MICHAEL PANISH'S

Published Articles

The following are some of Mike Panish's most popular articles that have appeared in a variety of legal publications across the country:

The Ins and Outs of Automatic Door Operation
A basic primer in how they work, what to look for, and how to analyze defects vs. deferred maintenance. Expert witness for automatic doors, Michael Panish, takes you through the basics for your case. By Michael Panish

Automatic Doors - The Importance of Checking your Doors Daily
Daily safety checks for automatic doors. By Michael Panish

Automatic Doors & Daily Safety Inspections - Why they are important & How they Protect Pedestrians
An explanation of automatic door sensors and how they work, why it is important to check them daily, and how they protect pedestrians.By Michael Panish

OVERHEAD DOOR INJURIES - Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Trucks
Injuries sustained from overhead door malfunctions include amputations, bodily force trauma, and death. Knowing who is responsible for maintenance and inspections of these doorways is essential. By Michael Panish

HIGH SPEED OVERHEAD DOORS
A brief discussion comparing these products to standard overhead door systems. Injuries from these products are generally due to installation deficiencies or usage protocols. By Michael Panish

COMMERCIAL OVERHEAD DOORS - Worker Injury Claims
A worker is performing a duty near the ceiling within the path of travel of an automatic door. Without warning, the door begins to move and the top edge of the door collides with the worker or what he is standing on, causing the worker to fall to the ground. This article addresses many case scenarios and responsibility. By Michael Panish

REVOLVING DOOR INJURIES
Automatic Revolving Door Injuries - Their functions and limitations. Pedestrian obligations when using these door systems. By Michael Panish

SAFETY COMPARISON - Automatic Doors & Manual Doors
A basic comparison of the differences in the safe function and usage of automatic and manually operated doors of all kinds. By Michael Panish

LOW ENERGY DOOR SYSTEMS - A Basic Primer for your next Door Injury Case
How low energy doors work. Low energy doors vs high energy doors. Intended Usage. By Michael Panish

AUTOMATIC DOOR INJURIES - High & Low Energy Automatic Doors
Basic information that you need to know about industry wide standards and how they apply to your next automatic door case. By Michael Panish

MAGNETIC LOCKS THAT FALL FROM OVERHEAD
Why they fall and cause injuries / Injury Case Examples By Michael Panish

THREAD LOCKING AGENTS
Why no heavy door hardware should be installed without it By Michael Panish

MANUAL SWING BARRIER GATE INJURIES
More dangerous than you would think. Why have so many injuries occurred? What are the reasons why these innocuous common devices have become life changing instruments of despair? By Michael Panish

GATE & FENCE - Accidents and Injuries
Malfunctioning gates and fences can cause catastrophic and traumatic bodily injury and death. Parking garage gates, pool fences, property fences, drop down doors. By Michael Panish

DEFECTIVE GATE DESIGNS - Personal Injury & Wrongful Death
Gate injuries are often caused by improper design and fabrication. From the very inception of a new gate project, an improperly crafted gate is inherently the beginning of a future serious injury or even deadly claim. By Michael Panish

AUTOMATIC GATE OPERATORS
The Relevance of UL 325 Standards. By Michael Panish

The Ups & Downs of PARKING CONTROL ARMS
What every attorney needs to know about how they function, why they fail, and why someone got injured. Who is at fault, who is to blame, and what the industry standards are that affect the claim? By Michael Panish

AUTOMATIC ENTRY GATES - Personal Injury & Damage Claims
A comprehensive look into automated entry gates, gate injuries, gate maintenance, and gate service providers. How to determine responsibility of involved parties and understand what leads to a claim.By Michael Panish

AUTOMATIC DOOR SERVICE PROVIDERS - How to Limit your Liability
If you run an active automatic door service company it is not a matter of IF you will be sued, it is a matter of WHEN ! What every door service provider can do to proactively protect their business. By Michael Panish

Door Defects & Door Related Injury Claims
A Guided Tour to Manual Doors & Door Hardware. Expert door contractor, Michael Panish, takes you through the basics of door operation and how to understand the aspects that may help win your case. By Michael Panish

MANUAL DOOR CLOSERS - Do you have an open and shut case?
Manual door closers are ubiquitous. We take advantage of their service on a daily basis without usually noticing that they are in place or that they are doing their job correctly. It is when something is seriously wrong with these closers that they become blatantly noticeable and potentially dangerous. By Michael Panish

CONCEALED DOOR CLOSERS
The overhead or floor mounted concealed door closer is a very common type of door closer mechanism which is normally unseen and unnoticed. In the majority of installations, these concealed closers are used on aluminum glazed storefront doors, hollow metal stand alone, or structural framed window systems. By Michael Panish

GARAGE DOORS - A Brief Tutorial on Garage Doors Safety & Installation
I have been involved in numerous garage door cases where many different reasons for an injury have occurred. Having been retained as an expert witness for both plaintiff and defense, several common factors have been observed. By Michael Panish

RESIDENTIAL GARAGE DOORS - Personal Injury Claims
Garage door injuries pertaining to rental properties, maintenance and safety, basic components of a garage door system, available safety devices, and landlord responsibilities. By Michael Panish

CRUISE SHIP INJURIES
Many cruise ships have fallen short on the maintenance and inspection of many elements that are within reach of the general public and passenger guests. Mike Panish outlines examples of injuries that have occurred on cruise ships where he has offered his expert opinions, working for plaintiff and defense.By Michael Panish

DOOR INJURY CASES - Pertaining to the Insurance Carrier
One of the most important elements of any new door case is to thoroughly understand all aspects of that case. Depending on the situation surrounding the claim, it is critical that your expert be a direct part of your defense from the beginning. By Michael Panish

DOOR PANIC HARDWARE - Getting to know the Basics
Injuries resulting from door panic hardware are more prevalent than you might think. Injuries can be due to lack of maintenance on these devices and/or installation of spurious parts or components. By Michael Panish

DOOR INJURIES & "The Eggshell Plaintiff"
As discovery has often shown, people in poor physical or mental condition who are left unattended or unassisted in doorways are often the genesis of their own injuries. By Michael Panish

HOTEL ROOM BARN DOORS; Dangerous by Design & Best Left on Barns
Designer’s concept is an accident waiting to happen. Poor design choice for hotel rooms and these type of doors can cause serious personal injury and death. By Michael Panish

INCREASING SCHOOL SECURITY - Concepts to Keep our Students Safe
The need for increased security in the schools of our country is real. Michael Panish, Door, Lock & Security Equipment Expert Witness & Consultant, shares his ideas to help develop safer school environments for the nation's children. By Michael Panish

M.O.A.T. A New Approach to School Safety
M.O.A.T. is an acronym created by Michael Panish in December of 2012, in order to promote a higher level of school security systems and student safety. By Michael Panish

CONTRACTOR FRAUD SERIES (Part 1) - Beware of Unscrupulous Contractors
Construction Expert Witness, Mike Panish, Many homeowners are regularly taken advantage of by unscrupulous contractors. How to check out your contractor prior to hiring him. By Michael Panish

CONTRACTOR FRAUD SERIES (Part 2) - Don't Become a Victim - Home Renovation Projects
Construction Expert Witness, Mike Panish, uses examples from three different contractor fraud lawsuits to demonstrate how homeowners can be influenced and easily deceived by building contractors. By Michael Panish

FINDING A SPECIALTY EXPERT
The best expert is someone that has a lifetime of practical experience in his or her field of work. By Michael Panish

Expert Witness - Plaintiff or Defense
It is possible that a good expert witness could be valuable to both sides of the claim. Both the plaintiff and defendant could seriously consider the services of the same expert, and achieve a resolution to their dispute. By Michael Panish

PATIENT ABUSE & RAPE - Daycare, Skilled Nursing, Long Term Care Facilities
Rape and patient abuse are more prevalent and common place in daycare and long term skilled nursing facilities than anyone would think possible. By Michael Panish

Elder Abuse - It Isn't Always About Physical Abuse
Today, even more so than in the past, older people appear easy targets to unscrupulous contractors and salesmen. They are quick to react with their wallets and easily satisfied even though the work may not be as promised. By Michael Panish

ELOPEMENT FROM FACILITIES - Common Cases / What could have been done to avoid the Elopement?
Legal expert, Michael Panish, explains and outlines anti elopement hardware and egress requirements for life safety of long-term care facilities, mental healthcare facilities, dementia wards, psychiatric facilities, and residential care facilities. He describes common elopement cases. By Michael Panish

CABINETRY & MILLWORK - Defective Design or Workmanship, Who is Responsible?
Generally, there is a question as to what entity is responsible for the monetary loss sustained. The usual course of action by attorneys is to sue all parties in the chain of events, from design through installation. By Michael Panish

PLASTIC LAMINATED PRODUCTS - Fabrication & Installation Problems
This article outlines fabrication and installation problems that can cause personal injury and defects. Formica is probably the most recognized product name for plastic laminate material. Mike touches on some of the fabrication and installation problems that can occur, common lawsuits involving laminate products, and when it is appropriate to hire a laminate expert witness. By Michael Panish

Discussion on Wood Finishes
With the constant changes in formulations of finishes and paint products, modern methods for application and preparation have become very challenging. By Michael Panish

Mechanical Fasteners
Reasons why products become detached and dangerous, leading to severe personal injuries By Michael Panish

MODULAR CABINET SYSTEMS & RETAIL STORE FIXTURES
Injuries from Improper Installation
Injuries created from improper installations of office furniture, modular furniture and retail store displays and fixtures. Case examples of improper casework anchorage.By Michael Panish

LADDER SAFETY & LADDER INJURIES - What Factors Contribute to Ladder Injuries?
Ladder injury claims and user responsibility, manufacturer's labeling, ladder materials, different types of ladders, ladder rentals, why ladders fail, proper usage, ladder defects, and jobsite safety requirements. By Michael Panish

Safety Equipment & Protective Gear - The Right Equipment Can Save Your Life
Properly protecting yourself from serious personal injuries. This article is designed to inform every user of tools about the importance of using safety products for any project. By Michael Panish