Disaster Expert Witnesses
Disaster expert witnesses and consultants listed here may be able to form expert opinions, draft expert witness reports, provide expert witness testimony at deposition and/or trial as or serve as consulting (non-testifying) experts on disaster. The disaster expert witness listings on this page are typically from fields/areas of expertise such as: Civil Engineering, Construction, Construction Defects, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medicine, Emergency Preparedness, Energy, Mechanical Engineering, Meteorology, and Safety.
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Tara Parhizkar, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., P.E.
Accident Investigation – Energy Infrastructures
Los Angeles, California
Energy, Mechanical Engineering
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Power Grid, Energy Infrastructures, Marine Industry, Accident Investigation, Power Tools, Patent Litigation, Construction Safety, Utilities, Oil & Gas, Wildfire, Public Safety, Root Cause Analysis, Failure, Accident, Energy, Climate Change, Renewable Energy, Disaster, Catastrophic Injury, Safety
Dr. Tarannom Parhizkar, Ph.D., P.E., is a distinguished expert in power grids and the oil & gas industry, with over 16 years of professional experience. She is an Adjunct Professor at UCLA and a trusted authority in accident investigation, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), and common cause failure assessment, providing attorneys with clear, defensible technical opinions.
Her litigation and consulting work focuses on accident reconstruction, root cause analysis, and patent disputes. She has supported cases involving energy infrastructure accidents, pipeline integrity, combustion systems, equipment failures, and environmental exposures. Known for her meticulous methods and integrity, Dr. Parhizkar offers objective, reliable insights that help clarify complex technical issues in court.
Dr. Parhizkar has authored a book, multiple book chapters, and more than 30 peer-reviewed journal publications. She is also an active academic contributor, serving as Adjunct Professor at UCLA,...
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Christine Standohar-Alfano, PhD, PE, CCM
Civil Engineer, Certified Consulting Meteorologist
ICC Forensics
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Civil Engineering, Meteorology
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Wind, Storm Damage, Tornado, Hail, Snow, Precipitation, Roof, Rebuttal, Hurricane, Thunderstorm, Wind Tunnel, Structural, Building Damage, Radar, Insurance, Forensic Engineering, Damage Analysis, Commercial, Residential, Disaster
Dr. Alfano has been performing forensic evaluations for over ten years starting with her doctoral research when she analyzed damage and researched mitigation techniques for wood-frame construction subjected to tornado loading. Upon graduation, she researched full-scale building performance under wind loads and wildfire/ember exposure in a large-scale wind tunnel. Over the last ten years, she has inspected and assessed damage to hundreds of properties including residential and commercial structures. Additionally, she has participated and collaborated in several large-scale post-disaster surveys for tornadoes and hurricanes as part of broader research initiatives. Dr. Alfano remains involved in research and code committees and is an associate member and secretary of the SEI/ASCE/AMS Wind Speed Estimation Standards Committee. This standard is in development as a joint collaboration between engineering and meteorology communities and will provide a consensus document on the estimation o...
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Richard J (Rick) Larkin, MA, CEM®
Larkin and Associates, LLC DBA Beacon Safety Services
Edina, Minnesota
Emergency Preparedness, Safety
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Emergency Plans, OSHA, Workplace Safety, Incident Inv, Disaster, Incident Mgt, Crisis Mgt, Emergency Procedures, Special Event Emergency Response, Incident Command System, Failure to Plan, Evacuation, Hazard Analysis, Negligence, Emergency Services, Major Event Emergency Operations, Preparedness
I am a Certified Emergency Manager® (CEM), awarded and recognized by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and am able to translate “theory-to-practice”; while relying on my numerous years of experience and knowledge of complex industry standards to provide clear, understandable and practical assessment and advice. I am currently a certified Emergency Medical Technician - Basic, following 33 years as a certified Paramedic.
Over 35 years experience in emergency services operations and management, (Fire/Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Management). Hundreds of emergency responses to fires, rescues, emergency medical, and critical incidents. Significant involvement in major disaster response, training and exercises. Broad experience in planning and preparedness for large-scale planned events and event operations coordination ranging from a multi-day State Fair with 1 million attendees, to civil unrest, and sporting events.
Nu...
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Mike Apostle, MD, JD, MBA
Emergency Medicine, EMS/Prehospital, Military
Greenbrier, Tennessee
Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medical Services
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military medicine, neglect, patient transport, hospice, EMTALA, toxicology, corporate practice of medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, end of life care, Disaster, EMS, delay of care, geriatric, HIPAA, austere environment, prehospital care, aviation, nursing home, transfer, wilderness
20+ years of experience in emergency medicine and recent law school graduate.
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Michael D. Stall, MSCE, PE, DFE, CPAU
Expert in Construction Forensic Engineering
Managed Response, Inc.
Sugar Land, Texas
Construction, Construction Defects
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Construction, Defects, Forensic Engineering, Property Loss, Insurance Dispute, Schedule Dispute, Design Defect, Fire, Flood, Hurricane, Safety, Injury, Disaster, Collapse, Liability
Michael D. Stall, MSCE, PE, DFE, CPAU is a respected authority in the field of Construction Forensic Engineering, combining a powerful blend of academic excellence, hands-on industry experience, and professional certifications. As the Founder and President of Managed Response, Inc. (MRI)—a licensed engineering and construction firm—Mr. Stall leads a team that not only manages complex construction projects, but also provides forensic investigations, litigation support, and expert testimony related to construction and insurance disputes.
With over four decades of experience in the construction industry, Mr. Stall has built a career that spans nearly every role in the field—from carpenter and ironworker to construction manager and forensic engineer. His expertise covers a wide range of project types including residential homes, commercial buildings, manufacturing plants, power facilities, and medical centers. He has assessed and repaired structures damaged by hurricanes, fires, earthq...
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Richard N Bradley, MD
PEARLAND, Texas
Emergency Medical Services
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AED, Aeromedical, Airway, Ambulance, Defibrillator, Disaster, Emergency Medical Service, Emergency Medical Technician, First Responder, Gurney, Helicopter, Hurricane, Medical Control, Out-of-hospital, Paramedic, Pre-hospital, Rescue, Transfer, Transport, Ventilator
Richard N. Bradley, MD has met the highest training standards by being fellowship trained and board certified in Emergency Medical Services by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He recently retired as a Professor of Emergency Medicine from the McGovern Medical School, where he founded and led the Division of EMS and Disaster Medicine, created the school’s EMS Fellowship, and designed and led a medical student seminar on EMS and Disaster Medicine. He continues in active service as an EMS Medical Director for several EMS Agencies. He started his career as an EMT in 1980 and practiced as a paramedic in California for six years before medical school. In addition to practicing as a paramedic in three states, he also has over twenty years’ experience as a volunteer firefighter. He is a member of the First Aid Task Force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. He currently serves as a member of the National EMS Advisory Council, where he chairs the Equitable C...