| Insurance Investigations:
A major part of our business
includes Insurance Investigation Services:
Determine
chemical spill/release dates for comparison with policy coverage
periods.
Responsibility for payment of
chemical contamination claims often is a function of which
policy was in effect at the time of the release or at the time
of manifestation.
GeoForensics, Inc. can determine
the policy in effect by using forensic techniques to identify
the date(s) of incident occurrence/manifestation.
Let our experience and analysis
remove doubt about critical dates.
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Expert
testimony in environmental malpractice cases
Recognized as an expert by
several courts in consultant malpractice cases, GeoForensics,
Inc. has demonstrated its knowledge and experience to evaluate
the actions and decisions of environmental consultants.
GeoForensics, Inc.'s experience
provides expert assistance in clarifying technical issues
involved in environmental malpractice cases.
We have 28 years of regulatory
and consulting experience to draw upon.
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Identification of contributing parties responsible
for contamination
Insurance claims for
property/personal damage from contaminants are always
complicated. In many cases, more than one party and more than
one contaminant is involved. Determination of these multiple
responsible parties and contaminants can mean the fair
allocation of liability across various policies in effect. The
accurate determination of multiple responsible parties and
contaminants requires technical expertise and experience.
GeoForensics, Inc. can assist in identifying all responsible parties
involved in a contamination incident. We can help you identify
your insured's share of the liability and avoid paying for
others involved.
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Scientifically based cost-allocation strategies
Insurance claims for property,
personal, and/or natural resource damages are always complicated
- especially when more than one party is involved and each has
different levels of responsibility. Determining the liability of
each party can be complicated and result in overpayment.
For example, often, only volume
of waste disposed at a site forms the basis for cost allocation;
however, other factors such as toxicity of the waste, mobility
of the waste, site hydrogeology, etc. usually are much more important in
determining a party's fair share. Depending on the
circumstances, a party responsible for
releasing hydraulic oil may be required to pay a different share
of cleanup costs than a party responsible for releasing the same amount of degreasing or dry cleaning
solvent.
GeoForensics, Inc. is experienced
in developing cost-allocation strategies that are scientifically
based and provide for fair distribution of costs among all
parties involved.
We provide the following
services:
- Develop a cost-allocation
formula specific to your problem site
- Identify all responsible
parties
- Determine your fair share of
liability
- Provide a means to avoid
paying for someone else's responsibility
GeoForensics, Inc. services will
help
- Expedite settlement of
insurance claims involving soil, surface water and/or
groundwater contamination
- Identify and clarify technical
issues
Our
Experience Saves you Time and Money!
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Causes of
property flooding/damage
Insurance claims for property and
structure flooding/damage can be complicated. It is often
difficult to determine whether the cause of water/flooding
damage was the result of natural causes or manmade sources.
GeoForensics, Inc. is experienced in sorting out the facts and
making determinations that can impact the settlement of such
claims.
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Calculation and allocation of
damages to natural resources.
When natural resources are
threatened or destroyed, it is difficult to assess the extent of
the present as well as future losses, as well as the liable
party(ies). However, GeoForensics, Inc. has the expertise and
experience required to assist you in identifying causes of damage to natural
resources as well as translate losses of natural resources into
monetary equivalents that can expedite the settlement of such
issues.
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Insurance Investigations
Examples of insurance
investigations conducted by GeoForensics, Inc. involving soil,
surface water and/or groundwater are presented below:
- Provided evidence that gasoline
components in ground water at a site originated with owner of station 30 years
ago not with current owner
- Collected evidence (for the
primary responsible party) that identified other responsible
parties to share in the cost of a Superfund cleanup
- Through a site analysis for a
chemical manufacturer, showed that previous
owners were responsible for contamination on site
- Demonstrated to the regulatory
agency that
remediation was not necessary because chemicals in soil and
groundwater at a manufacturing site will
remain on site and not impact off-site properties
- Testified that gravel roadway
data collected by plaintiff's experts in an auto accident case
were inaccurate and not relevant to accident, and county
road agency was not liable
- Showed the regulatory agency that a release
from a residential fuel oil overfill did not require remediation
- Determined historical
concentrations of cancer causing solvents in the soil and
groundwater to which workers were
exposed
- Used
forensic techniques to distinguish three sources of gasoline
and solvent contamination in groundwater and to
appropriately allocate liability for natural resource
damages and for response costs
- Provided expert witness
services for plaintiff seeking remediation of contaminated
groundwater that caused indoor air inhalation problems
- Facilitated sale of property
by showing chemicals in soil and groundwater do not present
an exposure hazard and may remain in place
- Demonstrated that downstream
blockage of county drain by a neighbor caused flooding and
extensive property damage to client
- Provided testimony that
lowered costs for an industrial client from which the
government was seeking recovery of costs for replacement of
contaminated water supplies
- Identified method of relief
for homeowner impacted by flooding and increased groundwater
levels from a new surface detention pond on adjacent
property
- Provided expert witness
testimony for residents that sought a Contested Case Hearing
for a proposed chemical discharge from a groundwater
treatment system to surface water
- Identified the extent of soil
and groundwater contamination for property
owner impacted by industrial waste disposal from industrial
manufacturer
- Demonstrated that structural
damage to a residence was from a source other than the
alleged high lake level
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