FEES FOR EXPERT SERVICES
The services of our Research Specialists, Side Scan Sonar Technicians and Underwater Photographers range from $125.00 per hour, plus expenses to $175.00 per hour, plus expenses.
The services of our Senior Associate Experts including Construction, Electrical, Mechanical, Structural and Metallurgical Engineers, Hazardous Materials Experts, Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Hazardous Devices Experts, Salvage Consultants, Dive Masters and Underwater Video Photographers are billed from $125.00 to $350.00 per hour, plus expenses.
The services of our Principal Expert, Fire and Explosion Analyst, Captain Walter P. Godfrey, Jr., are billed at $275.00 per hour, plus expenses, for in-office work or work in the State of Florida . Out-of-state, $275.00 per hour plus first class expenses. For out-of-country, $275.00 per hour plus first class expenses. Underwater Investigations are charged at $400.00 per hour, plus first class expenses.
A minimum of one days charge can be expected for out-of-town work requiring air travel. Not all of our experts reside in the Cape Canaveral area. If any of our experts are required to travel to our offices for meetings or other work, the costs of such travel will be charged accordingly as expenses. Charges for services and expenses start when our experts leave their home area offices and terminate when they return.
CASE EXPENSES
Reasonable expenses, incurred during an investigation, are charged to the client in addition to fees for services. Typical expenses may include; travel, lodging, subsistence, film, video and photographic equipment use; photocopying; postage and delivery services; research materials; and courtroom exhibits.
PREPARATION OF REPORTS
If a written report is required, allow a minimum of one additional day’s charge for the time and services of the expert who will be preparing the report. A more complicated report may involve more than one day’s work and will be charged accordingly.
CLERICAL WORK
Charges for the work of our clerical staff are billed at $35.00 per hour.
FEES FOR DEPOSITION, HEARING AND TRIAL TESTIMONY
All outstanding accounts must be paid in full prior to any trial testimony.
All depositions are charged at $350.00 per hr., plus expenses, per expert with a four (4) hour minimum and shall be paid in advance, prior to any deposition testimony being given, regardless of the actual length of the deposition. If a deposition continues longer than the initial four hour period an additional payment of $1,000.00 will be required, in advance, before any additional testimony is given . In most cases, a minimum of one additional day is required for deposition testimony preparation and will be billed at standard published expert rates. Trial testimony may take several days preparation and will be billed at standard published expert rates.
All trial testimony is billed at $300.00 per hour with a four (4) hour minimum, plus expenses, per expert. All Hearings are billed portal to portal and are charged at $300.00 per hr. plus expenses.
ALL DEPOSITION FEES MUST BE PREPAID BEFORE ANY TESTIMONY IS GIVEN
Unless special prior arrangements are made, deposition testimony is given only during regular weekday business hours, 9:00 AM to 5:00PM. After 5:00 PM all deposition fees are doubled.
It is not uncommon for attorneys, representing parties other than our clients, to agree to pay for our deposition services and expenses. In that event, it is our policy that our client remains totally responsible for all of these deposition-related charges and the client’s account will be billed accordingly. In the event that payment is not received from the other attorneys within the current billing period, full payment of the outstanding charges is expected from our client. When and if payments are received from the other parties, our client’s account will be credited.
RESPONDING TO LEGAL DOCUMENTS
Our work often results in our receiving subpoenas or other court orders from attorneys representing parties other than our client. We are not attorneys and cannot assume the responsibility to interpret the legal content or propriety of such documents. Therefore, our policy is one of reasonable compliance. We will promptly refer all such documents to our clients or their attorney for instructions. Time spent in handling, responding to, or complying with these documents will be billed to our clients at our regular published rates.
COMPUTER FACILITIES FEES
When any of our computer facilities are utilized for such services as Computer Fire Modeling, Computer Aided Drafting, 3-D Computer Animations, or Research Data Base inquires–a fee based on a rate of $300.00 per day is charged with a $50.00 minimum. This is in addition to the regular charges for our experts’ and technicians’ time and expense.
EVIDENCE STORAGE FEES
An evidence storage fee of $25.00 per month will be charged for the storage of each item of physical evidence in our evidence storage facility. Storage of larger items of physical evidence may be billed at a higher rate, according to space requirements.
RETAINERS, MOBILIZATION EXPENSES AND BILLING POLICY
A NON-REFUNDABLE RETAINER OR MOBILIZATION EXPENSE ADVANCE IS REQUIRED ON ALL CASES. AS CASES PROGRESS, ADDITIONAL RETAINERS OR EXPENSE ADVANCES MAY BE REQUIRED.
A minimum $1,000.00 non-refundable administrative fee is charged on all cases where inquiries and/or evaluations are made and no further activity is commenced.
*It is our policy that the individual or firm who originally arranges for our services is our client and is responsible for any outstanding accounts. For example in a case where an attorney utilizes our services on behalf of his client, we consider the attorney and his or her law firm to be our client and responsible for all charges.
We bill each account after activities are performed. The full amounts owed on outstanding accounts are due upon receipt. Accounts overdue one month or more will be charged an additional service charge of 1.5% on the unpaid balance per month. Delinquent accounts will be turned over for professional collection. The costs of collection, including any attorney’s fees and expenses will be added to the clients invoice principle amount and be subject to the monthly service charge.
* From time to time our rates and billing policies may change. Services and expenses are billed according to the published rate schedule in effect at the time the services are rendered.
Services for general investigations to include neighborhood canvases, surveillance’s, personal injury investigations, property evaluation & damage surveys, marine surveys, etc. will be quoted on a n individual case bases.
All checks should be made out to: Fire Reconstruction Consultants, Inc.
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