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Many consumer cases are expert driven, and the court will benefit from the industry experience that a well-qualified expert can bring. Attorneys who are just developing their practice, who are not overly familiar with the auto industry, or who have had unfavorable experiences with experts from either side would benefit from the discussion. By attending, you will gain a more complete understanding of how to effectively find and utilize the skills of an auto fraud expert.


What You Will Learn

  • What different types of experts exist within the automotive industry and how they may be of use to you
  • Which critical topics to discuss with a potential expert before you hire them, such as the expert’s background and how you will prepare and protect the witness pretrial and at trial
  • Why expert reports may or may not be helpful to your case
  • What common mistakes are made by plaintiff’s counsel regarding the preservation of evidence
  • What common mistakes are made by plaintiff counsel that are detrimental to an expert witness

Speakers

Robert L. Eppes is a certified appraiser who provides consulting and appraisal services for automotive issues, including but not limited to odometer fraud, title fraud, and rebuilt wrecked, flood, or salvaged vehicles. He has been admitted as an expert in federal and state courts in the areas of wreck detection, repair procedures, dealer practices, auto auctions, vehicle databases, and vehicle valuations. Eppes conducts vehicle inspections; reviews case documents, assesses diminution in value, and provides full appraisal reports. In April 2005, Eppes retired after serving twenty-one years as a criminal investigator with the U.S. Department of Transportation—National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In the course of his career, Eppes has provided training to more than 4,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Richard Dicklich served as instructor of Automotive Technology at Longview Community College, Lee’s Summit, Missouri for more than forty years. He provided technical services, mechanical inspections, expert testimony, and trial support services to automotive service contract administrators, insurance companies, automotive dealerships, attorneys, shop owners, and governmental agencies. His expertise includes the analysis of service failures of vehicle systems including engines, transmissions, brake, steering, electrical and fuel systems; and the analysis of service history, vehicle valuation, determination of vehicle condition prior to sale, collision repair methods, and odometer tampering inspection. He has given expert testimony more than 250 times at deposition or trial in State and Federal Courts.