution Personal Injury Fire Equipment and Machinery Failure

Failure of Safety Circuitry Grounding Lightning Damage and Fire Construction Defects / Contract Claims Design and Specification Disputes

View Thomas Burtness' Consulting Profile.

Carl Berkowitz, PE, Ph.D., AICP, is a Transportation and Traffic Engineering expert with almost 50 years of expertise. He's held various managerial and administrative positions in the transportation industry, government, private, and academic sectors.

Dr. Berkowitz has extensive multi-modal experience in planning, design, engineering, safety, security, construction, maintenance, operations, and management. He has written and edited numerous reports, studies, articles, and columns for major publications, journals, newspapers and scholarly periodicals.

Background Experience:

• Transportation and Traffic Engineering Consultant, 1988 - Present
• New York City Department of Transportation, New York, 1970 – 88
• New York State Office of Planning Coordination, New York, 1967 - 70
• New York State Department of Transportation, Babylon, NY, 1963 - 67
• New York City Transit Authority, New York, 1962 - 63

Litigation Support - Dr. Berkowitz has served as a litigation consultant since 1997.  He has the background and experience to make him ideally suited to contribute important information at every stage in the litigation process. Dr. Berkowitz is able to explain complex issues in layman terms, suggest strategies, investigate and uncover facts, perform literature reviews, research, and prepare safety evaluations. He has been deposed / testified over 50 times in the last 5 years.

Accident Investigation & Reconstruction Slip Trip & Fall Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Railroad Safety Bus & Truck Safety Biomechanics & Human Factors Student Safety FELA & OSHA Accessibility / ADA Parking Lots & Garages

Construction Safety Elevators & Escalators Equipment & Machinery Traffic Engineering Traffic Lighting / Visibility Transportation Engineering Transportation Safety Transportation Rules & Regulations Terminals Walking & Working Surfaces