LITIGATION
SUPPORT
Unfortunately, people or their actions sometimes hurt other people, intentionally or
otherwise. When the questions of damages or liability are scientific in nature, you
need the best science available to get to the heart of the matter. Since science is
a rigorous method of describing reality, it can be very defensible. However, there
are many cases where the availability of scientific information is not sufficient to
positively answer the questions at hand. That is why good scientists maximize the
use of all available information to build a consistent story, a preponderance of evidence
if you will.
AVI has assisted in many legal cases, finding case supporting information where none
was previously thought to exist. If there is more than one possible story to be
told, the one with depth, foresight, and honesty will often prevail. Considering
many of the environmental industry standards are demonstrably non-scientific, you cannot
risk your case to people who purport that their experience is their strongest attribute.
Years of continuing bad experience give rise to monstrously bad expertise, but
often highly credible appearance. Where will this bite you? When your advice
based on years of industry experience says one thing, but defensible scientific data say
another.
AVI is expert at detailing the types of cause and effect information necessary to put
many cases to rest. But regardless of who you hire to help you with scientific
litigation, remember this one piece of advice: Make people demonstrate cause and effect
statements through rigorous data. If someone says a cleanup system will achieve this
or that success, make them collect the confirmatory data and make sure it really fits in
the cause and effect story. Many industry standards do not, so careful you don't buy
snake oil.