Expert Witness Services for Attorneys
Dr. Oko provides expert witness services for attorneys on litigation-related cases that require his expertise in materials engineering, corrosion and environmental protection. He has opined in several high profile cases. One court case involved a major bridge and netted the plaintiff $3.5 million in damages. Another bridge-related litigation was settled out of court. Other cases include:
- a scaffolding that collapsed with a worker on it
- a deck of a parking garage that collapsed on cars parked beneath it
- ladders that collapsed under persons
- lift baskets that separated from telescoping booms dropping workers from great heights to the ground
- a spill of fuel oil into the Bronx River
- lead contamination that permanently injured a baby
- a boiler that exploded in a cheese factory
- corrosion of chlorine-carrying steel pipes in a municipal water treatment system that injured a worker
- damage to a warehouse from frozen fire protection water pipes that had burst
Recent Work for Attorneys
In the last 17 years, Dr. Oko opined on 45 cases and testified during arbitrations and court proceedings. The following is a listing of some of the recent major cases in which Dr. Oko served as an expert witness.
Godosky & Gentile, Manhattan NY. Kane v. Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, January 2008. Dr. Oko testified during a jury trial in a negligence action regarding the Marine Bridge that connects Rockaway Beach to New York. This resulted in $3.5 million award to the plaintiff. (NY County of Kings Index number 22513/99)
Burke, Scolamiero, Mortati & Hurd, LLP. File 103.072-103.085, New York State (defendant). Causations for the collapse of the pedestrian bridge over Route 49 Marcy, were investigated by Dr. Oko for New York State. The case was settled out of court in 2006. (NYS PIN 2017.28, Agreement No. D015294)
O'Connor O'Connor, Bresee & First P.C. Burt v. Vertbridge, Supreme Court County of Rensselaer, Index No. 00216775. Dr. Oko investigated what caused the crankshaft of an 18-wheeler to sever from the engine in the middle of the New York Thruway. A small passenger car hit the shaft, injuring the driver. As a result of Oko's opinion the case settled out of court.
Paul Catone, Catone and Brower, LLP. Devins v. Tarrant Manufacturing, Hon. Thomas McNamara. Index no. 6889-03, RJI No. 01-04078477 (2005). Dr. Oko inspected a broken wire rope that held the blade of a snow plough in position. The wire rope broke causing the blade to drop, severing the leg of the operator. Pursuant to an opinion by Dr. Oko, this product liability case was settled out of court.
Harlan McGee Engineers. Dr. Oko investigated the causation of the collapse of 3200 square feet of the Galleria Shopping Center's car parking deck in Poughkeepsie, NY. The case was settled out of court as a result of Dr. Oko's investigation.
Attorneys Roger Raimond (Robinson Brog) and Will Nolan (Whiteman Osterman). Bruckner v. County Oil/Mystic Oil et al. Dr. Oko investigated, and opined on what caused heating oil to spill into the Bronx River. As a result of Dr. Oko's report, the Coast Guard's case against all the defendants was dismissed.