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by: Keith Stephen Abstract: We have all heard the horror stories of how expensive the remediation of a contaminated site can become. Even the simplest of fuel oil spills have been known to amount to well over a million dollars in clear-up costs due to overzealous contractors, inappropriate use of technologies and lack of oversight. Read more...
by: Ron Koerth & Scott Broad Abstract: Spoliation of evidence is a hot topic in insurance and legal circles these days. The purpose of this article is to give the reader enough practical knowledge of the subject to minimize the chances that it will occur on his or her files; a full discussion on the issue could easily cover a few chapters in a book.. Read more...
by: Robert Sparling Abstract: When we think about technology we generally envision computers, cellphones and other electronic devices, but technology extends to the materials used in goods, the robots and machines used in industry, the telecommunications infrastructure, and more. Technology is ubiquitous; it is everywhere and in almost everything we use. The ongoing evolutions in the wide variety of technologies that permeate society make claims difficult to investigate and often much more costly as those technologies change. Read more...
by: Chris Gffin Abstract: In Canada, the profession of forensic engineering is relatively undeveloped but burgeoning. Successful forensic engineering in the future must consider the following seven factors: Read more...
by: Chris Giffin & Ron Koerth Abstract: We started Giffin Koerth in 2002. We have known each other since university, as we both graduated from the Civil Engineering program at the University of Waterloo and we had previously worked together at another forensic engineering firm. It was our thought that the forensic engineering industry at the time was not doing a very good job of providing for the needs of the insurance and legal communities, as the depth of expertise being made available was shallow especially in the large loss, commercial category. We had a mission of creating a large forensic firm not just for the sake of being large, but that a large firm was what was required to provide a depth of expertise in all the areas of exposure. At the time we knew the opportunity was great, and with time we have found that the potential was greater than what was in our wildest dreams.. Read more...
by: Matt Allen Abstract: One of the most challenging types of damages in fire claims arises out of the soot residue produced by the fire. Soot is essentially made up of very fine black particles composed primarily of carbon, which is created through the incomplete combustion of the fire’s fuel (e.g. wood, plastic, etc.). Fire damage residues also contain many other incomplete combustion products that are contained within the generated smoke, including harmful chemicals, carcinogens and toxins. In controlled industrial processes, it is possible for combustion to occur very efficiently, there by producing very small quantities of soot. Read more...
by: Ron Koerth Abstract: There are two types of evidence in insurance losses and they are either demonstrative or testimonial. Demonstrative evidence encompasses all of the evidence addressed directly to the senses, without the intervention of testimony. Such evidence is concerned with real objects, including documents, photographs, maps, charts, diagrams and physical artifacts. The focus of this article is on demonstrative evidence, or more specifically, the tangible items generally found at the scene of a loss, and important considerations for the insurance professional in dealing with these items. Read more...
by: Ron Koerth Abstract: The preeminent reference for fire investigators is the National Fire Protection Association's Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, NFPA 921. This reference was developed in 1992. Previously, ad hoc and scientifically untested approaches were employed by fire invesigators to attempt to determine fire cause. These myths and speculation on fire causation have since been debunked through scientific testing. Read more...
by: Ron Koerth Abstract: The following paper provides a review of important items which the expert may require to be able to provide an impartial report. Particular attention is paid to the instructions that are provided to the expert, given the focus placed on them by the New Rules of Civil Procedure. We describe various aspects relating to the instructions which may potentially be problematic. Read more... by: Rob Parkinson Abstract: We have all heard the expression the straw that broke the camels back. For biomechanists, it is a simple way to describe a minor event, which results in an unexpected injury. Unfortunately, the concept of a trivial event being responsible for an unexpected injury has been accepted by far too many intelligent people and has led to poor determinations of cause and effect in the insurance and legal industries. However, with a basic understanding of injury, there is some valuable knowledge contained within this expression. Read more...
by: Matt Allen Abstract: With property claims, such as those for water or fire damage, demolition, reconstruction and restoration of buildings and property are often required. Demolition is often also involved during the initial emergency response and the investigation phases. Adjusters often take on the task of initiating and managing the related contractor activities. In so doing, they may take on a role equivalent to that of the owner, in that they may be directly involved in tendering, contracting and administration of payment of contractors. Along with this role come some important regulatory compliance requirements and responsibilities in the province of Ontario that insurance and claims professionals must be aware of. Read More...
Abstract: It is not uncommon for a biomechanist to hear “I’ve got a pretty strange one for you . . .” from a client, often because an injury is being reported under fairly unusual circumstances. The question on most people’s minds is “Did this injury result from this incident?” The answer to this question takes into consideration whether the injuries preexisted the incident, whether they were embellished or whether they could have been mitigated or prevented altogether. Read More...
by: Matt Allen Abstract: Whether due to the need to renovate, rebuild or respond to a property loss, Risk Managers are often involved in assessing and managing environmental, health and safety risks relating to the demolition, reconstruction and restoration of buildings and property. As members of project planning, facility and procurement teams, Risk Managers often take on the task of initiating and managing the related in-house and/or third party contractor activities – such as engaging consultants and abatement contractors in having damaged asbestos insulation stripped from a piece of machinery that has sustained fire damage. Read More...
by Matt Allen Abstract: Whether resulting from wind, fire or water damage, insurance claims often involve the demolition, reconstruction and restoration of buildings and property. Insurance companies and adjusters often take on the task of initiating and managing the related contractor restoration and reconstruction activities. In so doing, they may take on the equivalent role of the owner in that they may tender, contract and administer payment of contractors directly. Along with this role comes some important regulatory compliance requirements and responsibilities within the province of Ontario (and other provinces) that insurance and claims professionals must be aware of. Read More...
by Rob Sparling Abstract: In order to settle claims or pursue subrogation opportunities, insurance professionals need to know why and how failures have occurred. As such, it is important to protect the information associated with the failure. The forensic investigators who help insurance professionals determine the cause of failures, need as much information as possible to help conclusively determine causation. Read More...
Abstract: Any transportation system is made up of vehicles, users, the transportation facility and the environment. They all have a factor in determining the efficiency and safety performance of a system. It has been estimated that roadway environment may be a contributory factor in more than 30% of roadway collisions. A firm understanding of expected safety performance and relative safety is required to properly assess the transportation facility and its role, if any, in a specific collision. The evolution of safety research is providing us with more “tools” to access safety throughout the life cycle of the transportation facility. Read more...
by Russell Brownlee, Jamie Catania & Rob Parkinson Abstract: In the past, an insurer may have hired one individual to investigate all aspects of an incident. This “jack-of-all-trades” approach is quickly disappearing from the field of forensics as it is not possible for one person to maintain the necessary depth of expertise in all areas, especially with recent advancements in research and technology. Using a Motor -Vehicle Accident (MVA) case study, the article showcases the coordinated assessment and investigation performed by separate experts in the fields of road safety, accident reconstruction, biomechanics and accounting, taking into account of all components of roadway, "blackbox" data recovery, injury occurrence, and claims quantification methodology. Read more..
by Michael Sinnott & Jason Young Abstract: In collision reconstruction, skid distances are a reliable tool in helping to determine the pre-impact speed of a vehicle. When reconstructing a snowmobile accident, the ‘skid-to-stop’ distance of the snowmobile can similarly be used to help determine the impact speed, if the deceleration rate of the snowmobile is known. For some basic scenarios, snowmobile deceleration rates can be estimated from the literature. However, for scenarios where the snowmobile rider is ejected during impact, which is often the case (as with motorcycle or bicycle collisions), the ‘coasting’ deceleration rate of the unoccupied snowmobile is required. Read More ...
Abstract: In the forensic engineering world of roadway colisions, CSI might appropriately stand for "Civil Suit Investigation". Forensic engineers work behind the scene providing clients with expert opinion and facts to assist them in dealing with legal matters, Read more...
by Ron Koerth Abstract: Fire scenes can be extremely hazardous, with even minor fires having numerous potential dangers. However, depending on the degree and timing of fire scene participation, all of these dangers can either be eliminated or protected against with the most practical methods. Read More...
by Ron Koerth Abstract: Anyone who is a fan of spaghetti westerns will instantly know a hired gun is someone who was paid by the wealthy, evil rancher to gun down anyone who stood in his way. These days, in the context of expert witnesses, a hired gun does not use a deadly weapon, instead his or her weapon of choice is a pen and the tongue. Read more...
by Scott Broad Abstract: Fundamentally, the latest digital cameras haven’t changed from their ancestral roots; they all still focus light through a lens, control the amount of light that enters the camera body, and expose a recording medium. The usual recording medium has long been a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts (a long name for film). However, the “film” of the digital camera is not the archival silver-coated plastic strip but an electronic sensor called a CCD. Read more...
Abstract: The notion that a heavier vehicle will take longer to stop is satisfying on an intuitive level. Indeed, many people, both technical and non-technical, readily accept this conclusion as true. Unfortunately, it is incorrect: heavier vehicles do not necessarily take longer to stop. The confusion is caused by an oversimplification of the problem. Read more...
by Ron Koerth Abstract: That is the question everyone is asking. At this time, unfortunately, too little evidence has been released to the public to be able to answer the question directly. There are many possibilities; however, given the age of the overpass and the environment it was in, a strong candidate for primary or contributing cause of the collapse is corrosion of the reinforcing steel contained within the concrete. A simplified discussion of this failure mechanism follows. Read more...
by Ron Koerth Abstract: The title of this article is misleading, as it may not always be possible to preserve the evidence when testing is performed (i.e. - destructive testing). It may be necessary to perform destructive testing or
by Ron Koerth Abstract: In our role as forensic engineers, we are most often asked to provide assistance in subrogation matters where a loss is believed to have been caused by either: 1. A failure of a product, system or piece of machinery; or, 2. By the actions or omissions of a third party. In both cases, all of the information that is germane to the specific item or action is important to us in being able to arrive at an accurate, fair and reasonable opinion. Read more...
by Robert Parkinson & Michael Sinnott Abstract: Injury biomechanists are scientists or engineers who have a unique background in aspects of both mechanical engineering and human biology, which includes training in: physics and mathematics; human anatomy and physiology; failure testing of biological tissue; and, injury mechanisms. This unique theoretical and experimental background enables the injury biomechanist to understand fundamental engineering principles as they relate to tissue properties. Read more...
Abstract: In collision reconstruction of nighttime accidents, the conspicuity of hazards from a driver’s perspective is a critical factor. When the collision involves large commercial vehicles, the visibility of the reflective strips is essential in assessing avoidance. Reflective strips on commercial vehicles are generally consistent from vehicle to vehicle and are highly reflective between perpendicular and 45º viewing angles. Read more... Abstract: "I've got a pretty strange one for you…" I hear this all the time from my clients. Usually, it’s because an injury is being reported in fairly unusual circumstances. The big question on most people’s minds is "Did this injury result from this incident?" The question often includes considerations about whether the injuries pre-existed the incident, whether they were embellished, or whether they could have been mitigated or prevented altogether. Read more... |
ITE Newsletter 2009, 
