Category: Expert Challenges
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Design Defect Theories Employed by Mechanical Engineering Expert Witness Deemed Unreliable
On August 23, 2021, Plaintiff Virginia Huss used a Ninja BL660 blender, designed and manufactured by Defendant SharkNinja Operating LLC, to blend a mixture of chocolate chips that she had microwaved for 60 to 90 seconds. After blending, Huss attempted to twist open the blender lid and the lid shot off the blender cup, causing…
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Roofing Expert Witness Allowed to Testify Despite Not Complying with Expert Disclosure Requirements
Eric Krajewski alleged that he submitted a claim for hurricane damage that Scottsdale Insurance Company will not pay despite coverage under the parties’ insurance policy. To recover the funds reportedly owed, Krajewski sued for breach of contract. Krajewski timely disclosed an expert—Phaion Hicks. But according to the record before the Court, Krajewski never provided a corresponding…
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Construction Expert Witness Allowed to Opine on the Reasonableness of the Use of Xactimate
In November 2021, a fire caused severe damage to the home of Michael and Alexis Wright, located in Goldendale, Washington, a rural area about 70 miles from Yakima, Washington. The Wrights filed a claim with their insurer, State Farm, which immediately confirmed coverage. In January 2022, the adjuster assigned to the Wrights’ file, Timothy Treat, finalized…
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Automotive Engineering Expert Witness’ Testimony Survives Rule 37 Exclusion Sanction
Vicki Oetjens had surgery in October of 2020. Had all gone to plan, a diseased portion of her colon would have been removed, then the healthy ends would have been stapled together. But when the surgical stapler was deployed, no staples fired. This left a hole in Vicki’s large intestine requiring surgical repair. Vicki had…
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Banking Expert Witness Not Allowed to Opine on the Materiality of Documents Submitted
A grand jury indicted Rasta Khalid Walid (“Walid”) on 17 counts, including failure to pay legal child support, bank fraud, false statements to a bank, engaging in monetary transactions, and false, fictitious, and fraudulent claims. Walid filed a notice disclosing the proposed testimony of two expert witnesses he intended to use at trial: In response,…
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Psychology Expert Witness’ Supplemental Report on Complex PTSD Struck as Untimely
Plaintiff Arthur Williams (“Plaintiff”) filed this action against Defendants East Meadow Union Free School District, Matthew Melnick, Scott Eckers, Alisa Baroukh, Eileen Napolitano, Joseph Parisi, Marcee Rubenstein, Melissa Tell, Dr. Kenneth Card, and Dr. Patrick Pizzo (collectively, “Defendants”), alleging discrimination based on race, color, and age, as well as a hostile work environment and retaliatory…
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Accounting Expert Witness’ Disgorgement Analysis Using Full Absorption Method Admitted
Plaintiff Multiple Energy Technologies, LLC (“MET”) accused Under Armour of false advertising in relation to certain products that contain bioceramic powder. MET contended that Under Armour inaccurately claimed that the Federal Food and Drug Administration had determined that those products enhanced recovery. Under Armour sells activewear and sleepwear products directly to consumers. This includes the…
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Mechanical Engineering Expert Witness Allowed to Testify Because She Explained the Forces Involved in Plaintiff’s Fall
F/V Mary Virginia is a vessel owned and operated by Westbank Fishing,LLC. Plaintiff Timothy Milne sustained personal injuries while working as a second engineer aboard the F/V Mary Virginia. Milne alleged that on May 14, 2023, he slipped on a slick substance and fell approximately 14 feet from the gunnel of a purse boat to…
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Architecture Expert Witness Barred from Testifying About Slope and Cross-Slope Because His Opinions Were Not Timely Disclosed
On March 19, 2018, Ralph Monte (“Monte”) visited the Defendant Sherwin-Williams Development Corporation’s store at 4473 South Semoran Boulevard in Orlando, Florida. While attempting to negotiate the ramp from the parking lot to the sidewalk, a wheelchair-bound Monte fell and sustained injuries. He claimed that the fall occurred because Defendant negligently maintained the premises and/or…
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Claimants’ Arguments Address the Weight of the Government’s Experts’ Statements
On March 2, 2022, President Biden instructed the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) to seize the assets of wealthy Russians as part of his administration’s response to the Russian operations in Ukraine. Specifically, the Government sought forfeiture of the M/Y Amadea, International Maritime Organization (“IMO”) No. 1012531, including all fixtures, fittings, manuals, stocks, stores, inventories, and…
