Should I use Donan's CTL?
Donan’s Component Testing Laboratories (CTL) includes two of the highest-volume forensic engineering facilities in the U.S. At each location, we offer appliance and component testing conducted by Professional Engineers, use the latest forensic technology, and provide safe transport and storage at all stages of the subrogation process.
Take this quick quiz to see if CTL is the right fit for a property loss based on common scenarios.
There is property loss due to water damage, and the water originated at a plumbing component or appliance. Could I use CTL’s services to determine why the plumbing component or appliance malfunctioned?
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YES
YES
NO
NO
ANSWER: USE CTL
Water-carrying products should not catastrophically fail. Products can stop working, but they are not supposed to create a water loss. Our licensed Professional Engineers at CTL look at thousands of components and/or appliances responsible for water losses each year.
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The failed component has no visible damage. Can CTL help pinpoint the cause?
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YES
YES
NO
NO
ANSWER: YES
The failure could be lurking beneath the surface and out of sight. Our scanning electron microscope is just one of the many tools our engineers use. It is capable of viewing components at high magnification, and our engineers interpret that data to ensure you get detailed results related to the failure.
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The failed appliance is large and/or fragile, and I’m worried about shipping or handling. Can it be safely transported to a CTL facility without compromising its evidential integrity or disrupting a single-entity chain of custody?
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YES
YES
NO
NO
ANSWER: ABSOLUTELY
We know that the safe transportation and preservation of evidence is crucial when there could be subrogation potential. That’s why CTL developed Loss Logistics, an in-house transportation service that combines customized packaging and fast shipping to ensure evidence arrives at our East or West Coast facility in an unaltered condition. Loss Logistics’ certified professionals provide a single-entity chain of custody from evidence pickup to storage to return or disposal.
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A fire occurred, and I have questions about whether an electrical component caused it. Should I use CTL?
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YES
YES
NO
NO
ANSWER: YES, BUT...
This is kind of a trick question. While electrical components can fail and lead to fires, a thorough origin and cause investigation is needed first to determine the fire’s most plausible cause. If a certified fire investigator finds that an electrical failure contributed to the fire’s start, they may recommend a lab inspection. That’s where CTL comes in. As part of Alpine Intel’s suite of services, CTL can seamlessly partner with National Fire Experts (NFE) to transport and examine electrical components involved in fires and identify the cause of failure.
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I need to know whether to pursue subrogation. Can CTL help me?
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YES
YES
NO
NO
ANSWER: YES, CTL CAN HELP
CTL does not advise on subrogation, but our objective reports outline our processes and give you the scientific background and expert opinions on cause of failure that you need to make a confident decision about how to proceed.
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Thanks for taking the quiz: Should I Use Donan’s CTL?
Ready To Inspect?
Want to learn more about how CTL’s Professional Engineers can address all of your product failure needs?
If you’re ready to get answers about cause of failure so you can make informed subrogation decisions, let us know.
Engineering services are provided by or subcontracted to Donan Engineering, LLC, Donan Engineering NC, PLLC, or Donan Forensic, LP.
National Fire Experts performs work in Indiana under Donan Engineering, LLC license PI20700047.