Representative Case Experience

Over 32 expert opinions rendered across vehicle accidents, wrongful death, premises liability, construction defects, and ADA compliance. Below are representative cases demonstrating the scope and outcomes of my work.

Wrongful Death / Roadway Defects

Pearce v. State of Arizona (2024) — ADOT work zone deficiencies on US 95. Fog seal cure time violations, substandard lane tapers, MUTCD non-compliance. Opinion survived defense rebuttal. Case settled.

Ruvalcaba v. State of Arizona (2023) — Motorcycle crash involving cattle guard protrusions on private road. Premises liability analysis. Case settled.

Lake Havasu (2022) — Vehicular wrongful death involving roadway workmanship defects.

Motorcycle / Work Zone Safety

Kellums v. State of Arizona (2025) — Motorcycle crash on wet centerline paint during active ADOT striping operation on US 191. Glass bead friction analysis, waterborne paint curing standards, inadequate traffic protection measures.

Niehaus v. State of Arizona/ADOT (2019) — Bicycle crash caused by asphalt debris on US-60 highway shoulder. Contractor and ADOT maintenance liability. Case settled.

Construction Site Safety

Mitchell v. Pulte Homes (2021) — Unmarked roping hazard in active construction zone. Deposed by two defense parties. Opinion withstood rebuttal. Case settled.

Trip, Step, Slip & Fall / Premises Liability

Pittman v. United States (2018) — Post office entrance trip and fall. Missing floor tiles, video analysis, static force calculations. Deposed. Rebuttal defended. Case settled.

Proctor/Liberty Elementary School (2018) — Sidewalk ramp edge drop-off at elementary school. ADA/ASTM cross-slope analysis. Deposed. Rebuttal defended.

Meyers v. Palm Valley Apartments (2020) — Step and fall on unmarked short flight of stairs. ASTM visual cue deficiency analysis. Case settled.

Kranz v. City of Scottsdale (2022) — Sidewalk differential exceeding ADA standards on Bell Road.

Lucero (2022) — Sidewalk differential with photographic measurement analysis.

Bicycle Incidents

Beck v. City of Sierra Vista (2019) — Chip seal resurfacing defects. MUTCD/AASHTO standards analysis. Deposed and testified at trial.

Vehicle Accident Reconstruction - Rail, Truck, Bus

Rea v. Derron and Parkway Bank & Trust (2018) — Commercial driveway collision. AASHTO intersection sight visibility analysis, vegetation obstruction within sight triangle. Case settled.

Wilson v. Mattson (2017) — T-bone collision with impact speed calculation using NHTSA crush data and stopping distance analysis. Case settled.

Milano (2019) — Multi-vehicle freeway collision. Denied liability defense through crash sequence reconstruction. Case settled.

Morrow v. Kowalski (2018) — Left turn collision. Speed analysis and avoidance maneuver evidence.

Diaz v. AZ Milk Transporters (2016) — Tanker truck roundabout lane control violation analysis.

ADA Compliance

Galloway/St. Joseph Hospital (2017) — ADA restroom protrusion violation causing head injury. Deposed.

City of Buckeye (2014) — Citywide ADA strategic planning assessment.

City of Avondale (2014) — McDowell Road corridor ADA assessment.

Request Full Case List & CV

The above represents a sample of my work. A complete case list with additional detail is available upon request.

(623) 341-3580 thomas@chlebanowskipe.com