Joe Carey has many years of experience in large loss property litigation and investigation. His practice has a particular emphasis on fire/explosion-related claims and issues. He regularly advises clients, including product manufacturers and property insurance companies, on matters involving direct loss by fire and/or explosion and spread issues stemming from the failure to conform to codes, design flaws, suppression system deficits, and alarm failures. He has tried numerous subrogation, arson, fraud, and other property-related cases. In addition to his trial experience, Mr. Carey has extensive experience in developing and conducting investigations in both the civil and criminal areas. Mr. Carey has hands-on experience coordinating the investigation of large property losses throughout the United States. He has assembled teams of forensic experts, origin and cause investigators, engineers, metallurgists, combustion scientists, and fire protection specialists to analyze and determine the root cause of large losses. Mr. Carey served as the chief assistant district attorney for Schenectady County, New York, from 1977 to 1981. In 1981, he was appointed assistant deputy attorney general with the New York State Organized Crime Task Force. He served in that position until 1985. While with the Organized Crime Task Force, he supervised and coordinated the work of investigators, accountants, and intelligence analysts during the course of complex investigations of organized crime and official corruption. He has addressed professional, industry, and law enforcement groups on a variety of fire/explosion-related issues. Professional Associations - National Fire Protection Association, Principal Member, Committee on Fire Investigations (NFPA 921) - International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), Attorney, Advisory Committee; CFI Trainer Panelist - International Fire Service Training Association, Fire Origin & Cause Committee, Fire Investigator Committee - National Association of Subrogation Professionals - National Association of Fire Investigators - New York State Fire Investigators, Chapter 23, IAAI - Connecticut Chapter, IAAI - American Bar Association, Torts and Insurance Practice Section - American Bar Association, Litigation Section - Connecticut Bar Association - New York State Bar Association, Compensation Law Section Experience - Investigated the alleged theft of a seventeenth-century tapestry from a dealer on behalf of its insurance carrier. - Investigated the fire at a car repair facility in rural New York caused by the improper installation and servicing of a gas-fueled water heater. Represented the insurer of the facility; case settled just before trial. - Led the multiparty investigation into a fire in building occupied by college students in upstate New York, caused by the improper installation of a wok stove in a Chinese restaurant. Represented the insurer of the building; case settled for a substantial sum. - Obtained the dismissal of an alleged fraudulent water damage claim brought by the owner of a building in Tennessee. - Investigated damage to a municipal sewage treatment plant and obtained a settlement from a plumbing contractor. - Investigated damage to a pumping station machinery and obtained a settlement from the installer of a lawn sprinkling system at a national cemetery. - Obtained a settlement on behalf of an insurer of a carpet retailer against its landlord for failure to maintain a fire wall between occupancies. - Investigated the rupture of a newly installed sprinkler system in a Rochester, New York, church, obtaining a settlement for the insurer of the building against the sprinkler contractor. - Successfully investigated a fire in Cohoes, New York, and obtained a substantial settlement during trial for the insurer of a tenant, as a result of the building owner's failure to maintain a sprinkler system. - Led the independent investigation of a dormitory fire on behalf of a university. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a tavern in Batavia, Ohio. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a landmark train station in Ashland, Wisconsin. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a large family operated Mexican restaurant in Chandler, Arizona. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a strip club/roadhouse in rural Wisconsin. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a chain restaurant in Cincinnati, Ohio. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in an upscale restaurant in a newly constructed New York office building. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: water damage to a private home in Pinehurst, North Carolina. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a Washington, D.C., fast food restaurant. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a Miami, Florida, Cuban restaurant. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a Fort Smith, Arkansas, truck repair facility. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in an Albuquerque, New Mexico, steakhouse. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in an Indianapolis, Indiana, drive-in. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a Chicago, Illinois, supermarket. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a Leavenworth, Indiana, truck stop. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a Trenton, New Jersey, pizza parlor. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in a private home in Palm Springs, California. - While representing the manufacturers of various products, led the investigation into the following occurrence, resulting in no action being commenced against the client: a fire in an Austin, Texas, restaurant. - Conducted the investigation of a fire in a recently serviced Honda automobile that destroyed the vehicle and damaged the owner's Greenwich home. Matter settled without litigation. - Conducted the investigation of a fire that destroyed a maintenance facility owned by the State of Vermont. Litigation resulted in the recovery for the insurance carrier and the State of Vermont. - Conducted the investigation of a fire in a recently remodeled New Canaan church that led to the identified cause of the fire and corrective action to prevent a reoccurrence. - Conducted the investigation of an incident at a California production facility that resulted in the death of an individual and large loss property damage. - Represents insurance carrier in the investigation and ensuing litigation of the largest arson/fraud matter in New York history. Publications & Presentations Book Chapters - Cause determination chapter (12/2010), published in NFPA 921: Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, chair of NFPA 921 Technical Committee for reviewing chapter Presentations - "Investigative Reports and the 2010 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure" (9/2010) presented at 2010 International Symposium on Fire Investigation (ISFI) Science and Technology, University of Maryland News 2.07.11, Fire & Explosion Attorney to Introduce Revised Cause Determination Chapter of NFPA 921 12.02.09, Robinson & Cole's Subrogation Team Attends Annual Conference |