Jamie Catania, B.E.Sc., M.Eng., P.Eng.

SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Motor Vehicle Collision Reconstruction
• Management of Mullti-Disciplinary Forensic Investigations
• Computer-Aided Incident Simulation and Visualization
• Vehicle Dynamics and Stability Analyses
• Assessment of Occupant Kinematics
• Assessment of Restraint System Use and Effectiveness
• Supplemental Restraint System Performance Analyses
• Vehicle Data Module (“Black Box”) Interrogation and Analyses
• Assessment of Roadway Design and Signage
• Vehicle Mechanical Fitness Assessment
• Vehicle Collision Testing and Research
• Vehicle Occupant Response Testing and Research
• Investigation of Incidents, Defects and Failures involving Mechanical Factors
• Workplace Incident Investigation

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Master of Engineering (thesis option, Mechanical Engineering), Ottawa Carleton Institute for Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, 1994
Bachelor of Engineering Science (Mechanical, Dean’s Scholar), University of Western Ontario, 1992

Additional Courses

• Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress, Detroit, 2001 through 2012
• Collision Data Retrieval (CDR, Black Box Interrogation) Certification Courses, Newmarket, 2003, Toronto, 2006, 2010, 2012
• PC Crash 8.1 Training, Vancouver, 1996, Toronto, 2009
• CDR (Black Box) Users Conference, Collision Safety Institute, Houston, 2008
• BMW Advanced Driver Training Level II, 2007
• Total Station Training, Cansel, Toronto, 2006
• Failure Analysis - EPIC, Mississauga, 2004
• CATAIR AGM and Conference: Collision Reconstruction: Technology and Application, Burlington, 2003
• Estimating Driver Perception and Response Times, CATAIR, Oshawa, 2002
• Accident Reconstruction: State-of-the-Art TOPTEC, Society of Automotive Engineers, Costa Mesa, 1999
• High Speed/Low Speed Impact Conference, Vancouver, 1997
• Low Speed Collision TOPTEC, Society of Automotive Engineers, Vancouver, 1996

EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND

Giffin Koerth Inc.
Head, Casualty Group, and Senior Forensic Engineer
2003 – Present, Toronto, ON

Conducting and managing multidisciplinary technical investigations primarily involving collision reconstruction, biomechanics, roadway issues, defects in vehicle components and mechanical equipment, and failures involving engineering factors

Arcon Engineering Consultants Ltd.
Project Engineer
2000 – 2003, Willowdale, ON

Conducted technical investigations primarily involving collision reconstruction, defects in mechanical equipment, and failures involving mechanical factors

MacInnis Engineering Associates, Ltd., ('MEA')
Project Engineer
1995 – 2000, Vancouver, BC

Conducted technical investigations primarily involving vehicle collision reconstruction and failures involving mechanical factors

Carleton University, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Graduate Researcher
1992 – 1994, Ottawa, ON

Completed work in vehicle suspension research, design, analysis, testing and evaluation.
Conducted investigations into the effect of suspension design and performance on vehicle controllability.

EXPERIENCE

Mr. Catania has been the lead engineer in over 2000 technical investigations, and is qualified to preform all aspects of collision reconstruction. Investigations have involved passenger and commercial vehicles, trailers, motorcycles, snowmobiles, trains, all-terrain vehicles, recreational vehicles, watercraft, bicycles, and pedestrians. Mr. Catania has extensive experience in the examinations of vehicles, their components, roadways, restraint systems, and child seats. Clients have comprised general insurance companies, the legal community, Police forces, and private parties. Mr. Catania has particular experience with the following engineering work:

• assessment of collision severity
• vehicle speed and dynamics determination
• determination of location of point of impact
• determination of collision sequence
• vehicle damage matching
• assessment of visibility
• determination of evasion potential
• assessment of occupant kinematics
• assessment of seat belt and child seat use and effectiveness
• air bag system performance analysis
• interrogation of vehicle sensing and diagnostic equipment (‘black boxes’)
• mechanical fitness evaluation 
• tire failure investigation
• determination of lamp status
• assessment of appropriateness of roadway signage
• driver identification, including the collection of biological samples for analysis
• photogrammetric analysis

In addition, Mr. Catania has contributed to research projects involving:

• vehicle dynamic response and component behaviour in staged collisions
• human subject behaviour in rear-end collisions
• vehicle dynamic behaviour in high speed collisions
• road vehicle controllability

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES / ASSOCIATIONS

• National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialist
  • Member of Association, 2011
    
• Professional Engineers Ontario
  • Chair, Forensic Engineering Subcommittee
  • Professional Engineering Designation, 2001
    
• Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals
  • Member of Association, 2003
    
• Canadian Association of Technical Accident Investigators and Reconstructionists
  • Member of Association, 2003
    
• Society of Automotive Engineers
  • Member of Association, 1999

PUBLICATIONS / SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Speaking Engagements

• "National Expert Witness Academy", Faculty Member, Advocates' Society, April 2012
• "Forensic Engineering / Accident Reconstruction", Course MSE 431, University of Toronto, March 2012
• "Forensic Accident Reconstruction", Advanced Design and Manufacturing Institute, University of Toronto, Graduate Studies, June 2011
• "Going on a (Fender) Bender: Technical Defense of Fraudulent MVA Claims", ISB 'Combat Auto Fraud' Training Session, May 2010
• "The New Reality of Forensic Investigations" Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association Trade Show, February 2009
• "Litigating Catastrophic Injury Claim Course", Federated Press, April 2008
• "Forensic Engineering/Accident Reconstruction", Advanced Design and Manufacturing Institute, University of Toronto, October 2007
• "The Future of Accident Reconstruction", Canadian Defence Lawyers AGM, June 2008
• "Winning Personal Injury Cases", The Canadian Institute, February 2008
• "Heavy Truck Accident Reconstruction", CGI Teleseminar, June 2007
• "Litigating Personal Injury Damages" The Canadian Institute, February 2007
• "Tough Cases, Hard Questions, Motor Vehicle Litigation Today", Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, April 2001

Papers

• Siegmund G.P., Wheeler J.W., Catania J.J., Brault, J.R. “A Linked Data Set of Clinical and Kinematic Responses to Whiplash.”, In: Yoganandan N, Pintar FA (Eds), Frontiers in Whiplash Trauma: Clinical and Biomechanical. IOS Press, The Netherlands
• MacInnis, D.D., Catania, J.J., “Slush, Asymmetrical Drag, and Vehicle Controllability.”, Proceedings of Canadian Multi-Disciplinary Road Safety Conference X, pp 190-201. Toronto, ON: Vehicle Safety Research Centre, Civil Engineering Department, Ryerson Polytechnic University, 1997
• Catania, J.J., “The Electrorheological Effect and its Application to Controllable Damper Design.” Master’s Thesis, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 1994
• Catania, J.J., “Alternate Power Transmission System for Bicycles”, Bachelor’s thesis, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, 1992