Federal motor vehicle safety standards expert witnesses may opine on safety performance requirements for motor vehicles, motor vehicle equipment, and related topics. In The Large Truck Crash Causation Study, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Office of Research and Analysis reports on:
Critical Events
Three major types of critical events were assigned to large trucks:
In After the Storm…(but before the cleanup starts) tree expert witness Russell E. Carlson, RCA, BCMA, writes:
What are the details? Start at the beginning, with the species of tree. Then measure the trunk at 4.5 feet above the ground level. Take either the diameter or the circumference — just indicate which you used. Check the tree for its condition — look for signs of decay, especially if it was visible before the damage occurred. Look for insect or disease damage. You don’t have to be an expert at this, just record if there is some type of damage from a pest, and describe that damage.
Next, write down details of where the tree was located. This includes where on a property it stood, how far from structures, etc. A simple site sketch will help. If the tree damaged other things when it fell, make note of the type and extent of damage. Include other landscape plants and hardscape features that were damaged or destroyed, especially if they will be removed with the tree. If vehicles were involved, indicate where they traveled, and where they came to rest. Also list the names of anyone who worked on the cleanup: this may be critical to a later investigation.
Hours of service expert witnesses may consult on hours of service regulations, fatigued truck driving, and related matters. In Texas Trucking Accident Attorney Says Roadcheck 2011 Reveals Truck Driver Fatigue Problem, East Texas personal injury attorney Randy Roberts writes:
The high number of hours-of-service logbook violations uncovered during Roadcheck 2011 underscores the need for new rules to reduce fatigued driving accidents, injuries and deaths, East Texas personal injury lawyer Randy Roberts says. “If you look at these results, it’s clear that there is, indeed, a very serious problem with drivers spending too much time on the road.”
Read more: prweb.com.
On their website, Internet For Lawyers announces ProPublica Provides Database of Payments to Physicians by Pharmaceutical Companies
ProPublica, the “independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest,” has created a searchable database of payments made by pharmaceutical companies to doctors – usually as compensation for presentations the doctors make that discuss the companies’ drugs. While this information is not part of the public record, some pharmaceutical companies have begun posting this information on their own Web sites. ProPublica has gathered this information from these various sources to create its searchable database. The database is searchable by doctor’s name. It can also be filtered by state.
Knowing whether the opposition’s expert witness (or one you’re considering) has received payments from a particular drug manufacturer could be invaluable.
Trucking accidents expert witnesses may write reports and testify on crashworthiness, truck maintenance, hours of service, and associated matters. In The Large Truck Crash Causation Study, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Office of Research and Analysis reports:
Motor vehicle crashes are complex events. Usually they involve two or more vehicles. Elements that influence the occurrence of a crash may take place hours, days, or months before the crash. They include driver training and experience, vehicle design and manufacture, highway condition and traffic signaling, and weather conditions. Other elements may take place immediately before a crash, such as a decision to turn in traffic, a tire blowout, or snow. Crash reconstruction experts rarely conclude that crashes are the result of a single factor.
Fatigue, drinking alcohol, and speeding are major factors in motor vehicle crashes overall. Although their presence does not always result in a crash, these three factors, as well as other driver, vehicle, and environmental factors, can increase the risk that a crash will occur. In the LTCCS, ?causation? is defined in terms of the factors that are most likely to increase the risk that large trucks will be involved in serious crashes.
Transportation rules and regulations expert witnesses may write reports and opine on the Department of Transportation, trucking accidents, the truck manufacturing industry, and related topics. In Liftgate Steps and Lighting: More Complicated Than You Think, Tom Berg, Senior Editor TruckingInFo.com – Trailer Talk describes a safety issue that came up in a task force session during the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council meeting in Tampa, Fla., in February.
Regarding steps, users and manufacturers of liftgates discussed the ins and outs of entry and egress and how to make it safe for drivers and helpers. The object is to write a TMC Recommended Practice for members to use in spec’ing new equipment, but it can’t just say, “Here, here, and there.” Some definitions and dimensions are needed.
Read more: truckinginfo.com.
Insurance industry expert witnesses may opine on insurance regulation, insurance claims, and insurance coverage.
With so many acronyms in the insurance industry, the International Risk Management Institute, Inc., offers Risk and Insurance Acronyms on their website.
www.irmi.com.
In After the Storm…(but before the cleanup starts) arborist expert witness Russell E. Carlson, RCA, BCMA, writes:
Before you start up the chainsaw, before you make a single cut — make sure that any damage is documented. It only takes a few minutes to get what you need. Those minutes can be worth a lot in the long run.
Any tree damaged in a storm, or by vandalism, tresspass or accidents, may be insured or may be eligible for a casualty loss tax deduction. Don’t assume it isn’t covered in some way. Document the details right at the beginning, and you won’t have to worry about it later.
Logistics industry expert witnesses may write reports and testify on on issues including interstate motor carrier operations, truck fleets, and related topics. Just for fun, in her blog All That’s Trucking, Deborah Lockridge, writes:
Five words or less
On a LinkedIn transportation discussion group, there’s been a discussion thread where members answer the simple question: “In five words or less, describe what you do.” I wanted to share some of the responses with you, from the simple to the sublime to the just plain funny:
In Risk Management Consulting, risk management expert witness Alan F. Shirek,
AFS Risk Consulting International, LLC, writes:
Such tasks or projects may include developing ways to enhance the effectiveness of insurance brokers or agents, insurance carriers, third party claims administrators or other outside vendors. They may include developing communication tools that will enhance the ability of the risk management department to assist the operating companies or departments. They may include projects designed to provide an independent appraisal of key catastrophic exposures to loss. And they may involve analysis of certain significant legal exposures that could be difficult to absorb without a negative impact on corporate earnings.
