Richard A. Rice, PE - Editor
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Edition XXVI - September 2018
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Welcome to Fall!!!
I am currently working on a case where a mountain house owner rents out the house for weekends and other short stays through Airbnb. The construction code research indicates that the house is no longer governed by the residential code, but is governed by the more stringent building code. Does Airbnb have a duty to make sure the owner complies with the new code? What do the insurance companies require? Time will tell.
I would love to hear from others with firsthand knowledge of this type of situation.
Click Here
to email me.
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Again, thank you. If you have suggestions for OFI, please
email
me any time.
Sincerely,
Richard A. Rice, PE
#forensicengineer
#mutualengineering
#mei
#expertwitness
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New Jersey is Going Daubert...Almost
Expert witnesses in a pharmaceutical case are being taken to task by the judge.
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Subrogation in Michigan and Wisconsin
Cozen O'Conner attorney Christopher H. Boyle has written an excellent piece on subrogation actions arising from automobiles causing building damage.
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Construction Site Trenching Deaths
As if construction sites are not dangerous enough, recent OSHA actions highlight an uptick in trench deaths.
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Genoa, Italy Bridge Collapse: Could It Happen Here?
On August 14th, a concrete vehicle bridge in Genoa, Italy collapsed and to date has killed 43 people, including two entire families. Apparently, the Italian way is to grant motorway licenses to operators who charge for using, in this case, bridges, and are responsible for maintenance. There are now cries to nationalize all motorways and bridges in Italy. Here in the US, we have governmental departments (DOT's) that are responsible for roadways and bridges. Which do you prefer?
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Insurance Companies and Marijuana
From crop protection to retail distribution, people in the weed business are wanting insurance protection. Many carriers are reluctant to help this "budding" industry.
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Consumer Reports on Property Insurance
Consumer Reports interviewed over 19,000 of their members who suffered damage after several hurricanes and wildfires. This article outlines the lessons learned from these disasters.
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Disaster Strikes Near the Happiest Place on Earth
It is reported that two construction workers were killed when the scaffold they were on collapsed during a concrete pour near Disney World in Florida. Your Editor has investigated numerous incidents where the supporting structures collapsed during a concrete pour. It happens more than it should.
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Vizaline v. Mississippi Board
As I mentioned in last months edition of OFI, the Mississippi Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (Board) is suing a company named Vizaline. Now Visaline is suing the Board. From The American Surveyor, we have an article that suggests that the Board is wrong in its initial action. From the article we have:
"
Surveyors need to create their future, or it will be created for them.
Professional entropy is no match for inspired innovation. The risk is doing
nothing."
The outcome will be very interesting. For the entire article,
Click Here.
FIU Bridge Collapse - Criminal Charges Unlikely
On March 15, 2018, six people died when a pedestrian bridge collapsed at the Florida International University (FIU) near Miami, FL. Early reports indicated that the Engineer of Record knew about cracks in the bridge but did not directly alert the Florida DOT. This article discusses the difficulties in bring criminal charges in these instances.
Click Here
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I have the privilege to work with many great forensic experts in the United States, Asia and Europe in the fields of Accident Reconstruction, Electrical Failures, Mechanical Failures just to name a few disciplines. Please allow me to refer to you one of these court tested experts for your next insurance claim or legal matter. There is no charge to you. I do not get a finders fee from anyone. This is my way of helping you. Plus, I can help my Forensic Engineering colleagues. Please
email me
or call 404.395.7441.
Note:
No warranties, expressed or implied, are made to the suitability of any expert referred to you. Do your homework to make sure you have the right expert.
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Richard A. Rice, PE is President and Forensic Engineer for Mutual Engineering, Inc. - MEI. Because of 30+ years of continuous civil/structural design services, and his early and continued exposure to his friends and families many construction businesses, Mr. Rice is uniquely qualified to provide Civil/Structural Forensic Engineering services to the insurance, legal, and construction industries. Services include building design and construction, roadway design and construction, building inspection and code compliance, building/foundation collapse, construction site incidents, and other property loss subjects. Mr. Rice is a licensed professional engineer in several states, and a Fellow and Board Certified Diplomate of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE). Mr. Rice has written a novel and numerous technical articles published in professional journals for NAFE, the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP), and the Georgia Defense Lawyer Association (GDLA). Please call/email Mr. Rice or visit his company's webpage:
Richard A. Rice, PE - Civil/Structural Engineer
Mutual Engineering, Inc. - MEI
13009 Panhandle Road
Hampton, GA 30228
(Phone): 404.395.7441
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Thank you for Your Time and Your Trust!!!
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