Forensic Expert Witness on Faulty Construction Materials

Construction materials cover a wide range of projects, and when these are faulty or defective, it could lead to serious injury or death. The forensic expert witness hired for such claims may need to unravel the confusing subject matter by explaining what parts could contain defects, where these would harm others the most and why the compensation requested is necessary. Such experts may also provide more details in what the compensation will cover and how it will assist in making the victim whole after the incident or ensuring the surviving family has a chance of recovering from the death.

Defective Parts in a Construction Project

When constructing a building or other edifice, the materials need to have sufficient quality. When inferior products are part of the project, these could cause sections of the property to collapse or break. Air bubbles or

soft spots in cement mixtures could lead to brittle production problems. Others may bend or break when they need to hold up a floor or ceiling. If the materials are defective due to a design or production flaw, this could injure others during the creation of the building. If these items withstand the actual construction, they may later collapse or crumble away from under the feet of guests or the owner.

Faulty Construction Affecting Homeowners

When the construction company provides materials that are substandard to cut corners, the homeowner may suffer harm due to these actions. The roof may collapse on the top floor. Someone could become trapped under it and suffer severe injury. With significant structural defects, anyone at the residence may sustain physical damage. In these instances, a guest may attempt to sue the homeowner, and then the owner of the property may need to in turn sue the construction company for damages. It is important to recover from the incident for the building as well as any injuries caused by the event.

Faulty Construction in a Public Access Property

Forensic experts are necessary for a variety of reasons, but to reconstruct the incident, the professional may need to travel to the site. When this is a building traversed by the public, the scene may resemble a crime location. If the entire building caved in, understanding what truly started the matter is difficult. However, the expert may ascertain that the issue is due to faulty construction materials. These resources are often of lesser quality and are not able to withstand the elemental forces, several dozen or hundreds of guests or those that reside in the building on a semi-permanent basis.

Admissible Expert Testimony

It is more difficult to admit an expert witness in a case for a plaintiff than by the courts in a matter. These professionals usually possess greater knowledge or experience in the subject matter in the claim. By examining the construction site of the incident, the individual may come to a conclusion about who is at fault and how much compensation is necessary for recovery. By remaining within the confines of reliable and relevant testimony, the expert needs to also ensure his or her testing methods follow peer review acceptance. He or she will also face a Daubert challenge if the testimony is not within the realm of the subject. It may not connect specifically to the construction site, but it must explain the injuries and why the construction contained faulty materials in some manner.

An understanding of construction laws in the state where the incident occurred is also important. The expert may also need to know about timelines and deadlines for the project and how this affected the victim. The injuries sustained in the incident may require certain procedures, and this could increase costs. The professional may need to explain this in his or her testimony. Zoning and other construction regulations in the specific location may become a concern. These could help in proving the defendant was responsible for the damage.

Expert Witness in Faulty Materials

By explaining how the faulty materials caused the property damage or injuries, he or she may increase the awareness of the judge or jury in deliberating the case appropriately. This does not necessarily increase chances of success, but the expert’s testimony usually increases the strength of the claim.

Provided by HG.org

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer.