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In The Use of an Insurance Expert, insurance claims expert witness Barry Zalma writes:

In California, and other states, an expert must have some first hand experience in insurance and insurance claims handling to qualify to present testimony. Once qualified it is essential that the expert is able to credibly explain to a trier of fact, in easy to understand language, to the party seeking to prove bad faith or a defense to bad faith. A qualified insurance claims handling expert can explain why or why not the insurer reasonably, prudently and in good faith should reject or accept an insured’s claim. The testimony of the expert can defuse, if not eliminate, the plaintiff insured’s allegations of bad faith. A qualified expert can show that an insurer failed to fulfill the custom and practice of insurers in the jurisdiction.

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Allegan County, MI, sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Kuhn is an accident reconstruction expert. With traffic accidents increasing due to distracted drivers, Kuhn said a June 28, 2010, crash in Allegan County could have been fatal. The expert said the only reason no one died was because it was a head on collision and that cars are built to sustain those type of accidents rather well.

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On his website, patents expert witness Manfred E. Wolff writes:

In today’s competitive environment, existing pharmaceutical patents are at risk from a number of pitfalls.

In particular, “Designing Around” (i.e., developing a chemical entity, device, or method that avoids the claims of an existing patent) is a legal means for producing new products to compete with existing patented products.

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In How to Avoid Charges of Bad Faith, insurance expert witness Barry Zalma writes:

Almost every lawsuit filed against an insurance company, especially when a claim is denied, alleges that the insurer acted in bad faith. In the first party context, bad faith claims typically allege that the insurer did not have a reasonable basis to deny coverage, and that the insurer engaged in unfair or deceptive conduct in the process of handling the claim and reaching its conclusions regarding coverage. In the third party context, there is typically an allegation that the insurer failed to timely settle a claim in which liability had become reasonably clear. Insurers, with unfounded courage, deny claims based on the recommendations of a claims handler whose experience may be, and usually is, limited.

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Trucking expert witnesses may testify on trucking safety, commercial motor vehicles, truck maintenance, and related matters. In the news this week, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems has notified customers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that its ATR-6 valves installed on as many as 60,000 vehicles may be faulty and cause breaking problems. Many of the vehicles manufactured between Dec. 2, 2010 and Jan. 18, 2012 will be retrofitted and delivery of new vehicles has been postponed.

Read more: http://www.bendix.com/en/.

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Real estate expert witness Michael K. Ryan, President of CastleLyons Corporation, was selected to provide testimony on behalf of the FDIC in proceedings against a dissolved bank. Ryan was asked to share his expertise on a number of matters regarding real estate entitlement, development, and standard of care issues that the case involved.

Read more: http://castlelyons.net/.

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Transportation expert Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the N.T.S.B., an independent federal agency which promotes traffic safety and investigates accidents, says the concern over cell phone use is increased due to more powerful phones that people can use to e-mail, watch movies and play games.

Every year, new devices are being released. People are tempted to update their Facebook page, they are tempted to tweet, as if sitting at a desk. But they are driving a car.

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Police procedures expert witness Robert F. Thomas Jr. of the Mecklenburg County, NC, Attorney’s Office, testified that sheriff Rudy Torres was justified in using a stun gun twice on Jarrel Gray during an arrest. The expert said “The entire course of action, in my judgment, was wise and prudent.” Gray’s parents area seeking $145M in the wrongful death suit.

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Forensic accounting expert witness Bob Grosnoff says he is “an expert witness in financial fraud cases and I’m usually on the side of claimants. I like to get the bad guys off the street.” When Wealth Strategies Advisory Group invited the expert to investigate their company, Grosnoff uncovered seven tax liens against Vince Annable who runs the company.