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Forensic Economic Consulting
Court-credible economic loss analysis for personal injury, wrongful death, and commercial matters.
Expert Economic Witness · Plaintiff & Defense
Economic damages, proven to the standard of the courtroom.
Independent valuation of lost earnings, business losses, and the present value of future damages — modeled to survive Daubert and cross-examination.
Bernard "Biff" Pettingill, Jr., Ph.D.
25+
Years of Testimony
2500
Cases Retained
29
State & Federal Courts
3000
Depositions & Trials
About the Founder
A forensic economist's forensic economist.
Dr. Pettingill founded the practice in 1985. The work is grounded in peer-reviewed economic literature, U.S. government data, and a transparent methodology that has survived Daubert and Frye challenges across two generations of litigation.
The discipline is narrow on purpose. Dr. Pettingill quantifies economic loss — he does not opine on liability, on medical causation, or on jury reaction. That self-imposed scope is what makes the opinion useful to the trier of fact.
The Discipline
What a forensic economist contributes to a damages case.
A forensic economist measures economic loss. The work begins where the legal and factual questions end — once liability and causation are established, what is the dollar value of what the plaintiff has lost?
Answering that question well requires more than arithmetic. It requires picking the right work-life table for a 47-year-old electrician in Mississippi, the right wage growth rate for a registered nurse in California, and the right discount rate for a 30-year stream of attendant care costs in Pennsylvania.
It requires distinguishing between lost earnings and lost earning capacity, between gross revenue and incremental margin, between fair market value and fair value.
And it requires transparency. Every number in every report we produce ties back to a documented source. Every assumption is stated. Every method is supported by the peer-reviewed literature or by U.S. government data.
That is the only way the opinion is useful to the trier of fact — and the only way it survives a Daubert challenge.
Recognition
Cited in the record.
"The gold standard in forensic economic analysis. Dr. Pettingill's methodology has been adopted by courts as the benchmark for damages calculation."
— The National Law Journal
"A witness whose opinion carries the weight of four decades of peer-reviewed research and unimpeachable data sources."
— American Bar Association Journal
"Pettingill's reports are models of clarity — every assumption stated, every source documented, every calculation defensible under cross-examination."
— VerdictSearch
On the Record
"He didn't ride a wave. He created the wave."
— Dr. Bernard Pettingill, testifying about Alex Jones' business empire and influence
Peer Reviews
What professionals say.
“Pettingill is a professional of the highest caliber. His analysis and research tangibly coalesces academia and real world resources and data.
— Physician
“Of all the experts we have retained in the past, none of them bring the experience and candor brought by Pettingill. He’s an expert’s expert.
— Law Partner
“As an esteemed colleague and accomplished professor, Pettingill has contributed to countless journals and articles relied upon by both the private and public sector.
— Other Ph.D
Professional Communities
Memberships & affiliations.
AEA
American Economic Association
NAFE
National Association of Forensic Economics
DECUS
Digital Equipment Computer Users Society
NABE
National Association for Business Economics
HESG.
Health Economists' Study Group
CSMGEP
Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession
Practice Areas
Where the practice focuses.
02
Life Care Plan Costing
Independent economic costing of life care plans prepared by certified life care planners.
03
Structured Settlements
Present value analysis of structured settlement offers under IRS Section 451 principles.
04
Medical Practice Consulting & Valuations
Valuation and operational consulting for medical and dental practices in disputes, transactions, and partnership matters.
05
Company Valuations
Closely held company valuations for litigation, dispute resolution, and damages quantification.
06
Litigation Support & Jury Selection
Damages strategy, demonstrative exhibits, and consulting support for trial teams.
Methodology
Court-credible analysis is transparent analysis. Every input is sourced, every assumption is stated, and every method survives the question: where did this number come from?
Frequently Asked
Common questions from retaining counsel.
What does a forensic economist do in litigation?
A forensic economist measures the dollar value of an economic loss — lost earnings, lost benefits, household services, the cost of future medical care — using accepted methods from labor economics, finance, and statistics. The work produces an opinion that is admissible under Daubert or the applicable state standard.
What types of cases does Dr. Pettingill testify in?
Personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, product liability, commercial damages, structured settlements, and business and practice valuations. He has testified in more than 2,500 cases across 29 states and the US Virgin Islands.
How is a life care plan costed?
A qualified life care planner prepares the plan. Dr. Pettingill prices each line item against current locally-sourced costs, models replacement cycles for durable medical equipment, applies the medical CPI components from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and discounts the future stream to present value at a Treasury yield matched to the loss duration.
What is IRS Code 451 in structured settlements?
IRS Code Section 451 governs the timing of income recognition. In a structured settlement, periodic payments from a qualified assignment are excluded from gross income under Section 104(a)(2), and Section 451's constructive-receipt rules determine when income is recognized. The combination is what makes a structured payment stream comparable to an after-tax lump sum.
How is the retention process structured?
An initial inquiry and conflicts check, a scope conversation about the questions in dispute, a written engagement letter, the analysis and report, and where the case requires it, deposition and trial testimony. Most matters move from scope conversation to engagement letter within a few business days.
Considering Dr. Pettingill on your matter?
A brief inquiry starts the scope conversation and conflicts check. Most matters move from inquiry to engagement letter within a few business days.