by

Correctional facilities expert witnesses may consult on the criminal justice system, imprisonment, incarceration, correctional facilities standards of care, and more. Criminal justice expert witness Dr. Richard M. Hough, Sr. testified in the Southern Poverty Law Center class action lawsuit against Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and correctional healthcare contractor Corizon Connections. Hough testified that videos showed appropriate uses of force while the SPLC accuses Judd and Corizon Connections of unconstitutional jail conditions. Dr. Hough is a criminal justice instructor with the University of West Florida.

by

Railroad accident investigation expert witnesses may testify on transportation technology, transportation safety, transportation engineering, and correlated issues. Following the catastrophic accident on the Maine & Atlantic Railway, the Federal Railroad Administration issued an Emergency Order outlining measures railroads are required to undertake within 30 days. The EO is a mandatory directive to the railroad, and failure to comply with its requirements will result in enforcement actions against the railroad or individuals who violate it.

The Federal Railroad Administration had already increased its oversight and enforcement of Metro-North’s rail lines following the May 2013 crash, including additional inspections of its lines and audits of Metro-North’s operations and compliance with federal regulations. FRA is also planning to conduct an extensive investigation of the carrier’s safety compliance with all regulated railroad safety disciplines.

by

Neurotoxicology expert witness Dr. Raymond Singer testified in the Angleton, TX, capital murder case of James Harris Jr. Harris has pled guilty in the stabbing death of two senior citizens. Dr. Singer testified that Harri’s exposure to chemicals in his youth and in his career may have damaged his cognitive capabilities. On his website, Dr. Singer explains that toxic chemicals can damage the nervous system and brain without the individual knowing.

Neurotoxins target the nervous system and disrupt the signaling that allows neurons to communicate effectively. http://www.neurotox.com/index.php

by

Aviation expert witnesses may testify aircraft accident investigation, aircraft design, aviation safety, flight training, and related matters. Today the National Transportation Safety Board released information on the investigation into the Asiana Airlines flight 214 accident on July 6, 2013. The NTSB investigation shows that the pilot inadvertently disabled a speed-control system.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman took questions from the media during the investigative hearing. Her briefing may be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1GopE_siVY&feature=youtu.be in which she describes the timeline in the crash.

by

Transportation safety expert witnesses may consult on transportation technology, railroad accident investigation, railroads, and more. On December 6th, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration issued Emergency Order 29 to Metro-North Commuter Railroad following the fatal Metro-North Railroad derailment in the Bronx, NY. to take specific, immediate steps to ensure its train crews do not exceed speed limitations.

EO 29 requires Metro-North to provide the FRA with a list of main track locations where there is a reduction of more than 20 mph in the maximum authorized passenger train speed by December 10, 2013. Further, Metro-North is ordered to identify appropriate modifications to its existing automatic train control system or other signal systems to enable adequate advance warning of and adherence to such speed restrictions. These modifications will help prevent another over-the-speed-limit event if a locomotive engineer fails to take actions to appropriately slow or stop a passenger train.

In the meantime, Metro-North is ordered to operate trains with two qualified train crew members in the controlling locomotive cab or passenger car control compartment at the locations where speed limits change by 20 mph or more until the signal work at these locations is complete. Additionally, the railroad must submit to the FRA for approval an Action Plan that ensures the safety of its operations for passengers and employees by December 31. The plan must contain target dates and milestones for implementing necessary signal system modifications.

Continue reading

by

In I’ve Been Hacked! What Do I Do Now?, computer forensics expert witness Steven G. Burgess, Burgess Consulting and Forensics, writes:

It’s not really possible to be online and be 100% protected from hacking, but there are numerous measures you can take to make it not worth most anyone’s time. They include:

DO use effective passwords. A good guide is at the Perfect Passwords page at Gibson Research Corporation’s website.

Continue reading

by

In Why a Medical Expert Witness Can Make or Break a Case, pulmonary medicine expert witness Dr. John Penek, MD, FCCP, FAASM, writes:

Whether the court case is civil or criminal in nature, both plaintiffs and defendants can benefit from the use of a medical expert witness. This is especially true in an era where forensic technology is growing by leaps and bounds.

Just what can a medical experts offer in the realm of traditional jurisprudence?

Continue reading

by

In Expert Witness Fees Deferred Until Settlement of Case, Carson Nash Funding, Inc. explains how their company provides funding to expert witnesses that allows trial lawyers the ability to defer payment of expert witness expenses until their cases settle.

Expert witness expenses are one of the largest and most significant expenditures a trial attorney has to make. All case expenses are paid up front as the case progresses and trial lawyers are not compensated until the case settles.

Expert witness fees plus additional case expenses and practice overhead expenses create restricted budgets for trial lawyers and may limit their ability to accept new cases to expand their practice.

Continue reading

by

Child abuse expert witnesses are prepared to advise regarding child abuse and neglect, and the physical, emotional, or sexual mistreatment of children. A child abuse expert will testify this week in the Saline County, KS, case against Troy Love. Love is accused of first degree murder and child abuse in the death of Bre’Elle Jefferson. Defense attorney Roger Struble, of Blackwell, Blackwell and Struble, says the expert will show that the child’s injuries were accidental.

Kansas 28th Judicial District information: http://www.kscourts.org/districts/District-Info.asp?d=28

by

Transportation expert witnesses may provide expert witness testimony on transportation technology, transportation safety, railroad accident investigation, railroads, and more. In the news, The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team to investigate the Metro North passenger train accident in New York City. The train derailed in the Bronx, killing four.

NTSB Rail Safety Investigator Mike Flanigon will lead a team of specialists in track, signals, mechanical systems, operations, human performance, etc. The NTSB website offers statistics on transportation fatalities. In 2011, rail fatalities accounted for 759 of the total 34,434. The NTSB case decisions database may be found here: http://www.ntsb.gov/legal/o_n_o/query.aspx