Tag: qualifications
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Maritime Expert Witness’ Testimony About the Historic Practices of the Navy Admitted
In October 2020, Sentilles (Plaintiff) was diagnosed with mesothelioma and subsequently filed a case asserting negligence and strict liability claims against multiple defendants, including Avondale (Defendant). He claimed that his asbestos exposure from the 1950s to the 1980s caused his illness. Sentilles stated that he was personally exposed to asbestos while working at Avondale’s shipyard…
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Legal Conclusions Do Not Necessitate the Wholesale Exclusion of Insurance Expert Witness’ Testimony
Plaintiff Ashley Fawcett was in a car accident in 2017, while she was covered by an insurance policy issued by Defendant Standard Fire Insurance Company (doing business as Travelers Insurance Company (“Travelers”)). Fawcett opened claims with Travelers, and alleged in this lawsuit that Travelers unreasonably investigated and evaluated her claim for underinsured motorist (“UIM”) benefits.…
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Construction Expert Witness Used Objective Grounds to Come to his Conclusions
VEC, Inc. accused Joyce Electrical Inc. and Hudson Insurance Co. of breaching a building contract between the parties, after Williams Field Service Company LLC awarded VEC a contract to build an electrical substation and distribution line. After soliciting bids for subcontractors to do the electrical work on the project, VEC hired Joyce. Joyce eventually fell…
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Testimony of Finance Expert Witnesses About Monitoring Responsibilities Under ERISA Admitted
Class Representatives Peter Trauernicht and Zachary Wright (“Plaintiffs”), on behalf of themselves, the Genworth Financial Inc. Retirement and Savings Plan (the “Plan”), and all other similarly situated individuals, filed suit against Genworth Financial, Inc. (“Genworth” or “Defendant”) alleging that Genworth breached its fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Plaintiffs claimed that Genworth violated its…
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Forensic Expert Witness’ Testimony About Use of Deadly Force Admitted
In November 2020, Defendant and another deputy were attempting to serve felony arrest warrants on Jacob Settle and Sophronia Whitehead at their residence. When the deputies arrived, Settle was in the driver’s seat of a truck. Settle did not comply with the deputies’ commands to exit the truck, and he started the truck and took…
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Safety Expert Witness’ Testimony on Situational Awareness and Duty of Care Rejected
A district judge in Oklahoma noted the expert witness’ extensive background in event safety at live events but barred him from testifying because he never inspected the area where Plaintiff fell and ignored relevant statutes and codes. Plaintiff Boulac sought damages for injuries she allegedly sustained at the Bank of Oklahoma Center (“BOK Center”) in…
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Court Partly Admits Nursing Expert Witness’ Assertion that the Nursing Care was Substandard
A district judge in Washington ruled that the testimony advanced by an expert on nursing practice was relevant to the Plaintiff’s argument that Chelan County Regional Justice Center’s medical care of inmates is substandard. Facts of the Case: Defendant Chelan County Regional Justice Center (“CCRJC”) accepted Blair Nelson into its jail on November 21, 2020.…
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Mechanical Engineering Expert Witness’ Opinions on Vessel Design and Operations Rejected
This matter concerns a maritime personal injury. On May 19, 2023, Bunting filed this case against Odyssea, alleging claims for Jones Act negligence, unseaworthiness, and negligence under general maritime law and state law, and seeking damages for injuries to his back, legs, knees, and feet. Facts In March 2018, Odyssea hired Bunting to work as…
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Design Engineering Expert Witness’ Product Defect Theory held to be Reliable
A district judge in New Jersey decided that a design engineering expert witness could testify about the alleged design defects of the model in question and the risks and possible outcomes of such design defects. On August 19, 2016, William Visakay (“Visakay”) was riding his 2007 Craftsman Lawn Tractor in his backyard when it overturned…
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Insurance Expert Witness’ Testimony on Legal Parameters for Bad Faith Excluded
This case arises out of a dispute over three separate, consecutive, nonrenewable Short Term Medical (“STM”) insurance plans underwritten by Defendant American Financial Security Life Insurance Company (“AFSLIC” or “American”). The type of STM insurance (also referred to as “short term limited duration insurance” or “STLDI”) at issue here is relatively new, first being authorized…