Category: Expert Challenges
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Court deems Structural Engineering Expert Witness qualified to opine about the damage to the building at issue in Insurance Coverage Dispute
In this insurance coverage dispute, Melland Company, the successor by merger to Melland Real Estate Inc., held an insurance policy with Secura Insurance Companies. The replacement coverage policy covered the insured premises, a set of commercial real estate buildings in Jamestown, North Dakota, owned by the Melland family since around 1957. A blizzard named “Winter…
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Court addresses Daubert challenges filed against both the Plaintiffs’ and Defendants’ expert witnesses amidst claims of premises liability and product liability
Valerie Koger, a Costco member, visited the Costco store in Fremont, California, on November 1, 2018, seeking dining chairs. While browsing, she encountered a Stakmore wooden folding chair displayed on an aisle. Upon sitting on it, the chair immediately collapsed, causing her to fall to the ground. The impact from the chair’s failure resulted in…
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Court Excludes the Testimony of Finance Expert Witness for its inconsistency with GAAP Principles
This case involved Plaintiffs Fischler Kapel Holdings, LLC, Richard Fischler, and Paula Kapel (collectively “Plaintiffs”) and Defendants Flavor Producers, LLC (“FPI”) and Jeffrey Harris (collectively “Defendants”). Plaintiffs filed a motion in limine to exclude the expert report and testimony of Defendants’ expert, Timothy S. Ramey. The Defendants engaged in a fraudulent scheme by providing false…
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Court limits the testimony of Life Care Planning Expert Witness citing reliance on the inadmissible opinions of an undisclosed expert
This case involved a lawsuit filed by Louis Edward Hill against Century Arms, Inc. and Century International Arms, Inc. (collectively “Defendants”) relating to a pistol that allegedly unintentionally discharged when it fell out of its holster, resulting in injury to Hill’s knee. On November 28, 2017, the Plaintiff purchased a Canik TP9SF Elite model pistol.…
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Court admits the Long-Term, Low-Temperature Ignition of Wood theory of Fire Investigation Expert Witnesses in Product Liability Case
The case arose from a fire at an apartment building in Potsdam, New York, allegedly caused by a defective attic exhaust/ventilation fan manufactured by Defendant, Broan Nutone LLC. Country Mutual, representing the Plaintiff, claimed the fan was defective in both manufacturing and design, citing New York law on strict product liability and identifying manufacturing and…
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Testimony of Civil Engineering Expert Witness found to meet the requisite reliability threshold under Daubert in insurance coverage dispute
The lawsuit originated from a commercial property insurance claim brought by Plaintiff, 285 West 24th Street Family Company, LLC, under a surplus lines insurance policy issued by Defendant, United Specialty Insurance Company. The claim involved both visible and latent damages reported by the Plaintiff, believed to have occurred while the policy was active on May…
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Court limits the testimony of Chemical Engineering Expert Witness citing his lack of familiarity with technical aspects of Polycarbonate technology, its design, or its operation amidst claims of trade secrets misappropriation
Trinseo Europe GmbH filed a lawsuit against several Defendants, including Stephen Harper, Steve Harper Consulting, Inc., Polycarbonate Consulting Services, Inc., Kellogg Brown & Root, LLC (KBR), William Davis, and Polycarbonate Resins Consulting, LLC. The lawsuit alleged that these parties had unlawfully obtained Trinseo’s trade secrets and confidential information associated with polycarbonate manufacturing. Polycarbonate is a…
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Court admits the findings of Neuropsychology Expert Witness with regard to injuries stemming from a rear-end collision for pointing out an intervening or alternative cause
The Plaintiffs, Samuel and Allison Fetchero, filed a lawsuit against the Defendant, Amica Mutual Insurance Company, following a car accident. The Plaintiffs had fully paid insurance premiums for underinsured motorist coverage from the defendant. The Defendant accepted the premiums and issued underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage to the Plaintiffs. On April 5, 2016, an underinsured driver,…
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Methodology employed by the Business Valuation Expert Witness to compute damages passes the Daubert test amidst alleged violations of consumer protection laws
This case involved a dispute over the admissibility of expert testimony regarding damages in a lawsuit filed by Innovative Solutions International, Inc. (“Plaintiff”) against multiple Defendants, including Houlihan Trading Company, Inc. and Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (“Pilgrims”). Pilgrims, a company involved in preparing and packaging chicken for resale, supplied chicken that went through several vendors before…
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Court rejects the damages calculation of Economic Damages Expert Witness but allows him to opine on available employment opportunities for the Plaintiff in Employment Discrimination Suit
Plaintiff Rose Kochka had brought claims against West Penn Allegheny Health System Inc. (“WPAHS”) under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (“ADEA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 621, et seq., Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (“PHRA”), 43 P.S. §§ 951, et seq., and the Pittsburgh City Code, Article 5 §§ 651.01 et seq. These claims arose…
