Trees fall and cause damage, or worse, to people and property. Determining the cause of failure is paramount to insurers and other professionals. Separating signs from symptoms is crucial. An important key to resolving disputes is the establishment of time lines which determine the causation of failure.

Certifications

Joe Samnik is licensed by The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Entomology under Chapter 482 of the Florida Statutes. This license allows him to identify and prescribe treatments for insects, fungus, bacteria and other pests associated with tree health and failures.

You can depend on his accurate diagnosis of tree failures based upon the art and science of diagnostics without bias or regard to the outcome of the matter.

Tree appraisals are in high demand. Determining a tree or plant's value is often at the center of legal disputes arising from a weather event, insurance claims or a matter of eminent domain.

Qualifications

Joe has been retained as an expert tree witness in excess of over 500 litigation matters.

Joe's formula for appraising the value of roadside vegetation was included in Rule Chapter 14-40 of the Florida Highway Beautification Act.

Trade Accomplishments

Joe sat on the Tree Appraisal Committee for the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

His knowledge of tree appraisals was enhanced by becoming the president of the Association of Eminent Domain Professionals (AEDP).

His expert witness testimony based upon forensic discovery demonstrated that an urban tree that fell in 1995, killing a woman, actually suffered structural compromise in 1976.

Educational Seminars

Joe’s recent partnership with a national insurance research group has enabled him to provide continuing education by presenting Plants & Trees – The Ultimate Test of Value. This course’s goal is to offer legally tested and upheld approaches to valuing plants and trees while offering actual case studies of erroneous or fraudulent claims and how they were detected.

Joe has conducted Tree Appraisal Seminars for numerous professional organizations including four (4) international tree conventions and five (5) annual tree conventions in the state of Florida.

His appraisal seminars have been given at the University of Florida and Rutgers University.

He chaired education and programs for the Association of Eminent Domain Professionals (AEDP)