ARTICLES

10/23/2017· Psychology

Evaluating the Psychological Impact of Burns

By: Dr. Jane K. McNaught

Physical traumas such as a serious burn injury can be profoundly traumatic. Serious burns result in sudden unanticipated trauma related to the individual's exposure to a potentially life-threatening experience. One day the burn victim begins their day like any other, and by the end of the day the burn victim's life may be changed forever by the traumatic event experienced. A Forensic Psychological Expert utilizes well respected psychological tests to assess the emotional impact of such injuries. The psychological tests employed are statistically reliable and valid. The choice of valid and reliable psychological tests employed by a Forensic Psychologist are similar to tests used by a physician to diagnose diabetes or other medical disorders. Such tests offer norms that compare the individual in question to a large normative sample, in order to evaluate the burn victim's psychological functioning compared to that of the "normal" person.

10/18/2017· Appraisal & Valuation

Business Valuations: Different Values for Different Purposes?

By: Michael J. Garibaldi CPA, ABV, CFF, CGMA

There are many more purposes for which valuations are used. Each has its unique presumptions. It must be understood that there is no one value and that the same investment can have a different value to different people and for different reasons. Each valuator must analyze such differences, understand the presumptions inherent in the purpose for which the valuation is to be used, and select and implement a method to determine proper value for the purpose.

10/17/2017· Expert Witnessing

Do Your Expert Witness Reports and Testimony Comply with 2015 Amendments to CRCP (Colorado Code of Civil Procedure)?

By: Greg Gerganoff

The employ of expert witnesses in litigation is typically undertaken to help the decider of fact (judge or jury) decipher an area of specialized knowledge which is key to the case. The expert report serves the primary purpose of "educating" deciders of fact on topics not commonly known to the general public. However, a noncomplying expert report can wreak havoc on a case, increase costs or worse, have the expert's testimony precluded in whole or part from use at trial. This of course is contrary to the purpose of retaining an expert in the first place. Understanding the parameters of compliance (C.R.C.P. 26 (a) (2) (B) (I)) and how sanctions for non-compliance (C.R.C.P. 37 (c) (1)) may be applied is important not only for legal counsel but the expert as well under the 2015 rule updates and the recent Colorado Supreme Court case, Catholic Health Initiatives Colorado v. Earl Swensson Associates, Inc.

10/16/2017· Automotive - Vehicular

Safety Compromises, Part 2: On-Board Slips and Falls

By: Ned Einstein

In Part 1 of this series, I introduced the notion that roughly half of all public transportation-related incidents are the result of a deliberate trade-off of passenger safety for some system or owner's benefit. The most common benefit is the service provider's operating a schedule that is too tight.

10/13/2017· Land Mapping - Surveying - Zoning

Easements Can Make or Break a Deal

By: Frank S. Ferrantello

Easements can benefit or burden a number of parties on or around certain tracts of land. Easements are common on most parcels of land. An easement can give one the right to use another person's land for a stated purpose. It can involve a general or specific portion of the property for various different uses. Many surveyors today do not thoroughly research properties and do not always show easements on their work that may be crucial to the rights associated with a parcel of land.

10/11/2017· Accounting

Determining a Distressed Debtor Company Discount Rate, Part 1

By: Michael D. Pakter

This is Part 1 of a two-part article. This part discusses valuations of distressed debtor companies based on discounted cash flows and considers the impact of the date and stage of distress. Next month, Part 2 will describe how the financial analyst derives the cost of capital for a distressed debtor company.

10/6/2017· Accounting

Confirming Worst Suspicions: Hire a Forensic Expert To Find Hidden Assets

By: Michael J. Garibaldi CPA, ABV, CFF, CGMA

When a client voiced strong suspicions that her soon-to-be ex-husband was hiding assets, her attorney investigated the claim but found nothing amiss. However, he hired a forensic accounting expert to help ensure his client would receive an equitable share of the marital estate. The expert turned up a trunkload of hidden treasure - undeclared cash income and property "stashed" under the names of the husband's mother and siblings.

10/4/2017· Construction

A Reasonable Method to Estimate Loss of Labor Productivity Due to Overtime

By: Long International

In the construction industry, it is largely agreed that overtime work adversely affects labor productivity. However, there is no universally accepted method for estimating the resulting loss of productivity, and many of the studies commonly used to estimate such losses have been subject to criticism by industry experts and the courts.

10/4/2017· Telecommunication

5G Investment Threatened by Tech Titans Snatching Financial Growth from Mobile Operators

By: Keith Mallinson

Technology innovation by chip, device and equipment vendors plus intense competition among national oligopolies of mobile network operators has improved cellular performance and reduced costs to the enormous benefit of consumers. Meanwhile, recent financial gains in the mobile ecosystem are largely accruing to Silicon Valley's tech titans including Apple, Alphabet, Facebook and Netflix. The massive network investments required for 5G may not be forthcoming if this imbalance persists.

9/28/2017· Automotive - Vehicular

Safety Compromises: Part 1, Introduction

By: Ned Einstein

This new National Bus Trader piece is the first installment of likely a year-long series about types of incidents that result from trade-offs of safety for other benefits -- adherence to unrealistically-tight schedules (or drivers running behind schedule) being the principal culprit. Frankly, of the more than 600 public transportation-related lawsuits in which I have served as an expert witness, roughly half of all incidents see to be the result of some deliberate safety compromise.