TALBOTT ASSOCIATES - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Forensic Engineer
• President
• Senior Mechanical Engineer

Mr. Maddox is a forensic engineer specializing in fire investigations, failure analysis of mechanical components, automobile and heavy truck accident reconstruction, vehicle component and tire failure analysis, and mechanical testing including stress analysis. He is skilled in analyzing crush data, and pre and post accident data obtained from on board vehicle data recorders using the computer automated Crash Data Retrieval System (CDR). He is experienced with vehicle theft investigations including fire origin and cause, and the analysis of ignitions, alarm systems and locking systems to determine if tampering occurred. In addition, he is skilled in examining vehicle components such as brakes, engines, transmissions and lamps to determine if a failure occurred. Mr. Maddox has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Portland and is licensed in Oregon and Washington (PE-Mechanical).

Job Titles:

• Senior Mechanical Engineer
• Forensic Mechanical Engineer

Mr. Karlin is a Forensic Mechanical Engineer specializing in accident reconstruction (auto, truck, pedestrian, aviation, and machinery), fire cause and origin, slip/trip and fall (certified English XL expert), and low-speed impact analysis. He has a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and has been in Automotive Engineering since 1986 and in Forensic Engineering since 1996. Mr. Karlin is ACTAR certified, and is trial experienced (about equal for plaintiff and defense, including criminal). Mr. Karlin is licensed in Oregon, Washington, California, and Hawaii as a Professional Engineer (PE-Mechanical). Mr. Karlin is a licensed pilot, SCUBA diver and avid traveler.

Job Titles:

• Forensic Civil Engineer
• Senior Civil Engineer

Mr. Marx is a Forensic Civil Engineer specializing in structural failure, building code compliance, water intrusion and building envelope failure, settlement and foundation failure, slip/trip and falls, construction liability, materials of construction, product defects and evaluation of structures damaged by fire, windstorm, impact, vibration or other means. He has Bachelor's Degrees in Civil Engineering and in Soil Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mr. Marx has been involved in construction and engineering since 1981 and as a Forensic Engineer since 2003. Prior to that time he had been a state code official and certified building inspector for eleven years and was involved in quality control and certification testing of building materials. He is a member of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and is trial-experienced (about equally for plaintiff or defense). Mr. Marx is licensed in Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington and Wisconsin as a Professional Engineer (PE-Civil). Mr. Marx's other interests include bicycling, hiking and scouting.

Job Titles:

• Senior Electrical Engineer

Mr. VanDeWege is a Senior Electrical Engineer specializing in engineering analysis of electrical systems and products. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Utah and a Certified Product Safety Engineer and Fire and Explosion Investigator. Mr. VanDeWege's career has been focused on analysis of engineering systems; from working with design teams during product development and evaluating engineering systems for compliance to field failure analysis, his career in the engineering field has specialized in all aspects of an engineering system life cycle (cradle to grave approach). Mr. VanDeWege currently assists clients with engineering failure analysis, litigation support, engineering system analysis, product design, and fire investigations support. Mr. VanDeWege has been published multiple times and has one U.S Patent that was filed internationally. He has presented multiple times at the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society's Symposium. Additionally in 2014 Governor Jay Insee appointed Mr. VanDeWege to the Washington Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors , this board is responsible for the regulation of the engineering profession in the State of Washington.

Job Titles:

• Electrical Engineer
• Senior Electrical Engineer

Mr. Bendt is an electrical engineer with an extensive background in power and control system design and construction. Working now as a forensic engineer, he leverages his work as a consultant designing power distribution systems for industrial sites such as wastewater treatment plants and pulp/paper mills. He has designed and implemented extensive control systems in environments with many unknowns. This has allowed him to develop world class skills in electrical troubleshooting and failure analysis. His bachelor's degree in biochemistry and biophysics gives him a unique capability to analyze chemical and physical properties beyond the normal scope of an electrical engineer. Mr. Bendt has honed his skills in forensic engineering since 2019, specializing in fires and equipment failure caused by electrical and battery malfunctions. He has continued to develop his technical knowledge by studying battery electrochemistry and metallurgy.