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Expert has 30 years of experience in providing effective, unbiased forensic and materials engineering and failure analysis. His knowledge enables him to evaluate the data obtained by the latest materials diagnostic evaluation methods. Expert has a comprehensive understanding of failure modes and materials’ characteristics which affect the operation and life of manufactured equipment and products.

Expert has used his extensive experience and knowledge data from gathering methods, combined with technical understanding of materials processing and hands-on experience. He has used his background in support of the legal profession, insurance companies, original equipment manufacturers, and consumers.

The expert has been engaged in support of a law office, and of their client, an OEM heat exchanger manufacturer, in the failure of a large Data Center cooling system. The expert found overwhelming data that exonerated the manufacturer, and all liability claims against the manufacturer were dropped. In another large Data Center cooling system failure, the expert represented the general mechanical contractor who was absolved of all liability related to the heat exchanger failures. In a third case involving complete plumbing and HVAC system failure of a large hotel and resort complex, the expert represented the design engineering firm. The complex was built under a design build contract. The expert was able to identify evidence that the failures were due to installation errors, intentional damage, freezing, and improper, and/or, lack of maintenance of the resort’s water treatment system. The design engineering firm was not involved in the inspection of the facility during construction and was absolved of most of the liabilities involved in the system failures. This case had been going on for over ten years prior to the experts involvement, and was settled in nine months after his involvement began.

The expert has extensive experience in supporting insurance companies in cases involving insurance fraud, on and off road equipment, structures, agricultural equipment, wind turbines and other equipment and structurers. 1) Most of the cases involving insurance fraud were damage to roofs and building cladding caused by storms. As the result the experts evaluation, most of the cases have been denied have not been disputed. One case proceeded to arbitration, with the board ruling in favor of the expert and insurance company. 2) The on road equipment damage cases involved cause and origin of fires, or structural failures of frames and braking systems leading to loss of expensive equipment and cargoes. Many of these have occurred on the first trip after repair and can be subrogated, but they are more often due to failures in other locations than what was repaired, and were due to normal wear and tear and not covered by insurance. 3) There are many old structures that are insured for full replacement cost against all perils. The question that frequently comes up is are they reparable or do they need to be replaced. If they are repaired, were the repairs done properly. 4) Off road and agricultural equipment can be very expensive to replace or to repair. At times, insurance claims are filed to cover the losses due to damage that has occurred during use. These damages need to be thoroughly evaluated to determine if they are a covered loss. 5) Wind turbines are self-destructing machines, and fail within a few weeks to twenty plus years after being installed. The expert has investigated insurance claims on wind turbines ranging in size from 20KW to one megawatt. The claims involved blade damage and breakage, failed bearings, tower collapses, and gear box failures. 6) The expert has been involved in a number of cases where the insured has been clearly negligent and the expert has advised the insurance company to settle to avoid costly legal proceedings.

Expert has extensive experience working with OEM manufactures in evaluating warranty claims, new suppliers, and product failures. In recent years, finding reliable raw materials and semi-finished materials has been a major issue and the expert has aided the manufacturers in these endeavors. Another area of expertise has been welding. The expert has evaluated many failed welds that would not even meet minimums of any standards; failures were often due to lack of knowledge on the part of engineers, and the training skill levels of those welding. The expert’s participation with design engineering and during prototype evaluation has been very helpful to a number of manufacturers.

The expert has limited experience in helping consumers directly due to the high cost of full engineering failure evaluations. A recent consumer case involved a trailer hitch failure that the client’s insurance company denied because the hitch was under recall and the client was supposed to work directly with the manufacturer. The loss resulting from the failure exceeded $100,000. After the expert’s findings were reported to the client’s insurance company, they agreed to settle the claim in full with the client and to subrogate the loss to the hitch manufacturer directly.