Hernan Mercado-Corujo, M.S., P.E., IAAI-CFI, CFEI, CVFI

Hernán Mercado-Corujo is a licensed professional mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience. He combines over a decade of Auto OEM design/engineer/test experience with forensic failure analysis practices to address vehicle product liability issues, perform engineering analysis of thermal events (fire origin, cause, and spread), and reconstruct vehicle incidents and crashes. Hernán has extensive experience with hands-on testing and in-depth knowledge of strength, durability, fatigue, and overall vehicle reliability. He provides consulting and expert witness testimony for clients nationally.  He is bilingual in English and Spanish.

 Hernan has investigated cases involving, but not limited to:

• Fire origin and cause (O&C) investigations, focusing on motor vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), agricultural/farming equipment, transportation/construction equipment, recreational products, and machinery.
• Fires aboard cargo ships/vessels. Experience with fuel system components, post-collision fuel-fed vehicle fires, and alternative fuel systems (CNG, hybrid, etc.).
• Allegations of product defects or malfunctions related to design, production, and recalls (unintended movement/acceleration, airbag non-deployments, component failures, loss of control, etc.).
• Mechanical investigations on passenger vehicles, light trucks, SUVs, bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, snowmobiles, PWCs, and agricultural equipment.
• Root/cause failure analysis and investigations of individual components, engines, transmissions, chassis, and other vehicle systems, including vehicle/component testing/instrumentation.
• Powertrain failure investigations and analysis.
• Vehicle crash data retrieval and imaging via CDR tool and data interpretation.