About Garner Forensics
ABOUT GARNER FORENSICS
Independent.
Disciplined.
Defensible.
Garner Forensics is an independent forensic engineering practice focused on technical facts, failure conditions, and system evidence in mechanical, MEP, equipment, and building-system matters.
The firm supports insurance, legal, commercial, industrial, and property-loss matters where objective engineering review is needed.
Why Garner Forensics Exists
Forensic engineering work sits at the intersection of technical investigation, professional responsibility, and high-stakes decision-making. Garner Forensics was created to provide objective engineering review where facts, evidence, system behavior, and professional judgment matter.
The purpose is not to advocate for a preferred outcome. The purpose is to evaluate available evidence, identify technical conditions, document limitations, and develop supportable engineering findings within an authorized scope.
Core Purpose
Determine technical facts, identify engineering issues, and communicate findings in a clear, neutral, and defensible manner.
About the Principal Investigator
Detrick Garner, P.E. serves as Principal Investigator for Garner Forensics.
As Principal Investigator, he is responsible for technical approach, evaluation of evidence, engineering analysis, and final technical conclusions within the authorized scope of each engagement.
Engineering Background
His forensic work draws on experience with mechanical systems, equipment evaluation, failure analysis, engineering documentation, technical review, and professional reporting.
His background includes work involving mechanical design, pressure-containing equipment, sealing systems, manufacturing support, field issue evaluation, and technical investigations. This experience supports disciplined review of physical evidence, system behavior, failure conditions, and engineering documentation.
Operating Philosophy
The firm is organized around professional engineering discipline, not volume-driven claims handling. Each received assignment is reviewed for a defined purpose, clear boundaries, available evidence, and documented authorization before conclusions are developed.
Facts Before Conclusions
Technical opinions should follow evidence review, investigation, and analysis — not assumptions, pressure, or desired claim outcomes.
Independence Over Advocacy
The engineer’s role is to provide professional judgment based on technical facts, not to serve as an advocate for a preferred outcome.
Bounded Professional Scope
Assignments are kept within authorized engineering scope, available evidence, licensure requirements, and professional responsibility.
Professional Judgment and Accountability
Garner Forensics is centered on accountable engineering review where conclusions are traceable to records, observations, analysis, engineering principles, assumptions, and identified limitations.
- Technical direction by a licensed Professional Engineer
- Defined investigation scope before work proceeds
- Clear separation between engineering findings and legal or coverage decisions
Professional Role
Garner Forensics provides engineering review and technical support. Legal advice, insurance coverage decisions, claim-adjusting decisions, and repair contracting remain outside the firm’s role.
What Makes the Firm Different
Engineering-Led Review
Work is led from an engineering perspective: system function, failure mechanisms, documentation, site conditions, component behavior, and technical causation questions.
Mechanical and MEP Focus
The practice focuses on mechanical systems, MEP systems, equipment failures, HVAC, plumbing/piping, controls, and building-system issues where engineering analysis is required.
Documented Limitations
Unknowns, missing records, access limitations, evidence changes, and assumptions are identified so conclusions are not overstated.
Clear Communication
Findings are intended to be understandable to technical and non-technical stakeholders without turning engineering review into advocacy.
Assignment Discipline
Matters are reviewed for scope, conflicts, records, deadlines, licensure context, technical fit, and suitability before engagement.
Quality-Controlled Process
Work is structured to support consistency, due diligence, professional ethics, review discipline, and defensible reporting.
Quality, Independence, and Ethics
Quality and independence are addressed in more detail on the Quality & Independence page. The About page summarizes the firm’s commitment to neutral engineering judgment, professional ethics, documented scope, and technically supportable communication.
Quality Standard
Defensible work requires independence, neutrality, technical rigor, professional accountability, respect, and continuous improvement.
Clients and Assignments Supported
Garner Forensics supports assignments where objective engineering review can help clarify technical issues, system conditions, failures, damage, or disputed engineering questions.
Insurance and Claims Matters
Technical review for claims involving mechanical systems, equipment, building systems, damage, repairs, or disputed technical questions.
Legal and Dispute Matters
Engineering review, reporting, rebuttal review, consultation, deposition support, or expert witness support when authorized and appropriate.
Commercial and Industrial Matters
Technical investigation support for equipment, facilities, operations, maintenance, system performance, and failure-related questions.
Service Area and Assignment Fit
Garner Forensics provides Texas-based forensic engineering support. Additional jurisdictions may be evaluated based on licensure, scope, assignment requirements, and professional engineering obligations.
The firm does not accept every assignment. Assignments are reviewed for scope, technical fit, conflicts, available evidence, deadlines, and professional suitability.
Professional Role
Contacting Garner Forensics, submitting a general inquiry, or submitting an assignment-review request does not create an engineer-client relationship, authorize work, guarantee acceptance, provide an engineering opinion, provide legal advice, or determine insurance coverage.
Engagement begins only after conflict review, written acceptance, and authorization of scope.
Ready to submit an assignment?
Submit basic assignment information and known deadlines for scope and assignment review. Supporting documents may be requested later through controlled transfer when appropriate.