ABSTRACT
This chapter is based on the authors’ many years of experience in the practice of forensic human factors and ergonomics for plaintiff and defense attorneys. The authors have observed that over the past 30 years human factors and ergonomics professionals have been used increasingly as expert witnesses in litigation. Peters (1971) described the early years of product liability and product safety. Initially, the use was by the plaintiff’s bar. Subsequently, the defense bar began employing these professionals to support their clients’ cases and to challenge the opinions of the plaintiffs’ human factors and ergonomics experts. With this increasing use of human factors and ergonomics professionals in litigation, it seems timely to provide a “road map” to guide professionals new to the field in the performance of their forensic practice. A useful background reference regarding product liability and forensic human factors and ergonomics is Weinstein et al. (1978).
