Forensic engineering is not just one thing.  Sometimes it’s providing 3rd party independent engineering review or analysis to resolve an issue with OEMs, end users, or regulatory agencies.  Sometimes it’s providing accurate, honest testimony in a courtroom backed by detailed engineering.  Forensic engineering is not a “discipline” such as mechanical or civil, but it is a specialty recognized by the NSPE.

Supporting legal clients in litigation or criminal matters is more than just having accurate answers. Effective support requires providing clear, concise explanations that can be well understood by a non-technical audience while having the comprehensive supporting documents and reports that holds up under scrutiny. Our principal engineer, Bart Kemper, is a Board Certified Forensic Engineer and Senior Member of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers.  Others on our team, such as Prof. A.J. McPhate, are also highly experienced expert witnesses.  One of the cases they collaborated on is published in the Journal of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers.  Another case Kemper worked with our biomedical engineer, Linda Cross regarding a commercial diving incident.

KES also supports other expert witnesses by developing illustrations, animations, and engineering simulations that helps bridge the gap between highly detailed, complex technical work and those without the same professional technical background.  These skills directly complement our design and analysis work and allows us to advise our clients on potential outcomes, such as using expertise in product liability to enhance designs to avoid pitfalls.

Our expertise includes:

• Failure Analysis
• Accident Reconstructions
• 3-D and 2-D engineering illustrations (still or video)
• Fitness-for-Service (determining useful remaining life of equipment)
• 3rd Party Review to assess performance or regulatory compliance
• Product Safety and Reliability
• Blast, Ballistics, and Fire