Articles

Elevator overspeed incidents are among the elevator malfunctions that appear in our forensic casework. The sudden and unexpected acceleration of an elevator beyond the accepted contract speed, followed by an abrupt stop, can result in serious injuries for passengers.

In this article, Elevator & Escalator Expert Dennis Olson explains the purpose and function of an overspeed governor and the maintenance policies and procedures which should be followed to ensure safety.

The root cause analysis in many structural failure investigations leads directly to a failed connection, and ultimately to a failed fastener. The failure of a connection often leaves a structure vulnerable to global failure or collapse due to load path discontinuities, rendering the structure unstable and incapable of withstanding the intended loads or forces or even supporting its own weight safely. In many cases, the root cause for the failure is that an improper fastener was used.

In this article, structural engineer Mark Duckett focuses on the standard of care for fastener selection as it relates to structural failures. In doing so, he will introduce critical technical concepts including types of loads, material characteristics (fastener and base material), and application-specific choices regarding fasteners.

In this article, Mechanical Engineer & Biomechanics Expert, Dr. Carolyne Albert explains the ways in which brain hypoxia can occur as a result of mechanical forces and reviews the questions that a biomechanical analysis can answer in a legal dispute.

Improper Temporary Traffic Control or mismanagement of Construction Work Zones can be especially difficult for heavy truck operators. The size and handling characteristics of these vehicles makes it difficult to navigate narrow lanes and safely respond to unexpected changes in traffic flows.

In this webinar video, highway engineer Kevin Gorman discusses the construction work zones issues that are most problematic for heavy trucks, but sometimes go unnoticed in litigation. His presentation includes specific case examples and key items to watch for when investigating these matters.

Cargo that shifts during transit presents a potentially serious struck-by hazard when the trailer doors are opened. The danger of falling freight is well recognized in the commercial trucking industry and has been addressed by regulations and industry standards.

This article explores the regulations that govern trucks and their cargo from the site of the shipper, the truck and driver on the road, and the destination receiver, as well as the standards of care that must be followed in order to prevent injuries.

An effective and skilled ship’s navigation team, subject to applicable requirements, should be well versed and trained in Bridge Resource Management (BRM). During any investigation where an examination of whether or not the bridge team effectively exercised their operational prowess through use of BRM skills, understanding how BRM could have, or should have, been used, can help the investigator identify or rule out potential causes of the casualty.

In this article, Captain Hendrik Keijer discusses the concept of BRM and provides examples of how this concept can be applied to maritime incident investigations.

An investigation following injuries or property damage at a special event or large gathering will often begin with an analysis of crowd management. This article introduces the principles of crowd management as they commonly relate to litigation and insurance claims.

Architectural barriers appear in a broad range of premises liability disputes. Compliance with the ADA and other relevant codes and standards frequently removes hazards from access routes like sidewalks and entrances, building interiors, restrooms, and other accommodations. How the ADA applies to a particular property may require a thorough evaluation.

In this article, Architect & Premises Safety Expert Mark Monteith provides insight to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the implications it has on premises liability disputes.

In this article we look at some of the important items that should be evaluated when getting started on a premises security case. Whether you’ve been retained on behalf of the plaintiff or defendant, understanding these issues can help to ensure your strategy aligns with the facts of your case.

Construction guardrails used around elevated work surfaces are relatively simple systems, but are critical to worker safety on the job site. In this webinar, Structural Engineer, Mark Duckett, P.E. reviews the anatomy of a typical construction guardrail, the standards relevant to their construction, and some of the failure modes that are known to occur.

This presentation is intended for attorneys and insurance professionals involved in personal injury matters, to broaden their understanding of relevant safety standards and gain insight on the process for determining failure causation.

Parking lots are host to a variety of vehicle, pedestrian, operational, and construction activities, sometimes simultaneously. Facility owners and operators must inspect parking lots on the premises and address any aberrations that could cause an injury or damage.

In this article, Facilities Engineering Expert Christopher Fogarty shares the standard of care for parking lot operation and maintenance, drawing upon his experience managing a 183-acre, multi-use facility.

Schools that utilize the playground as an entry and exit location for student pick up and drop off face a number of security challenges due to the size, number of access points, pedestrian and foot traffic, and visibility obstructions in the environment. Even where fences and gates are used to provide a degree of physical security, those barriers are often easily circumvented and rely upon the watchful eye of trained supervisors and established safety protocols to ensure that unauthorized parties are not intruding, and that children are not leaving the property unattended.

In this article, School Administration Expert, Dr. Suzanne Rodriguez reviews the standard of care for school supervision when playgrounds are utilized as student pick-up and drop-off locations.

The most reliable indicator of driver impairment is an observation of a driver’s behavior behind the wheel, followed by an assessment performed by a qualified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). Forensic analysis by a Drug Recognition Expert can be helpful in certain disputes toward validating assessments performed by field officers, establishing impairment at the time of an incident, or working with a toxicologist to determine impairment at specific times prior to an incident.

This article provides an overview of the standard of care for law enforcement to determine marijuana intoxication during traffic stops.

This article discusses the forensic process for determining if child services failed to protect children. Social Work expert Abigail Rich has investigated a variety of cases where children have sustained serious injuries or died while under the supervision of Child Protective Services.

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.