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Legal fees expert witnesses may advise regarding attorneys’ fees, legal billing, and fee disputes. DLA Piper, a global law firm with 4,200 lawyers located in more than 30 countries, is being sued for overbilling. Emails sent by several former DLA Piper lawyers uncover billing for unnecessary or unworked hours in a New York bankruptcy case. Adam Victor hired DLA Piper to handle a case for the power plant company Project Orange Associates. Victor is now suing his former law firm.

DLA Piper v. Victor, 650374/2012 Supreme Court of the State of New York.

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In Healthcare Reform: Hurricane or Rainbow, insurance expert witness Stephen George, MBA-HA, writes:

The common denominator to the “business of healthcare” is the assumption and management of financial risk. Fewer and fewer insurers will allow physicians and hospitals a blank check going forward, and our government will set the pace of the charge because of the burgeoning Medicare and Medicaid entitlement programs. The sooner medical providers realize their future autonomy hinges on balancing cost with efficacy of care, the better chance of keeping control. The AMA has been enormously effective at repealing federal fee schedule cuts, but that cannot be counted on forever. The AHA has been noticeably ineffective in getting cuts repealed. Should the national insurance advocates have their way, tremendous change is in store for hospitals, physicians, health insurers and consumers.

Mr. George is a federal court qualified expert witness. He is certified by the AMA for CME teaching, and holds adjunct professor status at Nova University, Southeastern. Since establishing Provider Risk in 1995, Mr. George has served as president and CEO.

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In Property & Casualty Insurance Procurement & Litigation (Ten Recurring Themes Every Lawyer Should Know) property insurance expert witness David L. Stegall, CPCU, ARM, ARe, RPA, of Risk Consulting & Expert Services writes on ten recurring themes that often lead to litigation. Attorneys either dealing in insurance procurement litigation issues or with clients who purchase insurance may want to consider these ten themes:

Theme 4 of 10 All insurance buyers are not created equal. A large business or wealthy individual/family have much different insurance needs than a small to medium-sized business or a low to middle-income individual/family. One size does not fit all and insurance companies are no longer all things to all insurance buyers. Insurance companies have become very specific in their target markets. Insurance should be purchased from an agent experienced in providing coverage for the size and type business or household of the buyer’s size or situation. Agents who do not have the requisite knowledge of the industry and the client should not sell the coverage. The agents cannot be the sole decision-makers on these matters; their legal ability to write a policy does not necessarily mean they are qualified to write it from the buyers’ perspective.

Lesson #4: Your client (the insurance buyer) should make sure the agent is experienced in writing policies of the size and scope of the policy being purchased from them.

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The Florida Senate passed legislation that would tighten restrictions on expert witnesses in medical malpractice cases. Florida SB 1792 now goes to the state House. The legislation requires expert witnesses in malpractice cases to be experts in the same specialty as the doctors who are defendants. Those opposed say that the change will decrease the number of expert witnesses eligible to testify which could be a hardship for those pursuing malpractice cases.

Read more: SB 1792: Medical Negligence Actions

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Electrical expert witnesses may consult on issues regarding electrical design evaluation, electrical accidents, and electrical shock. At http://www.intelligentutility.com/, electrical engineer Donald R. Johnson writes: “Stray voltage is a much more common occurrence than the general public realizes.” Mr. Johnson specializes in evaluating stray voltage as well as high and low voltage electrical contacts.

Wikipedia describes stray voltage as “the occurrence of electrical potential between two objects that ideally should not have any voltage difference between them.”

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Mechanical engineering expert witnesses may opine on issues regarding applied mechanics, mechanical failures, mechanical systems, and associated matters. This week, Garfield County Oklahoma District Court Judge Dennis Hladik ruled that the discovery deadline will not be extended to include expert witness George Wandling in the negligence case against Zaloudek Grain Co. Plaintiffs include the families of young men who lost their legs while working at a company grain elevator. Dr. Wandling, P.E., C.F.E.I., President of Wandling Engineering, is an expert on the design of the grain facilities.

Complicating matters, insurance company CompSource refused to cover the accident. Zaloudek’s worker compensation policy was cancelled when the company did not provide information for an audit in a timely way.

Read more: http://enidnews.com/

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White collar crime expert witnesses may give opinions regarding business crimes, insider trading, and fraud. Reuters reports that KPMG has resigned as auditor of Herbalife Ltd. and Skechers USA Inc. with an FBI insider trading investigation underway. Los Angeles KPMG senior partner Scott London admitted to the leaks and has left the firm.

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Fuels expert witnesses may consult regarding fuel systems, petroleum, crude oil, fracking, and natural gas. In the news, The Center for Sustainable Shale Development has created environmental standards for shale drilling in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Formed by energy companies, two foundations, and five state and national environmental groups, the Center was formed last month to develop standards for drilling and production of shale gas. Their mission is to “develop and implement drilling and production standards for shale gas that are environmentally safe and can be certified by an independent third party.”

http://abcnews.go.com reports on reactions from environmental groups and drillers.

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Computer security expert witnesses may consult on network security, computer forensics, computer crime, data security, and related matters. In Testifying as an expert witness in computer crimes cases, Deb Shinder writes:

IT professionals who are recognized as experts in their fields have the opportunity to help convict criminals in computer crimes cases or see justice done in civil litigation cases that involve technology, and make some extra income at the same time, by serving as expert witnesses for the prosecution, defense or one of the parties to a lawsuit. However, preparation, qualification and testimony in a court case are serious undertakings that involve a great deal of work, and you need to know what you’re getting into and what to expect before you take on the challenge.

Debra Littlejohn Shinder, MCSE, MVP is a technology consultant, trainer, and writer who has authored a number of books on computer operating systems, networking, and security. Read more: techrepublic.com.

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Oil and gas expert witnesses may provide reports and opine regarding pipelines, pipeline ruptures, oil and gas pumps, and more. In the news, Exxon Mobil will pay for the cleanup near Little Rock, Arkansas after a pipeline burst last week resulting in 22 homes being evacuated. The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will examine the site before operations may resume on the pipeline carrying crude oil from Patoka, IL, to Nederland, TX. The pipeline was built between 1947 and 1948. Arkansas AG Dustin McDaniel is investigating having the Pegasus pipeline moved outside the area that drains into a drinking water source.

See ABC video: http://abcnews.go.com/US/exxon-mobil-pay-arkansas-oil-spill/story?id=18873237#.UWB2F8VXqVo