Products Liability: ATS has investigated the cause of injuries for insurance companies, manufacturers, as well as both plaintiff and defense attorneys. The Forensic Staff is often asked to determine the cause of an injury and provide a court worthy expert opinion. The in-house testing capabilities combined with our knowledge of engineering principles, safe design concepts, practical knowledge of both foreseeable use and foreseeable misuse enable us to provide sound scientific answers for our clients. Product failures can expose manufactures and distributors to unwanted publicity, costly recalls, or government-imposed fines. At ATS we also support general industry by providing technical assistance with design, testing and code compliance of their products.
Related Links: Failure Analysis | Piping Failure Analysis | Component Failure Analysis | Mechanical Failure Analysis
Evidence Storage: Our facility houses a secure evidence storage area that is accessible only to select, qualified employees. This storage space is large enough to fit vehicles such as cars, trucks or small boats being held over the course of the litigation process. Our storage area is under 24/7 camera surveillance. Multiple employee authentication barriers stand between our dedicated storage area and the public, and the space itself is enclosed and prohibited to all non-qualified employees. ATS also has the capability to store evidence with specific preservation requirements, such as a biological sample. Depending on the sample type, our advanced equipment can simulate either a dry or a moist environment at a range of temperatures in order to best maintain the evidence.
Related Links: Refrigerated Evidence Storage | Evidence Storage
Industrial Accident Investigations: The Forensic Staff investigates premise liability injuries and workplace injuries taking into consideration the applicable codes and standards, and well-established safety concepts such as the Design-Guard-Warn hierarchy. ATS combines our understanding of the underlying scientific and engineering principles with our knowledge of OSHA Regulations and Voluntary Standards to determine the cause of injuries.
Related Links: 3D Laser Scanning | Incident Reconstruction | Special Services | Structural Analysis | Structural Investigation
Vehicle Accident Reconstruction: ATS has performed traffic accident reconstruction for Insurance Companies, Rental Companies as well as both Plaintiff and Defense Attorneys. Our investigators can document the accident scene using Forensic Mapping which captures the location of evidence, such as Area of Impact, Skid Length, Final Rest Positions and other key pieces of evidence which may become altered with time. Our investigators can also document the evidence associated with the vehicles involved in the accident, such as the crush profiles, download crash data information from the vehicle’s “black-box,” and perform vehicle component investigation/failure analysis. Our Marietta facility has a bay equipped with a 15,000 lbs. capacity vehicle lift, allowing for the proper inspection of vehicles from all angles, including the underside. We have on staff both electrical and mechanical engineers familiar with all major vehicle systems, and our vehicle fire specialist knowledgeable of all types of vehicles, including but not limited to trucks, agriculture, forestry and mining equipment.
Related Links: Accident Reconstruction | Black Box Data | Crash Reconstruction | Laser Site Scanning | Event Data Recorders
Site Scanning: In terms of forensics investigations, preserving the quality of an accident scene or the evidence contained within is extremely critical. 3D Laser site scanning service is a relatively recent advancement that is becoming a common tool, which allows professionals to create real-time, 3D models of environments (accidents or fire scenes) using a series of scans that measure critical characteristics such as distance, spatial relations and contents of the site in the most accurate way possible. One of the major benefits of 3D laser scanning services ultimately comes down to the fact that it uses technology to quickly and accurately collect dimensions and data that would otherwise be difficult and costly to collect. Consider the example of a vehicle accident reconstruction, where under normal circumstances it would be necessary for investigative professionals to enter an active roadway in order to perform their normal duties. With 3D laser scanning services, they have the ability to collect and capture millions of data points concerning the accident site. After the scans are processed, the distances between items of interest within the scans can be accurately measured. A drone or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is another technique used for site mapping. Applied Technical Services UAV professional pilots are Part 107 FAA licensed. Because of the ability to reach particular areas that would be cost-prohibitive or otherwise inaccessible, UAVs are evolving as an optimal operational instrument for many services including environmental administration and monitoring, accident investigations and various types of inspections to name a few.
Related Links: 3D Laser Scanning | Incident Reconstruction
Fire Investigation: ATS employs certified fire investigators (CFIs) and certified fire and explosion investigators (CFEIs) to conduct fire investigations for commercial and residential properties, vehicles, and heavy equipment. These experts investigate and collect evidence pertaining to the structures, products, component failures, materials, and people involved to build a comprehensive, conclusive, and defensible report. ATS experts evaluate factors such as heat levels, point of origin, and environmental conditions to determine how and why the fire occurred. We have a wide array of tools and inspection methods at our disposal, including site scanning, laboratory analysis, and accelerant detection canines. Our reports assist clients with insurance claims, litigation, and numerous other applications, and our investigators can testify as expert witnesses.
Related Links: Certified Arson Investigator | Explosion Investigations | Vehicle Fire Investigations | Structural Fire Damage Assessment
