ARTICLES

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Premises Liability

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Places of business, residences, parking and recreational areas contain potential accident sources such as slippery floors and stairs, product displays, automatic doors, ledges, railings, elevators, escalators and other hazardous items. To prevent such items from causing injury to the public, premises owners and their agents have a responsibility to recognize unsafe conditions and exercise reasonable care to maintain or make conditions safe, or warn the public of the risks involved.

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Products Liability

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

An end user of a product expects that a given product will not only function as intended, but will be safe from non-obvious hazards. Based upon decades of experience with mishaps during use of common and specialized equipment, thousands of standards have been developed for many consumer products and industrial equipment. Numerous organizations exist, e.g., ANSI, ASTM, SAE, and ASME, that regularly review and update these standards.

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Retail Stores

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Supermarkets, pharmacies, home improvement, and department stores expose their customers to many potential accident sources such as floors and aisles, which can become unsafe, and display merchandize that can topple or cause tripping. To prevent such accidents from occurring, these establishments should maintain routine scheduled inspections to insure that unsafe conditions are detected and corrected before accidents occur.

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Seatbelts

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Motor vehicle seatbelt use provides highly effective protection in frontal collisions for impact angles up to 30 degrees off-center (i.e. between 11 and 1 o’clock). All states have laws requiring their use for front seat passengers, as they have been shown to reduce moderate to severe injuries by 50%. They are less effective when your car is hit in the rear or side and sometimes their locking devices malfunction or the anchorage gives way.

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Sports, Gyms & Playgrounds

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Recreation, sports, and gym equipment are subjected to large dynamic forces and must be designed to support these loads and protect users from unintentional hazards. Adequate instructions and warnings may be required if their assembly and proper use are not obvious.

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Structural Analysis

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Structural failure can often produce catastrophic results. In many cases, the damage seen after the accident is not indicative of the cause of the initial failure. Fortunately, based on physical evidence, an investigator can frequently determine how and why a structure failed.

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Swimming Pools

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Though swimming pool accidents are sometimes the result of reckless participant behavior, they can also be caused by inadequate supervision, warnings, structures, or defective pool design. Structures commonly found in or near swimming pools include slides, ladders, diving surfaces and fencing.

7/22/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Trucks

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Heavy trucks, whether tractor-trailers, construction vehicles or garbage haulers, are involved in many serious traffic accidents due to their large weight, high centers of gravity, decreased visibility, poor handling and reduced braking efficiency. In addition, articulated tractor-trailers are subject to additional problems such as jack-knife and trailer sway instabilities.

7/22/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Vehicle Accident Reconstruction

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

Motor vehicle accidents are the most common type of incidents producing injury in the US. The main issues in litigating automotive accidents involve vehicle speeds, seatbelt usage, airbag deployment, vehicle component failure (e.g. steering, braking), roadway design, occupant biomechanics, rollover, visibility, etc.

7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction

Forensic Engineering Experts: Vehicle Rollover

By: Kristopher J. Seluga, PE

In many vehicle rollover investigations, it is necessary to know not only the speeds and motions of the vehicles involved, but the causes of injuries suffered by their occupants as well. Such investigations seek to answer questions regarding occupant ejection, effects of seatbelt use, roof crush and body-interior impacts.