Doug has successfully been performing forensic engineering failure analysis and accident reconstruction investigations for over thirty-five years.  He has focused solely on commercial vehicles and equipment for more than a decade.

 

He earned an Bachelor of Science Degree in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Cum Laude from the University of Cincinnati while working as a co-op student at The Timken Company, and a Master of Science Degree in Metallurgy with a minor in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. During his Master's work, he served as the manager of the Georgia Tech Mechanical Properties Research Lab  testing lab (formerly known as the Fracture and Fatigue Lab).  He is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and a Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator and holds a “Class A” Commercial Driver’s License with multiple endorsements.

 

His broad perspective and knowledge of claims and litigation processes comes from extensive experience as a manufacturer’s corporate representative and engineering expert, and prior/subsequent experience in the consulting practice of forensic engineering.  This range of forensic experience from a wide variety of perspectives provides the knowledge, insight, and diversity to acquire and properly utilize a wide variety of information available in a forensic engineering or fire investigation failure analysis.

 

Over the course of his forensic engineering experience, he has been retained by manufacturers, suppliers, insurers, plaintiffs, fleets, and individuals for commercial vehicles and equipment failure analysis, materials failures, vehicular and industrial accident reconstruction, fire investigation, and product liability analysis projects.

 

He has consulted with product design teams dealing with issues of safety, reliability, quality, manufacturing, functionality, and customer satisfaction with direct involvement as a member of a commercial bus development team.  Additional consultation has been focused directly on commercial vehicle and equipment product liability and safety issues.  Personal engineering product design experience resulted in patents applicable to consumer products and subsequent retail product sales.

 

His forensic investigation and testimony experience has extended across the United States and into Canada and the Caribbean.  He has  managed and performed failure analysis projects ranging from a simple review of an initial incident report and photographs to complicated, sophisticated, extended litigation cases.  These projects include a decade-long, detailed product liability case, culminating in a three month trial, in which he provided technical expertise and management and testified as the corporate engineering representative.