FAQs
Common questions about how IBFSA and IBFUSA work, who we work with, and what to expect when engaging our forensic and expert witness services.
What makes IBFSA and IBFUSA different from other forensic firms?
Twenty-six years of multi-jurisdictional expert experience, applied under a litigation-first, evidence-before-opinion standard. We do not compete on volume, and our findings are not shaped by outcome. Every matter is analyzed on the assumption that it will be tested—under cross-examination, and under Daubert or Frye scrutiny—before we take the assignment.
Who are your typical clients?
Our clients include plaintiff and defense attorneys, law firms, insurance carriers, transport and fleet operators, commercial entities, government bodies, and private individuals. While we assist the public, our practice heavily focuses on serving legal and institutional clients in high-stakes litigation.
What are your qualifications?
Certifications from Texas A&M University, FARO Technologies, ARAS 360, and SAE International, alongside a forensic science qualification (NQF 5). Recognized as an expert witness since 2000, across South Africa, the broader African continent, and international jurisdictions, now extended to attorneys across the United States.
Are you “hired guns”?
No. We do not manipulate evidence or tailor opinions to suit commercial interests, litigation strategy, or a desired verdict. Our duty runs to the objective physical evidence, not to the party that instructs us.
What is the IBF Protocol?
A proprietary 124-point audit framework for forensic compliance. It structures how evidence is evaluated, keeps methodology consistent across matters, and is also used to audit the work of other investigators against professional standards.
Can you decline an instruction?
Yes, and we do. We decline matters that lack scientific merit, that would require compromising independence, or where the available physical evidence cannot support a validated analysis.
Can you assist with trial strategy and cross-examination preparation?
Yes—this is the core of the practice. We isolate technical vulnerabilities in opposing evidence, clarify complex physics and mechanics for a legal team, and help develop expert positions that hold up under scrutiny, including preparation for depositions, Daubert or Frye hearings, and trial testimony.
Do you conduct peer review or second opinions on opposing expert reports?
Yes. We audit the methodology, assumptions, calculations, and evidentiary support behind an opposing expert’s report, producing the technical basis for Daubert or Rule 702 reliability challenges, deposition strategy, and cross-examination.
Do you provide expert testimony in court?
Yes, in civil and criminal proceedings. Testimony is structured for deposition, Daubert or Frye challenges, and trial, with the primary duty owed to factual accuracy and the trier of fact, not to either party.
Do you provide training and consulting services?
Yes. Training, compliance auditing, and methodology development for law firms, insurance claims teams, and commercial transport operators, built to align internal protocols with US litigation defense standards.
Can you assist commercial transport and fleet operators?
Yes. Forensic crash reconstruction, incident analysis, risk review, FMCSA compliance auditing, and litigation support, built specifically for commercial motor carriers and their defense counsel.
Do you attend scenes and conduct field investigations?
Yes, where jurisdiction, logistics, and timing permit. Fieldwork—scene examination, vehicle inspection, evidence preservation—follows the same documentation standard as every other stage of the work.
What types of matters does IBFUSA LLC handle?
Civil, criminal, insurance, commercial, employment, transport, and product liability matters. All work is structured for US litigation, with admissibility and expert reliability under state and federal standards as the starting requirement, not an afterthought.
Do you work with attorneys across the United States?
Yes. Our practice is built on 26 years of multi-jurisdictional forensic and courtroom experience, now applied specifically to US matters, aligned with the Federal Rules of Evidence and Daubert or Frye admissibility standards.
Can IBF assist with matters outside your immediate state of operation?
Yes. We work nationwide across US jurisdictions. Local state codes are considered case by case, and the underlying methodology and reporting are anchored in physics and federal evidentiary standards common across jurisdictions.
How do I engage IBF Investigations?
Contact us with a concise overview of the incident, the jurisdiction, and any urgent evidentiary deadlines or preservation needs. We assess scope and fit before confirming engagement, and provide a clear outline of the work involved before anything is agreed.
How early should IBF Investigations be appointed in a matter?
As early as possible. Early involvement shapes case strategy, improves evidence preservation—including targeted spoliation letters for EDR/ECM data—and reduces reliance on assumption. That said, we also take on older or cold-case assignments.
Can you limit scope to meet a budget?
No. Scope is set by what reliable analysis actually requires. We don’t accept instructions that would force analytical shortcuts to hit a budget number—that’s exactly the kind of compromise that creates cross-examination vulnerabilities.
How long does an investigation or review take?
Timeframes depend on case complexity and evidence availability. We provide a realistic timeline at the outset and communicate throughout, working within discovery schedules and court deadlines. Once all necessary evidence is in hand, our target is to deliver within 7 days.
Do you follow recognized federal and international standards?
Yes. Methodology is grounded in established physics and forensic engineering principles, and is reviewed continuously against the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Daubert standard.