Wrongful Death Accidents Expert Witnesses

John R. Storm offers a rare combination of expertise in Fire Operations, Incident Command, Fire Cause & Origin, EMS/Paramedic Standards of Care, 911 Communications, and Fire Administration, enabling him to evaluate cases from both operational and executive leadership perspectives.

With 30 years in the fire service, including 25 years as a practicing paramedic and service as a chief-level fire officer, Mr. Storm has firsthand experience with the decisions, policies, and operational practices frequently examined in litigation.

Litigation Support

Mr. Storm provides expert analysis, consulting, and testimony in matters involving fire department operations, incident command, EMS standard of care and prehospital treatment, fire cause and origin, fire code enforcement, 911 dispatch and emergency communications. Since March 2026, he has been retained in more than a dozen cases involving fire and EMS issues.

Attorneys retain Mr. Storm because he translates complex technical standards into clear, objective, and persuasive opinions supported by nationally recognized standards, accepted industry practices, and decades of practical experience. His engagements have been approximately 45% plaintiff and 55% defense, demonstrating a balanced and impartial approach.

Areas of Expertise: 

Mr. Storm's career spans fire suppression, EMS operations, fire prevention, training, quality assurance, policy development, internal investigations, emergency communications, and executive leadership. He has commanded emergency incidents, supervised fire and EMS personnel, managed 911 communications, coordinated multi-agency responses, developed departmental policies, and overseen regulatory compliance. 

In addition to his public safety career, Mr. Storm has experience in executive recruiting and municipal consulting, providing valuable insight into hiring practices, organizational liability, and employment issues. This unique combination of operational and administrative experience strengthens his analysis of cases involving negligent supervision, hiring, training, policy development, and organizational compliance. 

Professor Christopher J. Tennant, PhD, CIH, has over 40 years of experience in the field of Environmental Health and Industrial Hygiene. He is Board Certified in the Comprehensive Practice of Industrial Hygiene. Dr. Tennant is currently President, CEO, and Principal Consultant at San Joaquin Environmental, in Fresno California, where he consults with Federal, State, County, City, various public agencies, and private industry sectors from public housing to Aerospace. His services are available in all 50 US States and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Tennant also serves as Professor Emeritus for the Department of Public Health at Fresno State University where he's taught Environment Health, Industrial Hygiene, and Occupational Health and Safety for 35 years at both undergraduate and post graduate levels.

Litigation Support - Dr. Tennant has been retained by numerous insurances companies and law firms on various Industrial Hygiene matters throughout the US, including workers compensation, property damage, personal injury, and wrongful death. He has testified as an expert witness in Federal Court, Superior Court, and Workers Compensation Appeals Board over 100 times. He's been deposed many more times. 

Areas of Expertise:

Dr. David H. Schaffer, MD, MRO, is Harvard-trained and dual-boarded in Medical Toxicology and Emergency Medicine, serving as the Chief of the Division of Medical Toxicology at Prisma Health–Upstate and faculty at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville, SC. He is also a certified Medical Review Officer (MRO, MROCC).

Dr. Schaffer is regularly consulted for his expertise. Overall case retention is approximately 50/50 for plaintiff vs defendant. His services include medical record review, thorough reporting, deposition, and trial testimony as needed. Please feel free to call (828) 260-3742 or email david@schaffertox.com to walk through your case. No charge/bill time for this. Case highlights or referral available upon request.

Areas of Expertise:

Dr. Schaffer has published extensively in the fields of Medical Toxicology and Emergency Medicine. Outside of clinical practice and the occasional courtroom appearance, he has also consulted for major organizations—including SpaceX, Butterfly Network, and governmental entities—on a variety of clinical matters. Dr. Schaffer earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, completed his residency at Harvard, where he served as a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School, and subsequently trained in Medical Toxicology at the University of Virginia.

Credential Highlights:

• Residency Training at Harvard and Massachusetts General/Brigham & Women's Hospitals
• Held appointment at Harvard Medical School as a Clinical Fellow
• Fellowship training at the University of Virginia
• Division Chief of Medical Toxicology at Prisma Health - Upstate, the only Medical Toxicology practice in the State of SC
• Faculty at USC School of Medicine in Greenville, SC and at Clemson University
• Attending Toxicologist for the Palmetto Poison Center in Columbia, SC
• Certified Medical Review Officer (DOT/HHS)
• Board-certified in both Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology

Vera Dolan is an epidemiologist with over 30 years of experience in the life and health insurance industries. She is one of the leading mortality experts in the life insurance industry. She writes underwriting manuals and policy and procedure manuals for life and health insurance companies.

Vera has testified in both state and federal court, and has been retained in over 200 cases since 2006 for plaintiffs and defense on an equal basis. She is very credible testifying in deposition and on the stand.

* Life expectancies that are personalized and accurate to the standards of the life insurance and life settlement industries. Addresses the cases when life expectancies that are simply taken from a life table or estimated by a doctor, actuary or biostatistician are too long, too short, insufficient or not credible. Addresses the cases when a complete insight into the individual's medical conditions and/or personal history of high-risk behaviors is needed to assist the judge or jury in their decision. This information often decides the case, see article for details.

* Expert in bad faith/wrongful denial of life/health insurance claims.

* Expert in life/health insurance underwriting material misrepresentation.

* Expert in medical risk assessment and underwriting issues.

* Expert in life insurance underwriting policies and procedures.

* Expert in epidemiology. Previous cases include infectious diseases, occupational and environmental exposures, pesticides and tobacco.

* Approved life expectancy expert with the U.S. Department of Justice.

* Active consultant to the life insurance industry conducting cohort mortality studies, and writing underwriting and policy and procedure manuals.

* Over 100 articles published on mortality research and underwriting.

* Friendly, clear, concise, objective and quantitative.

* There is no charge for the initial phone consultation.

* There is no charge for travel time.