Expert opinion on aerial lifts and ag Equipment

Dax Wells

Dax Wells is the founder of Cornerstone Engineering & Consulting.  He is a licensed Professional Engineer with nearly two decades of hands-on experience in the design, development, and evaluation of complex machinery systems. With advanced degrees in mechanical engineering and a career spanning aerial work platforms, agricultural equipment, and broader industrial systems, Dax brings a balanced perspective of engineering rigor and real-world application. His work has consistently focused on how products are actually used—in the field, under load, and in critical conditions—providing a practical foundation for evaluating performance, safety, and failure.

Mechanical Engineering Expert

Expert In Aerial Lifts & Ag Equipment

Determining true causation in equipment-related incidents requires more than general engineering knowledge—it demands deep, hands-on expertise with the specific machines involved. Boom lifts and agricultural equipment present unique design, operational, and safety considerations that are often misunderstood or oversimplified in litigation.

Dax provides specialized mechanical engineering expertise in aerial work platforms (AWPs) and agricultural machinery, grounded in nearly two decades of direct industry experience.

What sets Dax apart from other experts is his 20 years of experience designing these products, leading cross-functional engineering teams, and developing manufacturing and quality systems.  He brings a practical, real-world understanding of how these machines are intended to function—and how they fail. This includes:

• Product design and safety system integration
• Failure modes and effects across structural, hydraulic, and control systems
• Operator interaction, misuse, and foreseeable human factors
• Manufacturing defects, process variation, and quality escapes
• Compliance with applicable industry standards and best practices

This depth of experience allows for clear, defensible analysis in matters involving tip-over events, structural failures, control system behavior, operator entrapment, and improper use scenarios.

Dax supports attorneys through every phase of litigation, including early case assessment, causation analysis, expert reporting, and testimony—translating complex engineering details into clear, credible conclusions that withstand scrutiny.