Failure Analysis Expert Witnesses: 55

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 and conclusions for the most difficult engineering questions. Our forensic engineers support clients throughout the U.S. Headquartered in Tallahassee, FL, we have locations in Jacksonville, FL; Melbourne, FL; Tampa, FL; Indianapolis, IN; New Orleans, LA; San Diego, CA; Charlotte, NC; Columbia, SC; and Tucson, AZ.

Dr. Brian Pfeifer, PhD, PE - Dr. Pfeifer is an Engineering Expert with over 25 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 33 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 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, ACTAR, is an accomplished engineer with more than 10 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 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

Michael R. Hill, PhD, PE, is a Biomechanical Engineer passionate about applying biomechanics techniques to solve diverse problems in forensics, medical research, engineering, biology, science, and mathematics. 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.

Dr. Hill’s core strengths are in orthopedic and cardiovascular biomechanics, vehicle accident reconstruction, injury consistency analysis, mechanical design, instrumentation, experimental analysis, numerical methods, simulation, statistics, and image processing. Dr. Hill has lectured in the field of biomechanics and numerical methods, and his research has been published in 16 academic articles and presented at 40 international and national scientific conferences.

See 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 Quality Forensic Engineering's Industrial Forensic 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 and conclusions for the most difficult engineering questions. Our forensic engineers support clients throughout the U.S. Headquartered in Tallahassee, FL, we have locations in Jacksonville, FL; Melbourne, FL; Tampa, FL; Indianapolis, IN; New Orleans, LA; San Diego, CA; Charlotte, NC; Columbia, SC; and Tucson, AZ.

Traci K. Campbell, P.E., CFSE, CXLT, has over 23 years of experience investigating, analyzing, and testifying in matters involving a variety of forensic engineering issues. Ms. Campbell has a strong background working in manufacturing and industrial workplaces including the design, development, and implementation of solutions to ensure safe work environments. She has also been credited as part of a team holding a patent related to safeguarding power hand tools with rotating discs. 

Ms. Campbell's special interests include amusement park and theme park accidents and safety related issues. She is also a CFSE – Certified Forensic Slip Expert, CXLT – Certified XL Tribometrist (slip index evaluation) and a certified counter balance forklift operator. Ms. Campbell has served as a presenter with the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) regarding slip, trip, stumble, and fall incidents. She has shared her engineering expertise with many organizations on topics including: slip, trip, stumble, and fall incidents; electronic data in the realm of accident reconstruction; safety engineering and the engineering hierarchy; photogrammetry and other accident reconstruction techniques; OSHA compliance; and Industrial Engineering. 

Ms. Campbell is a registered and licensed Professional Engineer in five states and she continues to refine her skills and knowledge of premises liability and safety engineering by staying current with new technology and best practices.

See Full Bio & CV.

Expertise:

Industrial Accidents Slips, Trips, Stumbles & Falls Human Factors and Environment Interaction Pedestrian Kinematics Workplace Safety Retail and Restaurant Facility Safety OSHA & ADA Regulations Multi- Employer Workplaces ANSI, ASTM, NFSI & Building Codes Elevators/Escalators Industrial Equipment

Forklifts and Material Handling Devices Parking Lot Safety  Safety Engineering Guarding and Warnings Theme Parks & Recreation Facility Safety Fire and Explosion Safety Product Failure Analysis Pedestrian Accidents Automobile Collisions Tractor-Trailer Collisions Bicycle Accidents

Brian A. Darr, P.E. IAAI-FIT(V), CFEI, has over 25 years of engineering experience which includes Tire Failure analysis on many types of tires (passenger, light truck, radial medium truck, retreads, motorcycle, etc.), Vehicle and Residential Fire Origin and Cause investigations, 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 provides services in product and material failure analysis, cause analysis of plumbing failures, mechanical equipment and machinery failures, lightning strike investigations, nondestructive examinations and testing, product design and assessment of conformance to government, corporate, industry, safety, and international standards.

Mr. Darr has over 25 years of extensive experience with tires including 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 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. He 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. 

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.

Expert Background: Dr. Thomas L. Read is the Principal and CEO at A. Read Consulting, LLC. He received his PhD. from Stanford University in 1972 and has over 25 years of manufacturing experience in electronics, metallurgy, factory safety, failure analysis, glass fracture, glass failure and bottle failure. As a member of the electronics industry, he has earned process patents and has an extensive background in manufacturing techniques.

In parallel, Dr. Read has spent over twenty five years as a consultant to attorneys and engineers. He has given more than 100 depositions and has appeared in court numerous times.

Company Profile: Read Consulting, LLC is a full service laboratory providing services in the following areas:

Failure Analysis; Factory Safety and Personal Injury (including machine guards and manufacturing safety)

Glass Failure Analysis - Glass Fracture, Glass Failures and Bottle Failure

Metal and Ceramic Failure

Grinding Wheel Failures

Intellectual Property and Patent Disputes

Product Liability and Product Quality

Manufacturing Disagreements (such as Intellectual Property, Failed equipment and Contract Disputes)

Reverse Engineering

Mark E. Rieser, II, MS, PE, AIA, GBC, GEC has over 30 years of experience in the Engineering, Architectural, Construction, and Building Design industry. He provides his clients with a comprehensive knowledge of Engineering, Construction Technology and Construction Standards of Professional Practice. 

Background Experience - President of an “active” Design and Building company with a professional staff and Headquarter offices in San Jose and Los Angeles, and offices in Sacramento and San Francisco. Mr. Rieser has managed, designed, and constructed over 4,000 units to include high-rise, single family homes, condominiums, townhomes, podiums, apartments, and commercial buildings, His experience includes building and roadway design, construction, management, with designs of over 500 miles of asphalt and roadway improvements, tunnels, San Francisco Airport, Santa Clara Light Rail, Southern Pacific Railroad, Caltrans, and BART. 

Mr. Rieser has an insightful understanding of Civil / Structural Engineering, Soil Engineering, Transportation, Traffic Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Safety Expert, OSHA Standards, Architectural Design, Asphalt Design, Cost Estimation, Public Works Design Bidding and Estimation, General Engineering, General Building, and an Accident Reconstruction expert. “Our bids are not just a tool but are numbers that we be use to finish the work, accurately, on-time, and safely.” 

Forensic Construction and Engineering - Mark Rieser is a renowned forensic expert with the knowledge to safeguard clients from unwanted litigation as well as support both plaintiffs and defendants. He works closely with insurance companies and attorneys on various public, city, and state cases throughout the western United States. To date, he has been designated as an expert in over 550 Forensic Construction and Engineering cases throughout the United States. Mr. Rieser has been designated and testified Court as an expert in the following categories:

Traffic Engineer Transportation Engineer Architect Safety Expert General Building Contractor Civil Engineer General Engineering Contractor Roofing

Estimator Soils Caltrans Standards Structural analysis Hydraulics OSHA Standards Construction Management Waterproofing

NorCal Headquarters San Jose Office 2033 Gateway Pl Suite 500 San Jose, CA 95110	San Francisco Office 425 Market St Suite 2200 San Francisco, CA 94105	SoCal Headquarters Los Angeles Office 10100 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA 90067	Sacramento Office 777 Campus Commons Rd Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95825

View Mark Rieser's Consulting Profile.

Christopher M. Daft, PhD, is an award winning, Oxford Educated scientist whose areas of expertise include medical imaging, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, medical devices, sensors, MEMS, signal processing, and image processing. He holds 23 United States Patents with 20 applications pending, Dr. Daft has diverse industry experience including multi-nationals such as GE, Medtronic, Fujifilm, Samsung, and Siemens as well as several start-ups. 

He has testified at trial 5 times and been deposed 14 times.

Dr. Daft has been an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Senior Member since 2004. He has three years of experience teaching electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois. 

Dr. Daft holds a BA and MA in Physics from Oxford University as well as Doctorate from Oxford in Materials Science.

Litigation Support - Dr. Daft provides litigation support in the areas of Intellectual Property and Medical Devices including Imaging, particularly Medical, Patents, and more. His experience includes a variety of cases in the areas of wearable electronics, imaging systems, and surgical technology. Dr. Daft has extensive deposition and trial testimony experience.

Areas of Expertise:

Design Engineering Electrical Engineering Electromagnetic Engineering Microelectronics Medical Imaging Electronics Semiconductors

Medical Devices Sensors Software Engineering MEMS Signal Processing Image Processing Physics

View Dr. Christopher Daft's Consulting Profile.

Mechanical Engineer - Turbomachinery Expert. Gas turbine engines, steam turbines, jet engines, compressors, pumps, expanders, generators, cogeneration, combustion equipment, diesel engines, and reciprocating compressors. 

Failure analysis, stress analysis, mechanical design, design analysis, troubleshooting, performance analysis, durability assessment. Access to metallurgical laboratory. Experienced Expert witness. 

Please see our Service List at https://sbkushnick.com/servicelist.pdf for a concise description.

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.

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.

Dan W. Wall, BSME, specializes in the fields of Accident Reconstruction, Biomechanics and Motor Vehicle Injury Causation, Human Factors, and Injury Prevention in Motor Vehicle Design. Mr. Wall is fully accredited with ACTAR (Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction), ACTAR No. 1140.

Dan Wall has conducted scientific and engineering analysis of motor vehicle collisions since 1987 for both plaintiff and the defense in civil and criminal cases. A qualified expert witness since 1987, he has offered litigation support services to insurance companies and attorneys in Arizona, California, Colorado, Tennessee and Louisiana and has testified in both Civil and Federal Courts.

Mr. Wall's past cases have involved commercial vehicle design and analysis, insurance investigations, low speed collisions and injury analysis, motorcycle collisions and rider analysis, vehicle handling and dynamics, seat belt analysis and injury mitigation, tire failures and rollover analysis, general accident reconstruction, and roadway analysis. He has conducted human factor analysis including reaction and perception, environmental effects, and general driver behavior. With a large library and the tools needed to do all types of motor vehicle reconstruction investigations, Mr. Wall is an asset to any team.

Dan Wall currently owns and rides a Harley Davidson Ultra Electra Glide Classic motorcycle and has gone through various levels of motorcycle training. He also has extensive experience as a boat operator and Marine Instructor.

For more information, visit www.wallaccidentreconstruction.com

Also view Dan Wall's article in Attorney At Law Magazine at http://attorneyatlawmagazine.com/phoenix/2014/01/17/accident-reconstruction-expert-dan-wall/

Areas of Expertise:

Mechanical Engineering Biomechanics Human Factors Accident Reconstruction Failure Analysis Forensic Investigation Motor Vehicle Design Dynamics and Handling Motorcycles Commercial Vehicles Rollovers Signage

Conspicuity Low Speed Collisions Marine Safety Bicycles Slip and Fall Accidents Pedestrians Accidents Tire Failure Seat Belt Issues Road Defects Off Road Driving Accidents Construction Zones Product Liability

View Dan Wall's Consulting Profile.

Erik Roeder has 40 years of troubleshooting, repair and maintenance of mechanical issues including Automotive, RV, Light Truck, and Marine. He provides a combination of hands-on work along with practical experience and a breadth of education.  As an expert witness, his cases deal with Mechanical; Electrical; RV Systems and Envelopes; Vessel Propulsion; Systems; and Post Incident/Post Repair Inspections. Available for consualtion, expert reports and testimony for plaintiff or defendant.