Expert Witness Blog

Identity theft expert witnesses may opine on the fraudulent use of personal information to open new credit accounts, take out loans in the victim’s name, stealing money from financial accounts, and more. Here Steven Domenikos, CEO of IdentityTruth, writes on Top 10 Tips for ID Theft Prevention in 2010:

IdentityTruth’s statistics point to a continual year-to-year increase in identity theft-related crimes, indicating that as criminals get more savvy, identity theft becomes easier to perpetrate. The best bet is for consumers to remain informed on how different life events – from shopping and traveling to starting college and getting married – increase their risk for ID theft.

“ID theft is about much more than simple credit card fraud. What many consumers may not realize is that at different points in one’s life, we are all made more vulnerable to identity theft related crime,” said Steven Domenikos, CEO of IdentityTruth. “Taking some simple steps now and being extra-vigilant can help people from becoming victims of identity theft.”

Internet expert witness Peter Kent is the author of Search Engine Optimization For Dummies, 3rd Edition. His book answers the questions: “Why do some sites pop to the top when you search? How do you make yours one of them?”

You create sites that make search engines happy – that’s what search engine optimization is all about. Search Engine Optimization For Dummies has been the leading resource on how to make that happen, and this third edition is completely updated to cover the newest changes, standards, tips, and tricks.

This handy guide shows you how to get more visitors by getting more visibility for your Web site. Find out which search engines matter most, what they look for (and what they hate,) how to get your site included in the best indexes and directories, and the most effective ways to spend your advertising dollars.

In Four things an attorney should know about retaining an expert witness, construction site expert witness William Gulya, Jr., President & CEO, Middlesex Trenching Company, writes:

The decision to retain an expert witness is an important factor in any litigation. Strategic selection and communication with the expert can have a substantial impact on the case, from settlement options to court room testimony. The opposite is also true — the wrong choice of an expert witness can result in poor or negative results. I have compiled four recommendations for attorneys from an expert witness perspective.

2. Interview the Expert Interview the expert yourself; do not delegate this task. You understand your client and your case better than any of your assistants or paralegals. It is crucial that you hire an expert with whom you can work skillfully. You must have a clear understanding of the expert’s qualifications, ethics, communication skills, persuasiveness and personality. After all, it is you who will need to ensure your client that the expert witness on their case will conduct himself in a manner that you, the judge and the jury respect.

Trucking industry expert witnesses may opine on federal motor carrier safety regulations, interstate motor carrier operations, and federal motor vehicle safety standards, as well as related issues. Here, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that the number of large trucks involved in crashes where at least one person needed immediate medical attention or a vehicle had to be towed away because of “disabling damage” has decreased nationally in the years since 2005. However, the number of those types of crashes has risen in the state of Illinois.

While crashes involving trucks do not constitute the majority of accidents that occur on Illinois roads, the speed and relative size of trucks are more likely to cause serious and life-threatening injuries when involved in an accident, such as:
– Spinal cord injury – Nerve damage – Fractures, dislocations and lacerations – Internal bleeding – Organ damage, especially to the kidneys, liver and lungs – Traumatic brain injury

Trucking expert witnesses may opine on federal motor carrier safety regulations, interstate motor carrier operations, and federal motor vehicle safety standards, as well as related issues. Here, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that the number of large trucks involved in crashes where at least one person needed immediate medical attention or a vehicle had to be towed away because of “disabling damage” has decreased nationally in the years since 2005. However, the number of those types of crashes has risen in the state of Illinois.

With more than 8,000 serious crashes in the state in 2008, the most recent year for which data is available, highway safety is a concern for Illinois drivers. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that, in 2008, 94,021 people were injured and 1,043 people died in accidents.

Semi-trucks or tractor-trailer crashes are a particular concern because of the increased potential for serious and catastrophic injuries. In 2008 there were 14,632 crashes involving trucks in Illinois. Fatal truck accidents accounted for 10.5 percent of all fatal crashes in the state, with 115 deaths resulting from trucking accidents.

In Insurexpert’s Blog, insurance expert witness David H. Paige, Esq, writes that court decisions interpret and supplement the legal standards created by statute and by common law.

When determining the value of a court decision as precedent for future liability of insurance agents and brokers, it is important to keep in mind that courts have a specific function in our legal system: to fill in the “gaps” by applying a combination of statutory law, regulations and prior court decisions to the facts before them. When legislatures do not make law on a particular subject, it is the courts’ obligation to draw from prior court decisions and the custom and practice of the community to develop legal standards on its own. The tradition of court-made law, called “common law” was adapted from the British legal system, and works well in the country as well.

Individual court decisions are sometimes “result oriented” and do not identify a trend.

In Four things an attorney should know about retaining an expert witness, construction site expert witness William Gulya, Jr., President & CEO, Middlesex Trenching Company, writes:

The decision to retain an expert witness is an important factor in any litigation. Strategic selection and communication with the expert can have a substantial impact on the case, from settlement options to court room testimony. The opposite is also true — the wrong choice of an expert witness can result in poor or negative results. I have compiled four recommendations for attorneys from an expert witness perspective.

1. Take Action Early Many cases do not require an expert at all. However, once the use of an expert becomes foreseeable through fact evidence or because your adversary has declared he or she is utilizing an expert witness, you should retain and get your expert up to speed on the case as soon as possible.

Rubber expert witnesses may opine on rubber consumer products, tires, and rubber piping. Experts at the Rubber Manufacturers Association released a study in June that shows millions of drivers around the country are failing to properly maintain their tires and are putting themselves at risk while wasting gas and money. The nationwide survey found that fifty-five percent of vehicles had at least one under inflated tire and only one in six vehicles had four properly inflated tires. RMA is the national trade association for tire makers who manufacture in the U.S. The group worked with several tire retailers to collect actual tire pressure measurements from more than 6,300 vehicles in more than 30 cities.

Proper Tire Inflation Saves Gas Properly inflated tires can improve fuel efficiency by 3.3 percent and save nine cents per gallon at the pump, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Approximately 1.2 billion gallons of fuel are wasted each year by U.S. motorists driving on under inflated tires.

Under Inflated Tires Pose Safety Risk Under inflated tires also pose a safety risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that under inflated tires contribute to more than 600 fatalities and 33,000 injuries each year.