Expert Witness Blog

In Social Networking Research & Investigations, The Legal, Ethical & Evidentiary Issues, social media expert witness Richard B. Harer, V.P. Specialized Investigations writes:

The proliferation of social media sites, and the information they contain, has created a significant “tool” for the legal and investigative industry. With over 400 social media sites currently in existence, and well over 1 billion users, the availability of information on almost anyone and any topic is just a few clicks away. However, one must not only recognize the value, but also the limitations. Many legal, ethical and evidentiary issues have arisen in recent years, perhaps making it one of the fastest evolving areas of law today.

This article will explore some of the research and investigative resources available, as well as some of the issues already raised regarding the information developed, and will continue to raise for years to come.

In Quality Fade in China, international trade expert witness Rosemary Coates of Blue Silk Consulting writes:

Quality Fade, the process of quality degradation over time, is the single biggest issue in low cost manufacturing countries. It happens frequently in China where manufacturing processes are immature and competitive pricing drives the profits to extremely low levels. It also happens in Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh and other low-cost countries.

You have probably noticed quality fade, but didn’t know what to call it, or understand how it happened. Maybe you noticed a plastic shampoo bottle that seemed too thin. Maybe that hand-held electronic game you put in your son’s Christmas stocking stopped working after a few days. Maybe the zipper in your pants broke after a few zips.

OSHA expert witnesses may consult on construction industry standards, safety design, safety hazards, job hazards, and more.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced on Friday a proposed rule aimed at curbing lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease in America’s workers.

OSHA News Release: 13-1767-NAT states: The proposal seeks to lower worker exposure to crystalline silica, which kills hundreds of workers and sickens thousands more each year. After publication of the proposal, the public will have 90 days to submit written comments, followed by public hearings.

Hydrology expert witnesses may consult on hydrogeology, hydrologic engineering, water resources, groundwater hydrology, watershed hydrology, and more. The Las Posas Basin Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project is in the news this week after it became evident that the system is leaking. Groundwater levels have dropped steeply at the Moorpark, CA, facility which includes a five million gallon water storage tank. Planned to warehouse water below ground to be pumped out during dry spells or emergencies, the project, now owned by Calleguas Municipal Water District, has been a failure. Calleguas described the project:

The project includes the installation of thirty ASR wells within an approximate nine-square mile area in the Las Posas Basin, nearly thirty miles of large diameter pipeline to connect the wells with existing District infrastructure in the cities of Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, and a combined pump/hydroelectric generation station in the City of Moorpark to facilitate the flow of water to and from the wells.

Read more: http://www.cfnews13.com/

In What’s Your H2O (Safety) IQ?, water safety expert witness Dr. David Smith, Commander, USCG (RET) writes:

The following 20 questions were the basis of a key address to the First International Boating and Water Safety Summit, April 18-25, 1997 in San Diego, California. The Summit was sponsored by the National Water Safety Council and The National Safe Boating Council. This article is taken from the proceedings of the Summit. The article has been repeatedly updated to reflect current aquatic accident statistics. Human physiology, by contrast, has not been known to change in the last 10,000 decades.

How well can you answer these twenty boating and water safety questions:

Sports medicine expert witnesses may provide reports regarding exercise physiology, traumatology, doping control, and more. This week Ryan Braun admitted he took performance enhancing drugs during his National League most valuable player season of 2011. Braun said a nagging injury led him to take banned substances from Biogenesis. He is serving a 65 game suspension.

Medical expert witness Dr. Burton Bentley II, M.D., FAAEM, is President of Elite Medical Experts, LLC., and specializes in securing leading experts from the nation’s top universities. In Who really has the top medical experts? Dr. Bentley writes:

The success or failure of any medical negligence case rests squarely upon the medical facts, yet it is the competence of the testifying expert that ultimately allows those facts to be discovered and voiced. Consequently, the starting point of any successful outcome must be the selection of the best expert witness. Whether opining for the plaintiff or the defense, the litigator with the top medical expert secures a strong competitive advantage.

The first step in selecting an expert is to assure the strength of his or her credentials. In general, however, most credible experts have graduated from a US medical school and have attended a US residency program for specialty training. Those that attend top-tier schools such as Ivy League universities may have an intangible perception of elevated credibility based solely upon their credentials. Experts should be in full-time practice both presently and at the time of the alleged negligence, though exceptional experts may have additional fellowship training or publications within the specific area of medicine which they are addressing. Experts should have extensive clinical experience which manifests itself in professionalism, confidence, and fluency.

Voting expert witness Pete Perry testified regarding voting irregularities in the Hattiesburg, MS, June mayoral election. Among the problems, Perry found that absentee ballots did not match the number of absentee envelopes. Mr. Perry is owner of Paradigm Government Relations, LLC, Jackson, MS.