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Forensic Engineering & Expert Witness Services

Overview

Forensic Engineering is the practice of applying the science of engineering to some legal circumstance. These engineers investigate and report on accidents or failures. A Forensic Engineer (FE) may be called on to act as an expert witness, providing testimony in front of a jury. The FE must have technical competency as their specialty, as well as knowledge of legal procedures. The FE must be able to apply detective skills to different circumstances and be able to relate their findings to a judge, jury, or lawyer.

Since 1941, JBA has maintained a reputation for providing qualified Forensic Engineers and Expert Witnesses. Below is a sample list of cases for which the firm has provided its services:

- Septic System Failure, Condemnation
- Workman Fell Through Roof – Personal Injury
- Pipeline Trench Failure
- Ladder Failure – Personal Injury
- Dike Failure – Flood Damage
- Asphalt Failure – Personal Injury
- Floor Damage – Drainage
- Failure to Maintain (Mobile Home Park)
- Water Main Break (Construction Error)
- Soils Stability – Erosion Damage
- Flood Damage – Retention Basin Failure
- Earthquake Damage to Structure
- Concrete Pipe Failure
- Property Line Dispute & Wall Failure
- Foam Roof Dispute – Cost Overrun
- Soils Subsidence & Structural Failure
- Wind Damage to Manufactured Houses
- Ceiling Failure – Refrigerated Building
- Retaining Wall Failure – Property Damage
- Use of Fire Damaged Chum Rubber
- Damage by Vibration from Pile Driving
- Faulty Domestic Water System
- Earth Failure – Soil Stability
- Property Condemnation
- Water Damage to Condos
- Faulty Sewer System
- Natural Gas Line Failure
- Planning & Boundary Dispute
- Building Condemnation by City
- Easement Dispute
- Ground Water Hydrology Litigation
- Accident Involving Scaffold (Personal Injury)
- Liquefaction, High Ground Water
- Safety Procedure
- Traffic Accident, City Maintenance
- Developer / Engineer Dispute
- New Building – Time & Costs Excessive
- Cost Estimate Dispute – Builder / Contractor
- Condo – Faulty Construction
- Avalanche Damage to Mountain Homes
- Safety of Stairs (Personal Injury)
- Lot Compaction – Footing Failure
- Water System Contamination
- Flooding Due to Fire-Damaged Hillsides
- Dispute Between Engineer’s Reports
- Groundwater Contaminated with Radon Gas

Attorney References

Client & Address
Contact
Gresham, Savage, Nolan, & Tilden
3750 University Avenue, Suite 250
Riverside, CA 92501
Theodore K. Stream, Esq.
(951) 684-2171
Ward & Ward Attorneys
685 East Carnegie Drive, Suite 140
San Bernardino, CA 92408
William J. Ward, Esq.
(909) 381-8350
Fullerton, Lemann, Schaefer & Dominick
215 North "D" Street, 1st Floor
San Bernardino, CA 92401
Wilfred Lemann, Esq.
(909) 889-3691
Berger, Kahn, Shafton & Moss
4551 Glencoe Avenue, Suite 300
Marina del Ray, CA 90292
Julie H. Rubin, Esq.
(310) 621-9000
Klinedinst Attorneys at Law
501 West Broadway, 6th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
Mark H. Nys, Esq.
(619) 239-8131
Reid & Hellyer
3880 Lemon Street, 5th Floor
Riverside, CA 92502-1300
James J. Manning, Jr., Esq.
(951) 682-1771
San Bernardino County Counsel
385 North Arrowhead Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92415
Alan L. Green
Deputy County Counsel
(909) 387-5288

Experience

The select projects in this section are indicative of JBA’s Forensic Engineering & Expert Witness experience. You may view them by category below:

Personal Injury (Partial List)

Case
Description
Wheelchair Injury - Asphalt Failure
A small portion of asphalt failed which resulted in a wheel of a wheelchair being displaced, throwing occupant to the ground and causing multiple injuries.
Ladder Slippage
Ladder and construction worker fell to the ground causing injury. Computer calculations were used to prove the impossibility of workman's claims.
Roof Sheeting Failure
Workman fell through roof sheeting 14 feet to concrete slab sustaining multiple injuries. Tests showed how workman caused accident.
Stairway Trip and Fall
Person lost balance due to irregularity of stairs and sustained injuries. Stairs were improperly constructed.
Wall Collapse
Six-foot high concrete block wall fell on workman causing amputation and other injuries. Modeling of accident showed who was responsible.
Pavement Failure
Automobile hit large pothole in a city street causing severe damage to occupant. Showed how hole might have been obscured by water.
Electric Shock
Person fell into ditch caused by erosion at which time contact was made with a hot guy wire causing amputation of a portion of arm. Computer aided modeling was necessary to show sequence of events.
Scaffolding Failure
Scaffold improperly erected failed, injuring workman.
Off-Road Vehicle Accident
Occupant of vehicle being used improperly suffered fatal injuries. Topography of site showed how accident happened.
Auto Accident
Poor road design was contributing factor, causing accident. Computer modeling was used to show friction factors.

Building (Partial List)

Case
Client
Earthquake Damage
Cal-Vet Loans
Foam Roof Dispute
Kelley A. Francisco, Esq.
Soil Subsidence & Structural Damage
Automobile Club
Landslide & Structural Damage
Cal-Vet Loans
Allingham - Flooding
Cal-Vet Loans
Soil Subsidence (Monaco)
Cal-Vet Loans
Earthquake & Flood Damage
Cal-Vet Loans
Property Condemnation
Fullerton, Lemann & Schaefer, Attys.
Water Damage to Condos
Parker, Stanbury, Babcock, Combs & Bergsten, Attys.
Soil Failure - Foundation
Fullerton, Lemann & Schaefer, Attys.
Building Condemnation
Redwine & Sherrill, Attys.
Building Failure
Malley, Scoot and Koffman, Attorneys at Law
Structural Failure
Elizabeth Guerin, Kirtland & Packard Attorney at Law
Building Failure Due to Flooding
Law Office of Kelley A. Francisco

Water Related (Partial List)

Case
Client
Client Address
Failure by Construction Managers in the Process of Work on Pipeline Project in Moorpark, CA
David W. Treadway, Esq.
Ferguson, Case, Orr, Patterson
1050 South Kimball Road
Ventura, CA 93004
Corrugated Plastic Storm Drain Pipe Failure & Personal Injury in Oakland, CA
Georgia Michell, Esq.
Michell-Langsam Law Firm
201 North Civic Drive, Ste. 236
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Water Line Failure Damage to Sound Studio in Glendale, CA
Howard D. Maycon, Esq.
Cozen & O'Connor
777 South Figueroa Street, Ste. 2850
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Subsidence Due to Underground Pipe in Los Angeles, CA
Victor Jacobovitz, Esq.
Law Office of Victor Jacobovitz
3055 Wilshire Boulevard, Ste. 801
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Fire Main Break – M.L.K. School Corrosion
Kevin D. Bush, Esq.
Cozen & O’Connor
501 West Broadway, Suite 1610
San Diego, CA 92101
Failure of Cast Iron Pipe
Barrett Kiernan, Esq.
Cozen & O’Connor
501 West Broadway, Suite 1610
San Diego, CA 92101
Water Main Break
Thomas M. Regan, Esq.
Cozen & O’Connor
501 West Broadway, Suite 1610
San Diego, CA 92101
Concrete Cylinder Pipe Failure
Jeanette Palla, Esq.
Ampac
P.O. Box 609
Douglas City, CA 96024

Wood Construction (Partial List)

Case
Client
Multiple Structural Damage from Construction Vibration
United States Fidelity & Guarantee Company
Multiple Residence Framing Failure
Parnell & Associates, Attys.
Railing Failure
Farmer’s Insurance Group
Truss Structural Failure
Von Tahalen-Fedoroff, Attys.
Fire Damage, Glue Lam Beams
Golden Insurance Company
Roof Structure Failure
Kemper Insurance Company
Earthquake Damage to Residence
Allstate Insurance Company
Structural Failure from Vibration
Wausau National Insurance Company
Condominium Earthquake Damage
Allstate Insurance Company
Workman Fell through Roof
Law Offices of Bill E. O’Hearn
Earthquake Damage
CalVet Loans
Building Failure
Malley, Scoot & Koffman, Attys.
Structural Failure
Kirtland & Packard
Roof Failure – Diamond Bar
Patterson & Lucas, Atty.
Faulty Condo Construction
Edgehill Management Corporation
Faulty Condos Construction
California Development Corporation
Damage to House
Ron Goldy, Atty.
Vandalized Houses
Golden West Supply Company
Earth Slippage to Mountain Home
Pacific Savings & Loan
Wind Damage to Houses
Conner & Rego Attys.
Subdivision Structural Failure
Gary Winn, Atty.

Soils & Grading (Partial List)

Case
Location
American Truss Grading & Drainage Dispute
Riverside, CA
Soil Subsidence
Los Angeles, CA
Flooding, Erosion & Soil Failure
Alisal, Solvang, CA
Earthen Bank Failure & Flooding
Chino, CA
Soils Subsidence
Riverside, CA
Stream Bank Erosion
Highland, CA
Earth Movement & Wall Failure
Tustin, CA
Soil Failure - Water Reservoir
San Diego, CA
Trench Failure
Riverside, CA
Dike Failure & Flood Damage - Tijuana River
San Diego, CA
Soils Stability - Erosion Damage
Costa Mesa, CA
Retention Basin Failure & Flood Damage
San Diego, CA
Channel Bank Failure & Flood Damage (Personal Injury)
Colton, CA
Dam Failure & Flood Damage - Whitewater River
Riverside, CA
Soil Failure - Foundation
Moreno Valley, CA

Flood Damage (Partial List)

Case
Client
Client Address
Flooding of Automobile Dealership - NV
Joseph Goldberg, Esq.
Cozen & O’Connor
385 N. Arrowhead Ave., Floor 4
San Bernardino, CA 29415
Repeated Property Flooding - CA
Alan L. Green, Esq.
San Bernardino County Counsel
501 West Broadway, Suite 1610
San Diego, CA 92101
Flooding & Erosion - Alisal, Solvang, CA
Joseph Goldberg, Esq.
Cozen & O’Connor
Suite 2 Sycamore Building
1365 West Foothill Boulevard
Upland, CA 91786
Earthen Bank Failure & Subsequent Flooding - Chino, CA
Richard A. Lepore, Esq.
Richard G. Anderson Law Offices
501 West Broadway, Suite 1610
San Diego, CA 92101
Flooding of Casino - Las Vegas, NV
Joseph Goldberg, Esq.
Cozen & O’Connor
3610 14th Street
Riverside, CA 92501
Property Damage Fire, Flood & Culvert
Patrick L. Graves, Esq.
Graves & King
3 Hutton Center Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Property Damage Fire & Flood
Don H. Zell, Esq.
Law Offices of Don Zell
100 Wilshire Boulevard, #950
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Flooding of Construction Yard - Long Beach, CA
Heidi S. Hart, Esq.
Herrig & Vogt, LLP
1651 East 4th Street, Suite 150
Santa Ana, CA 92702
Residential Damage Flooding
Michael E. Burkett, Esq.
Walsh & Declues
385 N. Arrowhead Ave., Floor 4
San Bernardino, CA 29415
Flooding of Private Property (Including Fire Debris)
Alan L. Green, Esq.
San Bernardino County Counsel
131 South Rodeo Drive, #250
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Mobile Home Park Flooding (Burn Area)
Arthur Grebow, Esq.
Grebow, Yee & Spiro
7700 Irvine Center Dr., Ste. C-315
Irvine, CA 92718
Dike Failure (Flood Damage) - Tijuana River
Maria Rullo, Esq.
Hill, Genson, Even, Crandall & Wade
3602 Inland Empire Blvd.,
Ste. C-315
Channel Overflow & Flood Damage- Rialto Creek
Richard R. Clouse, Esq.
Cihigoyenetche, Grossberg & Clouse
Ontario, CA 91764
Retention Basin Failure Flood Damage
Peter Lynch, Esq.
Cozen & O’Connor
501 West Broadway, Suite 1610
San Diego, CA 92101

Downloads & Articles

Forensic Engineering/Expert Witness-Related Articles

The following articles by Joseph S.C. Bonadiman, Ph.D., P.E. have been published in leading industry periodicals, and are available for download:

Forensic Examiner Magazine

Experience Versus Education In Forensic Engineering

(Article originally appeared in the industry publication Forensic Examiner, Winter 2007, Vol. 16, Number 4.)

Abstract:

Attorneys need to know if the expert witnesses they select are competent professionals. Two criteria attorneys commonly assess are education and experience. This article puts into perspective the positive and negative aspects of both education and experience when choosing an expert witness, and an example is presented to demonstrate each argument.

Download Article