Meeting/Event Information

Presented by James Plantes, S.E., P.E. - Polaris Forensics 

1hr CE Credit

The purpose of this course is to educate claims professionals on lessons learned from 
various types of building-failure-related property claims. Specifically, case studies from various forensic 
engineering evaluations will be presented on topics including hail damage to roof coverings, wind damage 
to building envelopes and structural systems, differential foundation movement, structural failure and 
collapse, flood damage, explosion forces, design and construction deficiencies, tree/vehicle impact forces, 
and/or other building failures. The presentation will focus on the causes and contributing factors of 
failure, patterns of distress, identifying unsafe conditions, evaluation methodologies, and available 
testing. 

Key learning objectives include the following: understanding the basic concepts associated with forensic 
engineering and the testing/evaluation methodologies that are appropriate for various types of property 
claims, identifying patterns of distress common to building failures, understanding what may constitute 
an unsafe condition for which access to a building should be prohibited, and identifying potential avenues 
for recovery of repair costs (i.e., traditional litigation, subrogation, etc.). The knowledge gained from this 
course will help claims professionals properly manage claim files involving structural and/or material 
failures.