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MICHAEL PANISH
Published Articles

DOORS, DOOR CLOSERS & DOOR HARDWARE

The following are some of Mike Panish's most popular articles that involve Doors, Door Closers and Door Hardware that have appeared in a variety of legal publications across the country:

Door Defects & Door Related Injury Claims
A Guided Tour to Manual Doors & Door Hardware. Expert door contractor, Michael Panish, takes you through the basics of door operation and how to understand the aspects that may help win your case. By Michael Panish

Low Energy Door Systems - A Basic Primer for your next Door Injury Case
How low energy doors work. Low energy doors vs high energy doors. Intended Usage. By Michael Panish

SAFETY COMPARISON - Automatic Doors & Manual Doors
A basic comparison of the differences in the safe function and usage of automatic and manually operated doors of all kinds. By Michael Panish

GATE & FENCE - Accidents and Injuries
Malfunctioning gates and fences can cause catastrophic and traumatic bodily injury and death. By Michael Panish

The Ups & Downs of PARKING CONTROL ARMS
What every attorney needs to know about how they function, why they fail, and why someone got injured. Who is at fault, who is to blame, and what the industry standards are that affect the claim? By Michael Panish

MAGNETIC LOCKS THAT FALL FROM OVERHEAD
Why they fall and cause injuries / Injury Case Examples By Michael Panish

THREAD LOCKING AGENTS
Why no heavy door hardware should be installed without it By Michael Panish

DOOR PANIC HARDWARE - Getting to know the Basics
Injuries resulting from door panic hardware are more prevalent than you might think. Injuries can be due to lack of maintenance on these devices and/or installation of spurious parts or components. By Michael Panish

OVERHEAD DOOR INJURIES - Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Trucks
Injuries sustained from overhead door malfunctions include amputations, bodily force trauma, and death. Knowing who is responsible for maintenance and inspections of these doorways is essential. By Michael Panish

HIGH SPEED OVERHEAD DOORS
A brief discussion comparing these products to standard overhead door systems. Injuries from these products are generally due to installation deficiencies or usage protocols. By Michael Panish

GARAGE DOORS - A Brief Tutorial on Garage Doors Safety & Installation
I have been involved in numerous garage door cases where many different reasons for an injury have occurred. Having been retained as an expert witness for both plaintiff and defense, several common factors have been observed. By Michael Panish

RESIDENTIAL GARAGE DOORS - Personal Injury Claims
Garage door injuries pertaining to rental properties, maintenance and safety, basic components of a garage door system, available safety devices, and landlord responsibilities. By Michael Panish

COMMERCIAL OVERHEAD DOORS - Worker Injury Claims
A worker is performing a duty near the ceiling within the path of travel of an automatic door. Without warning, the door begins to move and the top edge of the door collides with the worker or what he is standing on, causing the worker to fall to the ground. This article addresses many case scenarios and responsibility. By Michael Panish

Manual Door Closers - Do you have an open and shut case?
Manual door closers are ubiquitous. We take advantage of their service on a daily basis without usually noticing that they are in place or that they are doing their job correctly. It is when something is seriously wrong with these closers that they become blatantly noticeable and potentially dangerous. By Michael Panish

Concealed Door Closers
The overhead or floor mounted concealed door closer is a very common type of door closer mechanism which is normally unseen and unnoticed. In the majority of installations, these concealed closers are used on aluminum glazed storefront doors, hollow metal stand alone, or structural framed window systems. By Michael Panish

CRUISE SHIP INJURIES
Many cruise ships have fallen short on the maintenance and inspection of many elements that are within reach of the general public and passenger guests. Mike Panish outlines examples of injuries that have occurred on cruise ships where he has offered his expert opinions, working for plaintiff and defense.By Michael Panish

DOOR INJURY CASES - Pertaining to the Insurance Carrier
One of the most important elements of any new door case is to thoroughly understand all aspects of that case. Depending on the situation surrounding the claim, it is critical that your expert be a direct part of your defense from the beginning. By Michael Panish

DOOR INJURIES & "The Eggshell Plaintiff"
As discovery has often shown, people in poor physical or mental condition who are left unattended or unassisted in doorways are often the genesis of their own injuries. By Michael Panish

HOTEL ROOM BARN DOORS; Dangerous by Design & Best Left on Barns
Designer’s concept is an accident waiting to happen. Poor design choice for hotel rooms and these type of doors can cause serious personal injury and death. By Michael Panish

ELOPEMENT FROM FACILITIES - Common Cases / What could have been done to avoid the Elopement?
Legal expert, Michael Panish, explains and outlines anti elopement hardware and egress requirements for life safety of long-term care facilities, mental healthcare facilities, dementia wards, psychiatric facilities, and residential care facilities. He describes common elopement cases. By Michael Panish

INCREASING SCHOOL SECURITY - Concepts to Keep our Students Safe
The need for increased security in the schools of our country is real. Michael Panish, Door, Lock & Security Equipment Expert Witness & Consultant, shares his ideas to help develop safer school environments for the nation's children. By Michael Panish

M.O.A.T. - A New Approach to School Safety
M.O.A.T. is an acronym created by Michael Panish in December of 2012, in order to promote a higher level of school security systems and student safety. By Michael Panish