Thiel Engineering

Legal Expertise

Expert forensic engineer for Plaintiff in failure of 8 acres of landfill cover that occurred during construction in state of Michigan. Provided expert opinion and forensic engineering analyses. (1995)

Expert for Plaintiff in mediation of failed secondary liner below chrome plating plant in Pacific Northwest.  Documents review and one day of mediation.  (1998)

Expert for Defendant in mediation of failed potable water reservoir liner in Reno area.   Documents review, written expert opinion, and one day of mediation. (2003)

Percipient witness for Defendant in a cover slide on geosynthetics during construction.  One day deposition.  (2003)

Expert for Defendant in preparation of litigation for failed wastewater treatment pond liner in South Carolina.  Documents review and full-day deposition.  (2004)

Expert for Defendant in mediation and preparation of litigation for claim of unsatisfactory cover design for landfill.  Claim was that cover did not meet seismic stability standard.  Performed documents review, engineering analyses and expert report, participated in one day of mediation, and one day of deposition.  (2004-05)

Expert for Defendant (contractor) in failed waste-water pond liner for winery.  One day deposition.  (2006)

Expert for Plaintiff in landfill soil cover slide in west-central California.  Provided letter of expert opinion.  (2008)

Expert for Plaintiff in earthwork construction for dairy pond; fee dispute in central California.  Work involved review and mediation assistance.  (2008)

Expert for Defendant (contractor) of failed landfill liner slope in Montana.  Work involved mediation of dispute and resolution through expert review of design and testing and expert opinion.  (2008)

Expert for Defendant in Florida landfill permitting.   Provided courtroom expert testimony regarding landfill stability for permit expansion application. (2010)

Expert for Plaintiff, a municipal Idaho wastewater treatment plant, related to failed wastewater treatment liner system. (2010-11)

Expert for Defendant (engineer) regarding disputed standard of care regarding soil reclamation from C&D site in a western state; work involved field investigation, development of expert opinions, and preparation for deposition. (2010-12)

Court-ordered Expert for all parties regarding disputed repair options for single-lined wastewater pond built in zone of high ground water.  Interviewed all parties and review records, and prepared Expert Report of opinion. (2015)

Expert for Defendant (manufacturer) regarding claims for MQC and production standards for PVC roll goods.  Provided Expert Report. (2016)

Expert for Defendant (Installer) regarding claims for defective HDPE tank liner installation.  Provided Expert Report. (2017)

Hired as expert by Plaintiff (Owner) to support claim against the engineer regarding design errors and omissions related to landfill final cover construction in Florida.   Role was transitioned to mediator acting neutrally between all parties (Contractor, Engineer, and Owner).   Managed and conducted successful mediation that resulted in settlement agreements between all parties. (2019)

Expert for Plaintiff (Owner) regarding claims for landfill slope stability failure in Pennsylvania. (2019-2021).  Provided expert rebuttal report, deposition, and court-room testimony via zoom.

Expert for Defendant (Installer) regarding claims of failed pond liner in Minnesota caused by gas whales.  Provided expert report (2021).  Case settled out of court early 2022 just before jury trial.

Expert for plaintiff/defendant (countersuit) who is a contractor that constructed a 5 million gallon HDPE lined concrete storage tank to hold landfill leachate in Pennsylvania.  Provided expert reports on tank leakage rates and construction in 2022; preparing for jury trial to occur in late 2023.  Case settled out of court just before jury selection.

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