Practices in Engineering Analysis, Education, and Ethics as Applied to Consulting in Biomechanical Forensics

The demand for experts in the field of biomechanics continues to grow due to claim investigations by insurance companies and legal matters involving issues such as product liability, negligence, and workers’ compensation. Practitioners who consult in biomechanical forensics must balance client needs with sound engineering analysis techniques, ethical experimental design, and reasonable interpretations of published data. Once an analysis has been completed and opinions have been presented to the client, the task of presenting the results of the technical analysis to attorneys, judges, and jury members who are often unsophisticated in their understanding of scientific concepts in ways that are understandable, accurate, and not misleading can be a challenge even for experienced testifiers. Always being mindful of scientific and engineering ethics and being aware of aspects of educational theory can help to give new consultants confidence in their positions and make them more effective in their deposition and trial testimony.