Mr. R. Kevin Smith, P.E., D.F.E.
Crown Point, IN 46307
Office: 219-226-9510
R. Kevin Smith, P.E., D.F.E. is President of R. K. Smith Engineering Inc. since 1997, a mechanical engineering safety and design consulting firm. Kevin has consulted on over a thousand matters nationwide in the field of mechanical engineering design/safety over the past 42 years. He specializes in material handling safety, including lift trucks and self propelled elevating work platforms, and aerial work platform safety. Kevin has performed hundreds of investigations into product failures involving injury and property damage, and has reconstructed numerous accidents. Kevin formerly worked for Triodyne, Inc. for over 15 years as a forensic engineer/principal engineer. Kevin has testified at deposition or trial on several hundred matters.
Kevin has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering, and a master degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering, both from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He is registered as a professional engineer in Illinois and Indiana. He is a senior member/board certified diplomate in forensic engineering through NAFE.
Kevin has been actively involved as a member of the committee that writes the Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks (ASME/ANSI B56.1) for over 40 years. He also serves on the B56.6 committee (rough terrain lift trucks) and has served on ANSI A92.5 and A92.6 (more recently A92.20, A92.22, A92.24) subcommittees (mobile elevating work platforms).
Kevin has a laboratory for examination and testing, and owns or has access to varied testing equipment and tools. He also has several associates that assist him in various matters.
Send mail to: 1539 Chalone Court, Crown Point, IN 46307
- Accident Investigation
- Accident Reconstruction
- Construction
- Construction Safety
- Design Engineering
- Doors
- Equipment & Machinery
- Ergonomics
- Failure Analysis
- Forensic Engineering
- Forklifts
- Golf
- Human Factors
- Labels & Warnings
- Ladders & Scaffolds
- Lifts
- Machine Guarding
- Materials
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Products Liability
- Professional Engineering
- Safety
- Safety Engineering
- Traffic/Highway Safety
- Warehouse Operations
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Registered Professional Engineer (Illinois and Indiana)
Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering (BSME)
Master of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MMAE)
Senior member/Board Certified Diplomate of Forensic Engineering (NAFE) - Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: NAFE National Academy of Forensic Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSE)
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Member, ASME/ANSI B56.1 Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks
Member, ANSI A92.5, A92.6, B56.6, A92.20, A92.22, A92.24
Member, ITSDF/ANSI B56.6 Safety Standard for Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Have taught basic math courses, and statistics, at Prairie State College
Have taught as guest lecturer at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Design for Safety, Senior Design Course - Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: NONE
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: over 1000
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Mechanical Engineering Design and Safety
Accident Reconstruction
Lift Truck Design and Safety - Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: Estimated currently at more than 50 percent
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: Estimated currently approximately 50 percent
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: Several Hundred
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: Within last month
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: Over one hundred times
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: Over one hundred times
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: 42 years
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Consulting, testing, reports, site inspections, accident reconstruction, analysis
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: 400
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: 400
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: 450
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: 450
- Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: actual expenses incurred
per fee schedule
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