Product Liability
The product, examined.
Was the Product at Fault?
Aperture investigates how products perform and why they fail. Our engineers examine whether a product’s design, manufacturing, distribution, or warnings contributed to an incident, and how the product was actually used. Because a product’s performance often cannot be separated from the event it was part of, we evaluate the product and the incident together, drawing on our accident reconstruction and safety engineering experience. We provide objective analysis and expert testimony for attorneys and insurers on either side of a claim.
Defect & Performance Analysis
Evaluation of whether a product’s design, manufacturing, distribution, labeling, or warnings contributed to a failure or injury. Includes assessment against applicable codes and standards, examination of how the product was used, and consideration of alternative designs where relevant.
Incident Reconstruction
Reconstruction of the event a product was involved in, using established forensic equipment and methods, to determine the product’s role in what happened.
Inspection & Testing
Hands-on examination of products and components to document their condition, replicate performance, and test a failure theory.
Representative Products
Consumer goods and household appliances, power and industrial tools, ladders, scooters, and similar consumer and commercial products.
Our Capabilities
Key Experts
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
A product liability forensic engineer is appropriate when a claim involves product performance, failure, design, manufacturing, labeling, warnings, distribution, misuse, or an injury-producing incident. Aperture’s experts evaluate both the product and the event in which it was used. Early involvement is helpful when the product or component must be preserved, documented, inspected, or tested before it is repaired, altered, discarded, or returned to service.
The expert can evaluate whether the evidence supports a problem in the product’s design, manufacturing, distribution, labeling, instructions, or warnings. Aperture’s experts also consider how the product was actually used, whether it met applicable codes and standards, and whether an alternative design is relevant. The final opinion depends on the available product, records, testing, comparable units, incident evidence, and the expert’s qualifications.
Preserve the product and related components in their current condition whenever possible. Avoid repair, disassembly, cleaning, operation, or destructive testing until counsel and the expert establish an inspection protocol. Document custody, storage, condition, packaging, serial numbers, and any changes that already occurred. Related manuals, purchase records, maintenance history, photographs, video, and exemplar products may also be important to the forensic investigation.
Yes, when the expert’s qualifications and the evidence support both tasks. Aperture’s experts evaluate the product together with the event, using forensic inspection, testing, incident reconstruction, and safety engineering to determine the product’s role in what happened. Complex matters may still require separate specialists for reconstruction, biomechanics, human factors, or digital evidence. Coordinating those disciplines helps distinguish product performance from user actions and other contributing conditions.
Aperture’s experts investigate consumer goods, household appliances, power and industrial tools, ladders, scooters, and similar consumer or commercial products. The same investigative framework can apply to components and equipment when the firm has an appropriately qualified expert. The scope may include documenting condition, identifying failure modes, comparing performance with standards, evaluating warnings and intended use, replicating performance, and testing a proposed failure theory.