Articles

Due to the physical properties of tempered glass, the failure of products featuring this material can result in a variety of serious injuries. In this webinar, ceramic scientist and failure analysis expert James Derby provides an introduction to the science of tempered glass, failure analysis methods, and an examination of the conditions that can cause it to explode.

The information is framed within the context of legal disputes, providing attorneys and insurance professionals with a foundation of technical knowledge. James brings the topic into focus by examining details from a tempered glass product common to our forensic casework: shower doors.

The use of restraints in an educational setting is considered a late-stage intervention, typically reserved for incidents where students have failed to respond to earlier de-escalation techniques and pose an imminent safety risk to themself or others. However, data suggests that the use of restraints has remained consistently high since 2009-2010 when school districts were first required to report restraints, and they are disproportionately used on students with disabilities.

In this article, special education and school administration expert, Dr. Theresa Kreider explains the intended use of restraints within the educational setting, where restraint use can go wrong, and some of the factors that should be considered when investigating these matters.

Sliding gate systems present a variety of hazards that can cause significant injury if not properly guarded and maintained. Whether motorized or manually-powered, these systems typically include heavy moving parts, pinch point hazards, and wear components that require periodic inspection and maintenance.

This article provides an introduction to the design and physics of cantilevered sliding gates. It also discusses known hazards and describes potential mechanisms of failure by revisiting the fact pattern from an actual case investigation. The experts at Robson Forensic have investigated a broad range of incidents involving physical security features, such as sliding gates, barrier arms, and overhead doors.

More than half of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. and Canada occur on rural roads, with ~2,700 of them (nearly 10%) at rural intersections. In this webinar, Highway Engineer & Intersection Design Expert, Gordon Meth, P.E. discusses the design issues that contribute to these incidents and the engineering solutions that are currently available.

The webinar covers relevant issues such as stopping sight distance, sign placement, and intersection detection. The content is delivered through the lens of litigation, positioning each topic within the context of legal disputes.

Floating docks can present a variety of slip, trip and fall hazards if they are not safely managed. It is best practice to use ramps and gangways to provide passage from the main dock to the floating dock, but stairs are sometimes used, which can create a trip/fall hazard.

In this article, Carl Wolf explains the marine industry standards and building code standards that apply to the use of stairs on floating docks through the lens of an actual case example.

In this article, Structural Engineer Anthony Volonnino, P.E., discusses excavation engineering, the common issues that arise with excavations in urban settings, and some of the failure points that we consider in our forensic investigations.

Security guards, cameras, and access control systems can enhance the level of security at a property, but provide no assurance of security on their own.

In this webinar, security expert John Hassard provides a holistic view of security as it relates to claims and litigation. The conversation focuses on physical security measures, while providing context on the role of policies and procedures and non-security personnel in maintaining a reasonably safe environment. The webinar includes three brief case examples where the adequacy of security was called to question at commercial properties.

A large segment of the truck driving population is composed of drivers who work locally and are home most nights. In this article, Commercial Trucking Expert Michael O’Dell explores the unique challenges that LTL delivery drivers regularly face.

LTL truck companies often employ drivers with diverse experiences and abilities, including over-the-road drivers, regional drivers, shuttle drivers, and local drivers. LTL, (Less than Truckload) drivers make multiple small deliveries and freight pickups within a local area. Because of the multi-stop nature of their deliveries, these drivers (especially if untrained or inexperienced) are at risk for vehicle accidents: injuries from unloading/loading and moving product from truck to truck; slips, trips, or falls in the ordinary course of work; and being struck by equipment while working in various shipping and receiving locations.

Bars, taverns, nightclubs, and restaurants have a responsibility to implement reasonable measures to provide a safe environment for guests and employees. A central task in many of our cases is to determine what constitutes reasonable security. This article explores that topic by evaluating a specific scenario involving a fight that starts inside a bar.

The failure of a product or system to turn on/off or respond to input can lead to a broad range of injuries or property damage. Whether it be a seemingly innocuous device like a coffeepot, or a heavy duty industrial cooling system, the root cause of a failure can often be traced to electrical controls.

So what are electrical controls, and how do they potentially factor into your casework?

This webinar simplifies the topic of electrical controls, starting with the basics and building up to examples of actual incidents caused by control failures. Experts from our electrical engineering group provide insight on evaluating these cases and guidance on discovery questions to ensure that adequate information is available for proper forensic analysis.

This webinar explores some commonly misunderstood aspects of drownings that occur at facilities with lifeguards on duty.

When a drowning occurs at a guarded pool, the immediate reaction is often to point blame at the lifeguards, but recent science demonstrates that this is not always appropriate. The leader of our Aquatics practice, Maria Bella, has investigated hundreds of drowning incidents across the country, from private pools to hotels, resorts, schools, and institutions large and small. Here she explains the scientific factors that may prevent an attentive guard from seeing or recognizing a swimmer in distress. She also describes the preventive steps that facilities can take to eliminate dangerous lifeguard blind spots.

Psychologist Dr. Staci Weiner closes the presentation with a discussion on the psychological impact of drownings. Her discussion includes the short and long term effects for those closest to the victim, as well as the potential implications for the lifeguards on duty.

Many of our equine expert witness investigations involve incidents where a rider has been thrown from a horse and sustained injuries. We are tasked with determining the cause of the horse’s behavior, which is likely related to weather and environmental conditions, training, rider behavior, the use of tack and equipment, or other factors that are known to trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response in the horse.

In this article, Dr. Tim Potter explains the standard of care for equestrian facilities and horseback riding lessons, using examples from his forensic casework.

Adequate illumination is often a topic in premises liability claims. In this article, Architect & Premises Safety Expert Doug Peden discusses the standard of care for artificial illumination and the role that it has in maintaining a safe environment.

Wheels that separate from a moving vehicle create two potentially deadly hazards; the first is a disabled vehicle with diminished braking ability and directional control/stability, the second is an uncontrolled wheel that is capable of striking people or objects that are a significant distance from the spot of origin. In this article, we discuss the common causes for wheel separation and the industry best practices for vehicle maintenance procedures.

Treadmill entrapment injuries have been long-known and continue to make headlines today. These incidents can be prevented by the implementation of a relatively simple fixed barrier guard, which has also been long-known.

In this article, Industrial Engineer Harry Ehrlich discusses the inrunning nip point hazard that exists between the moving belt of the treadmill and the floor or other stationary object, and the manufacturer’s responsibility to protect people from that hazard.

The crash reconstruction experts at Robson Forensic are frequently asked if it’s possible to perform a meaningful crash investigation without having the damaged vehicles available for inspection. In some instances, we can. In this article, we describe how photographs can be used to determine scientifically valid vehicle crush measurements.

This webinar video reviews the capabilities and limitations of key forensic technologies used to document and analyze crash sites and vehicle damage in motor vehicle cases. Experts from our Crash Reconstruction practice present alongside our Forensic Technology group to offer attorneys and insurance professionals a conceptual framework for addressing the challenges in their own cases.

Accurately estimating construction costs requires a thorough understanding of project specific criteria, including the scope of work, project plans, applicable specifications, scheduling, project phasing, site-specific restraints, and construction methods. Based on the complexity of the process and the value of construction projects, these estimates are frequently disputed.

In this article, Civil Engineer Michael Tuttman discusses the key criteria considered when forensically investigating a construction cost dispute.