Expert Civil, Heavy, Underground Construction:
Litigation Support Services

Construction projects beneath the surface—sewers, pipelines, utilities—are filled with complexity. Now imagine when something goes wrong: delays, damages, or even safety hazards. At that point, the question isn’t just what happened, but why, how, and who’s responsible. That’s where we come in. At Discovery Experts, we offer litigation support that dives deep—literally and figuratively—into the issues that disrupt civil and underground construction. From directional drilling to structural collapses, we help attorneys, insurers, and contractors make sense of what went wrong and provide expert insights to resolve disputes or support legal claims.

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Civil and underground construction litigation expert reviewing utility plans on-site

Why Litigation Support Matters in Underground and Heavy Civil Construction

What makes underground construction disputes so challenging? For starters, the work is out of sight. Mistakes might not surface for weeks—or until a critical failure occurs. That’s why litigation involving heavy civil and utility construction requires more than legal knowledge. It demands technical truth.

Think about it: a fiber optic line gets severed during a trenching operation. The contractor says the line wasn’t marked. The utility says it was. How do you prove either side? That’s where expert analysis matters.

At Discovery Experts, we act as the technical bridge between jobsite reality and the courtroom. We reconstruct failures, analyze records, and explain construction processes in a way that judges and juries can understand.

Legal Challenges We Commonly See

Construction litigation in civil, heavy, and underground projects is rarely straightforward. These cases often involve multiple parties—owners, general contractors, subcontractors, municipalities, and utilities—each pointing fingers when something goes wrong. From our years of experience, we’ve identified a handful of recurring legal challenges that demand expert analysis.

Utility Strikes and Damage Claims

  • These are among the most frequent underground litigation triggers. A contractor may strike an unmarked gas main or fiber optic line while trenching or boring. Questions arise: Was the line properly located? Was the contractor following protocol? Did environmental or site conditions play a role? These cases require expert investigation of 811 tickets, bore logs, utility records, and site conditions.

Delays and Schedule Disputes

  • In civil projects—especially those involving public infrastructure—delays can be extremely costly. Owners may claim that contractors fell behind schedule due to mismanagement, while contractors may argue that delays stemmed from unforeseen site conditions, change orders, or conflicting utility lines. Our experts help assess critical path delays, weather impacts, and contract performance.

Structural Failures of Underground Installations

  • Manholes collapsing, vault lids shifting under load, or failed pipe connections are not just design issues—they’re often installation failures. These types of claims frequently involve workmanship disputes, improper backfill, or misalignment due to rushed timelines. We analyze these failures using both engineering standards and hands-on experience.

OSHA and Safety Violations

  • When a trench collapse or equipment accident leads to injury or fatality, OSHA compliance becomes central to the litigation. Our safety specialists and forensic engineers review whether shoring systems met regulatory requirements, whether competent persons were on-site, and whether proper job hazard analyses (JHAs) were completed.

Equipment-Related Incidents

  • Construction equipment is a source of productivity—and risk. Boom trucks tipping over during lift operations, hydro excavation causing unintended utility exposure, or auger boring machines malfunctioning mid-operation often lead to disputes over operator error, site conditions, or mechanical failure. We help establish causation and liability in such scenarios.

These aren’t simple cases. They require professionals who understand the tools, materials, and engineering principles involved. Our role is to turn complexity into clarity.

Key Areas of Expertise in Construction Litigation Support

At Discovery Experts, we don’t just offer opinions—we deliver deep technical understanding rooted in years of fieldwork, engineering practice, and legal consulting. Our breadth of expertise spans the full range of systems and methods used in civil and underground construction.

Trenchless Technology and Boring Methods

  • Modern underground construction often involves trenchless techniques like horizontal directional drilling (HDD), auger boring, and pipe ramming. While efficient, these methods can result in damage if poorly executed. We assess bore path accuracy, soil suitability, pullback pressure data, and as-built comparisons to determine if standards were met.

Pipe Systems and Utility Networks

  • We specialize in disputes involving water, sewer, gas, petroleum, electric, and telecom infrastructure. Whether a pipe was improperly supported or a conduit was installed at the wrong depth, our team understands how pipe material, soil conditions, and installation technique intersect. This includes failure modes for PVC, HDPE, ductile iron, and steel piping systems.

Vaults, Manholes, and Substructures

  • Structural elements such as access vaults, handholes, and manholes are subject to high loads and environmental stress. We evaluate load ratings, frame placement, base preparation, and surrounding fill compaction to determine if construction met code and manufacturer specifications. These structures are often part of litigation involving collapses or roadway failures.
Expert inspection of failed underground vault structure during litigation analysis

Excavation, Trenching, and Backfill Practices

  • Improper trenching is one of the most common—and dangerous—mistakes on civil job sites. Our experts review trench width, benching and sloping, spoil pile placement, and protective systems (e.g., trench boxes or shoring) to evaluate OSHA compliance and best practices. We also investigate backfill methods that may compromise pipe integrity.

Equipment Operation and Jobsite Safety

  • From crane lifts to cement truck accidents, equipment usage is a major part of litigation involving jobsite incidents. We analyze load charts, lift plans, operator certifications, and ground conditions to understand how and why an incident occurred. Our background in construction safety and engineering allows us to provide authoritative opinions in equipment-related claims.

Project Documentation and Contractual Analysis

  • Beyond the field, we dig into the paper trail. We help attorneys interpret plans, specifications, daily reports, RFIs, change orders, and submittals to evaluate whether contractual obligations were met. This administrative insight is crucial when performance, payment, or scope disputes arise.

Together, these areas form a comprehensive foundation for defending or advancing claims in civil and underground construction disputes. If your case involves technical complexity, our team has likely seen it—and solved it—before.

Why Underground Utility Expertise Makes the Difference

Let’s be honest: underground work is invisible until it isn’t. A missed utility locate, a poor excavation decision, or the wrong conduit choice can go unnoticed—until it leads to a lawsuit.

That’s why technical expertise in subsurface utility work is so critical during litigation. Our consultants bring years of experience managing and reviewing underground projects. We know what a proper directional drilling profile looks like. We understand how hydro excavation should be used safely. And we know when mistakes are made.

Real-World Situations That Often Lead to Claims

  • Construction crews using outdated or incomplete utility maps
  • Incorrect trench depths for pipe types or soil conditions
  • Vault or manhole installations not rated for surrounding loads
  • Failing to follow up-to-date boring and shoring safety standards

These may seem like minor oversights—but in litigation, they become focal points. We help you identify them, explain them, and support your position with evidence and expertise.

What Sets Discovery Experts Apart in Construction Litigation Support

You need more than credentials. You need a team that’s been there—on job sites, in courtrooms, and everywhere in between. That’s exactly who we are.

Our professionals include licensed engineers, construction managers, and seasoned experts who have testified in legal proceedings across the country. We’ve seen what happens when plans break down and know how to trace problems back to their origin.

Why Our Background Matters

We’ve worked across:

  • Telecom and Fiber Optic Infrastructure
  • Gas, Electric, and Petroleum Pipelines
  • Water and Stormwater Systems
  • Heavy Equipment Operations and Failures

     

We don’t just study the standards—we’ve applied them. And when it comes time to explain that to a jury, we do it in plain English, backed by solid engineering.

Our Process: From Investigation to Expert Testimony

What does working with us actually look like? We follow a clear, structured process to deliver consistent, reliable support—from first call to courtroom.

Discovery and Review

  • We start by reviewing your case details: drawings, correspondence, contracts, and allegations. We determine whether we can help—and how.

Field Investigation

  • If needed, our team visits the project site to gather physical evidence, inspect installations, and document conditions. Whether it’s a vault collapse or conduit misalignment, we get eyes on the issue.

Forensic Analysis and Reporting

  • This is where we dig deep. We reconstruct timelines, analyze data, and compare practices to industry standards (e.g., ASTM, OSHA, ASCE). Our findings are compiled into detailed reports ready for litigation.

Deposition and Testimony Support

  • We’re not just paper experts. When called upon, we present our findings confidently—whether at a deposition, mediation, or trial.

Need to understand our approach to legal strategy? Read more about our Construction Testimony Services.

Frequently Asked Questions About Construction Litigation Support

What kinds of cases do you typically support?

  • We handle disputes involving delays, underground damage, structural defects, and jobsite injuries—especially when they involve civil or utility infrastructure.

Can you help before a lawsuit is filed?

  • Absolutely. We work with attorneys and clients during early claim evaluation, mediation, and even insurance negotiations to prevent litigation where possible.

Do you testify in court?

  • Yes. Our experts have provided deposition and courtroom testimony in both state and federal courts.

What documentation should we gather for your review?

  • Construction drawings, daily reports, as-builts, utility locates, equipment logs, and photos—all help us form a clearer picture of what occurred.

Discovery Experts has provided Construction Litigation Support services for such firms as:

Southern California Edison Co.
Vast Networks (CVIN)
Quinn Caterpillar (California)
Vermeer Corporation
Salvation Army
City of Oceanside, CA
City of Glendale, CA
City of Santa Monica, CA
City of Inglewood, CA
City of Kansas City, MO
Gulf & Ship Island R/R Co
Tri-Pointe Homes
Rutan & Tucker Law
Ciancio Ciancio Brown Law
Franko Moroney LLC
Grant Genovese & Baratta LLP
Bullivant Houser Bailey PC, Attorneys
Long & Delis Law
Schumann Rosenberg LLP
Bush & Ramirez PLLC

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Contact Discovery Experts for Underground Construction Litigation Support

Every construction dispute tells a story. We help make sure it’s the right one.

Whether you’re a contractor facing a claim, a law firm building a case, or an insurer looking for clarity, Discovery Experts is your partner in uncovering the technical truth.

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Services Areas

  • Headquartered in Temecula, CA.
  • Servicing clients across all of the United States.

Discovery Experts, led by founder Brian H. Aanestad, is your premier source for expert witness services in construction and transportation. With over 39 years of experience, we bring unparalleled expertise to every challenge, ensuring excellence is always the standard.

Civil, Heavy, Underground Construction Services