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Mark McRorie , President
Reid, Jones, McRorie & Williams

John Southall , Vice President
FM Global

Melissa Crain - Secretary
PLS Claims

Miles Moody - Treasurer
Westfield Group

Chris Riggs - Asst Sec/Treasurer
Crawford & Company

Executive Board Members

Janet Nash
White-Hart & Associates, Inc

Open Position
TBD

Open Position
TBD

David Bourneuf - Past President
PLS Claims

Pete Mobley (Historian)
Mark Adjustment Services

Howard A. Zandman, CPA – Financial Advisor
Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLC

All Articles

Apartment Building Structural Cracking
Apartment Building Structural Cracking for No Apparent Reason

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Hydroplaning/Loss of Skid Resistance - Pavement Defects
Hydroplaning and loss of skid resistance are well-known causes of fatal single and multiple automobile incidents. During periods of abnormally heavy rainfall, water can build up on well constructed, properly mixed pavements. Persons traveling at normal, but significant rates of velocity (40 MPH or higher), with proper tire tread depth, can experience hydroplaning and loss of skid resistance in these conditions. It is when a relatively new highway surface collects (i.e. ponds) water, or looses its skid resistance, during periods of light rainfall that a defect is most probably present in the pavement. This paper will discuss and summarize the findings of several forensic investigations into Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) and Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) pavement defects that caused hydroplaning, or the loss of skid resistance.

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Who is My Customer?
In today’s atmosphere of diminished corporate profits, often the corporate cry is to “CUT COSTS AT ALL COSTS!”

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Indicators of Water Damage
Indicators of Water Damage - Water Exposure on Electronic & Mechanical Equipment

While the damages associated with water exposure to energized electronics are well known and generally obvious when encountered, the effects of passive water exposures and residues left behind are commonly unknown or unnoticed by the general public.

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Suit Limitation Period: Waiver Or Estoppel?
Suit Limitation Period: Waiver Or Estoppel?

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The Real Loss Occurs After the Fire is Extinguished
The Real Loss Occurs After the Fire is Extinguished

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DENIAL OF CLAIMS AND REJECTION OF PROOFS OF LOSS
The following was a presentation at the February 2006 Southern Loss Association Luncheon. The presentation was given by Paul W. Burke, a partner at the law firm of Drew, Eckl & Farnham, LLP - Atlanta, GA

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Why Would I Use a Language Service Company?

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Excessive Carpet Filtration/Staining-Burned Insulation
Carpet filtration (i.e. filtration soiling) is a well known phenomenon by carpet manufacturers and carpet cleaners. The evidence of carpet filtration is the grayish staining around exterior baseboards, the edge of stairs, and under doors that remain closed most of the time. When air is forced into a room, the air usually escapes at these locations through the carpet. The carpet acts like a filter that traps the particulate matter in the air. The particulate matter usually is smoke, grease, pet hair, dirt, etc….

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Dispute Resolutions and Residential Construction
Alternative Dispute Resolutions and Residential Construction Defects
The Georgia Contractor’s Relief Act of 2004

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Mold Tips

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Cell Phones on the Road
About a year ago I was driving across town for a meeting, when my cell phone rang. It was the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Duty Officer returning my call to answer a question for a client. As soon as she learned I was driving, she said she would not talk with me while driving and that I should call back when parked. What a huff that put me in! But, it made me think about safety considerations of driving and using a cell phone.

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HISTORY OF SOUTHERN LOSS ASSOCIATION
History of the Southern Loss Association
1957 – 1998
Written by J.F. Hardman

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Disaster & Recovery - Are you Prepared?
Article submitted by
Don Kurdy, Commercial Loss Division, Operations Manager

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The Role of Fire Prot. Engineer in Fire Loss Invest.
More and more, fire protection engineers (FPEs) are called on to act as the primary investigator of fire losses. FPEs have historically been regarded as special experts, retained to analyze code issues, investigate fire protection system failures, and support cause-and-origin experts. However, recognition by the fire investigation profession of the broad expertise of FPEs has led to a more central role. For example, NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, places FPEs at the top of list within the field of fire science and engineering. It describes the field of fire protection engineering as encompassing “all the traditional engineering disciplines in the science and technology of fire and explosions.”
FPEs deal with ignition sources and materials, fire dynamics, fire detection and suppression systems, building and fire codes, fire test methods, fire performance of materials, computer fire modeling, failure analysis, and more. With such a broad skill-set, it is no surprise they are the first experts contacted more frequently by insurance adjusters and attorneys handling fire losses.

The courts are also a driving force of this new trend. The courts are challenging and excluding expert testimony with greater frequency based on an expert’s knowledge, skill, experience, training, and education. Many fire investigators are finding it difficult to qualify as cause-and-origin experts. Attorneys realize that it is risky to rely solely on a basic cause-and-origin investigator to offer opinions on issues related to ignition, fire growth and spread, and even fire detection and suppression system performance- issues that are often central to even the most basic cause-and-origin investigation.

It is clear that FPEs play an important role in various aspects of fire loss investigation. A discussion of some specific examples follows.

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Making the Most of Recall Information
Your day in the office is shaping up like most every other day. You have just been assigned as many claims as you can effectively manage! But one of your new claims is a total fire loss, and your policyholders claim the fire started near their new toaster oven that was purchased sometime last year. "Hmmmm," you wonder…"could there be subrogation potential associated with this fire?"

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The How and Why of Lightning Analysis
Since 1977, A.C.E., Inc. has investigated the causes of fires, failures, and accidents in a multitude of circumstances. A.C.E. is a State of Georgia certified engineering firm that offers professional service in the fields of fire science, and electrical/mechanical failure analysis. Clients are provided with an investigation, analysis, and conclusion from physical evidence based on engineering principles. Our professional results have brought us credibility and respect from insurance adjusters, underwriters, lawyers and judges which is reflected through repeat clients.

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Retaining Wall Failures
How many times have you passed a beautiful residential develop-ment or home and noticed a retaining wall that is starting to tilt or has failed. You may often wonder why these sorts of problems occur and what can be done to prevent them. Remember that retaining walls provide lateral support to vertical slopes of soil, which would otherwise collapse into a more natural shape if the soils were not restrained.

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