Forensic Equipment Investigation • Certified Appraisal • Expert Witness

Every Breakdown
Has a Cause of Death.

◆  PRELIMINARY FINDING: Cause and Manner of Failure — Undetermined Pending Investigation

A Medical Examiner doesn’t guess. They examine the evidence, document the findings, and render a defensible opinion. Tek Gear Guru brings that same forensic discipline — and 50 years of original methodology — to every equipment failure, valuation, and recovery engagement.

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CertificationCMEA
DesignationSBA
StatusVOSB
Appraisals1,000+
Experience50+yr
CASE FILE NO. TGG-XXXX
SUBJECT: EQUIPMENT FAILURE
STATUS: UNDER INVESTIGATION
LEAD EXAMINER: G. DEETER, CMEA SBA
Specimen • Awaiting Examination
Photo
Evidence
Findings
Report
Market
Analysis
Value
Recovery
◆  Forensic Equipment Examination • Marietta, GA
Tek Gear Guru • Equipment Failure Investigation
Greg Deeter — Tek Gear Guru
Greg Deeter
Lead Examiner • Tek Gear Guru
CMEA SBA NEBB VOSB USAF Veteran HSB Approved
VOSB Certified
Veteran Owned Small Business
Certified • cVe
Meet the Lead Examiner

Built From the Ground Up.
Nothing Borrowed.

Greg Deeter doesn’t apply other people’s frameworks to your claim. Every methodology, every process, every tool he brings to an engagement — he conceived, built, and refined himself across five decades of hands-on technical work. That is not a credential. That is a competitive fact.

“The logic chain in a good findings report reads exactly like an ME’s. Not too technical — but every conclusion follows from the evidence, and no conclusion is rendered without it.”

The foundation was laid in 1976 when Greg enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a Telephone Equipment Installer/Repairman — trained in the deployment and maintenance of sophisticated telecommunications systems used by the military worldwide. At Andrews AFB in Maryland, he was selected as Base Surveyor as a junior NCO, reviewing and approving all communication order requests and engineering base-wide deployment. That systems-thinking instinct — seeing the whole circuit, not just the failed component — has never left.

After separating from service in 1981, Greg built a twenty-year career in telecommunications — founding his own interconnect company in 1983, serving as Operations Manager for four regional telecom firms through 1996, then founding Streeterville Service Corporation, a 12-person, 30,000-square-foot asset management and value recovery operation serving GE Capital Corp, Tokai Financial, RPS, FedEx, and insurance salvage companies. He sold that business in 2003. The salvage intelligence, the redeployment methodology, and the market network built during those years form the backbone of TGG’s recovery services today.

TGG was formally established in 2006. CMEA and SBA certifications followed in 2012 through the NEBB Institute and American Society of Appraisers. Since then, Greg has performed over 1,000 appraisals and loss investigations across 20+ equipment categories in 15+ states — working for Hartford Steam Boiler, Sentry Insurance, Arbella Insurance, and others — and has served as a court-qualified expert witness in insurance fraud litigation.

The network behind TGG includes 450+ certified appraisers through the NEBB Institute, active participation in U.S. Customs GO Auctions since 2003 for real-time secondary market intelligence, and over 45 years of buying and selling relationships with dealers and buyers across the globe. When Greg quotes a market value, it is grounded in what buyers are actually paying today — not what a database says they paid last year.

1976–1981
U.S. Air Force — Telecom Installer/Repairman. Duty stations in FL, Germany, TX, MD. Selected Base Surveyor, Andrews AFB.
1983–2003
Telecom & Asset Management — Founded Communication Systems Design; Ops Manager for four firms; founded Streeterville Service Corp (sold 2003).
2006–Present
Tek Gear Guru — Independent equipment failure investigation, appraisal, and recovery practice. HSB approved vendor.
2012–Present
CMEA & SBA Certified — NEBB Institute and American Society of Appraisers. 1,000+ appraisals. Expert witness qualified.
1,000+
Appraisals &
Loss Investigations
450+
Certified Appraiser
Network (NEBB)
20+
Equipment Categories
Covered
15+
States &
Jurisdictions
Services

The Full Scope of
the Examination

Five service categories — each built on the same forensic discipline, each documented across hundreds of actual engagements.

◆ Category 01 — Insurance Carrier & Adjuster Services ME Parallel: Forensic Pathology
01-A • Scene Examination

On-Site Inspection & Evidence Collection

Physical examination of failed equipment with photographic and video documentation of arcing patterns, soot traces, structural failures, and physical disturbance evidence. Distinguishes direct lightning strikes from commercial AC surge based on physical evidence alone. On-site, desk review, or hybrid.

Scene Examination & Body Recovery
01-B • Cause Determination

Cause & Manner of Failure Analysis

Technical determination of whether failure resulted from a covered event. Physical evidence examined against OEM documentation and the policy loss type. When evidence points to wear and tear, operator error, or a non-covered loss — the report says so, with documentation to support that finding.

Autopsy & Cause of Death Ruling
01-C • Market Intelligence

Replacement Valuation & Market Analysis

Live marketplace research — OEM, authorized dealer, secondary market, and active auction channels — establishing Low/Medium/High LKQ replacement range. Includes betterment differential analysis when platform changes are proposed and period of restoration estimates.

Toxicology & Supplemental Testing
◆ Category 02 — Certified Appraisal & Valuation ME Parallel: Official Findings & Death Certificate
02-A • Certified Appraisal

CMEA-Certified Equipment Appraisals

Formally certified appraisals produced to NEBB Institute and USPAP standards, signed by Greg Deeter CMEA SBA. Defensible in carrier proceedings, litigation, and court. Access to a 450+ appraiser network for specialist support across any equipment category.

Official Autopsy Report & Certification
02-B • Depreciation & Betterment

Depreciation, ACV & Betterment Analysis

Straight-line and accelerated depreciation worksheets. Betterment differential analysis when an insured proposes a platform change — documenting both functional upgrades and trade-offs with a documented basis for any coverage offset. IRS useful life tables applied where applicable.

Manner of Death Classification
02-C • Surplus & Salvage

Surplus Asset & Salvage Valuation

Market-based salvage valuation grounded in what buyers actually pay — not book value. Built on 35+ years of active salvage buying from insurance salvage companies, bank liquidations, and Customs auctions. Provides real mitigation value, not theoretical estimates.

Organ Donation & Residual Value
◆ Category 03 — Business-Side Recovery & Analysis ME Parallel: Economic & Collateral Impact Assessment
03-A • Business Interruption

Business Interruption Analysis & Reporting

Non-CPA business interruption analysis grounded in 50+ years of building and operating real businesses. Documents revenue disruption, operational impact, and recovery timeline in plain language. Not an accounting exercise — a business reality assessment from someone who has run one.

Collateral Damage & Economic Impact
03-B • Salvage Brokering

Active Salvage Recovery & Brokering

TGG doesn’t just estimate salvage value — we actively source buyers. With a global network built since 1989, active participation in U.S. Customs GO Auctions, and direct relationships with secondary market buyers across 20+ equipment categories, we convert salvage into documented mitigation. Commission-based; no recovery, no fee.

Estate Administration & Asset Liquidation
03-C • Supplemental Reporting

Vendor Coordination & Supplemental Reports

Ongoing case management as repair and replacement efforts develop. We coordinate with OEM service vendors, track open items, and issue supplemental reports when new information changes the picture. Complex multi-equipment claims managed through all phases, from first inspection to final settlement.

Amended Certificate & Case Updates
◆ Category 04 — Expert Witness & Litigation Support ME Parallel: Expert Testimony & Court Proceedings
04-A • Fraud Investigation

Insurance Fraud Investigation & Documentation

Identification of inflated valuations, false condition representations, fraudulent “new” designations on used equipment, deposition testimony conflicts, and improper condition claims. Evidence documented to USPAP standards with physical inspection cross-referenced against market data and provenance research.

Forensic Fraud Examination
04-B • Expert Testimony

Court-Qualified Expert Witness

Jury-accessible presentation of complex technical and valuation findings — built on the principle that a good expert witness explains the methodology, not just the conclusion. USPAP-grounded opinions that withstand cross-examination. Experience in multi-party insurance fraud litigation with semiconductor, electronics, and high-value commercial equipment.

Expert Testimony & Jury Instruction
Case Studies

Three Cases That
Define the Work

Selected from 1,000+ engagements. Each illustrates a different dimension of what TGG brings to a claim.

◆ Case Study 01

The Ferris Wheel

HSB Claim • Pigeon Forge, TN • Lightning Strike

The Smokey Mountain Observation Wheel — a 200-foot custom Ferris wheel, struck by lightning for the eighth time. The first seven strikes caused no damage. This one disabled the entire lighting control system. The property carrier disputed the lightning determination. TGG inspected the wheel hub, control room, and driver boards, then identified the cause from ribbon cable discoloration patterns showing energy flowing backwards from the lighting panels through the driver boards to the DC/DC converters — a back-feed pattern consistent only with a direct lightning strike, not a commercial AC surge. Corroborated by weather data confirming 60+ lightning strikes within five miles on the date of loss.

◆ FINDING: Direct lightning strike confirmed. No AC surge collateral damage present. Cause of loss determination: covered event.
◆ Case Study 02

Titan International

HSB Claim • Fairmount, GA • Electronic Disturbance • Five Supplemental Reports

A single commercial power surge on April 19, 2021 disabled seven categories of equipment in a carpet manufacturing facility: a Cocker warper, a custom 10-head slitter cross-cutting table (whose original programmer had died without leaving schematics), a Series 700 production wrapper from a manufacturer acquired twice over, an M&R Guardian dryer being used in an unorthodox carpet-backing application, a custom Tuftco tufting machine unsupported for over a decade, 14 ceiling radiant heaters that turned out to violate current fire code, and a full electrical service restoration requiring NEC compliance analysis. TGG managed the case through five supplemental reports across nine months, simultaneously sourcing a salvage buyer for the M&R dryer to offset settlement costs.

◆ FINDING: Multi-equipment cascade loss confirmed. Total documented claim managed from first inspection through final settlement, including active salvage recovery.
◆ Case Study 03

His Song Ministries

HSB Claim • Cleveland, TN • Power Surge • Claim Mitigation

A commercial power restoration surge damaged the sound system and electronics of a church facility. The insured’s service engineer submitted an estimate of $118,810.00. TGG conducted a joint on-site inspection with the engineer, reviewed each line item against current market pricing, and identified UPS systems recommended for replacement that showed no damage and required no replacement. After independent market research across all equipment categories, the adjusted settlement figure was $71,874.60 — a 40% reduction from the original claim estimate, achieved through inspection evidence and live market comparables, not negotiation.

◆ FINDING: Covered loss confirmed. Independent market analysis reduced claim by 40%. Settlement: $71,874.60 vs. submitted $118,810.00.
The Report Methodology

Written Like an
ME’s Findings

A great forensic report tells a story — with a beginning (the equipment before loss), a middle (the failure event and its physical evidence), and an end (a clear, defensible ruling). Every TGG report is structured exactly that way.

The language is plain enough for a claims manager to follow without an engineering degree, but the logic chain is tight enough to hold up in a deposition. Every conclusion cites the evidence. Every recommendation has a market basis. No finding is rendered without both.

This is not accidental. It is the product of 50 years of building real businesses, investigating real failures, and presenting complex technical findings to non-technical decision-makers — from base commanders at Andrews AFB to insurance adjusters in King of Prussia to juries in civil fraud proceedings.

The physical evidence and widespread damage confirm the reported AC transformer explosion as the source of the power surge and electronic disturbance.

Six of nine HVAC blower motors showed arcing and burning consistent with an over-voltage event. Visual indicators — soot traces at connectors, surface discoloration on relay transformers — support a single-origin loss mechanism radiating outward from the utility service entrance. “The physical evidence doesn’t require interpretation. It requires documentation. The soot trace is there. The arcing pattern is there. The cause is not in dispute.” The elevator control panel reflected severe arcing and burning consistent with the same over-voltage surge event. The manufacturer has been acquired; the lift is a discontinued legacy platform. Modernization costs, if required, could exceed six figures and are contingent on the Fire Marshall’s determination.
Examination Protocol

From Assignment
to Official Finding

The same reproducible, defensible process — applied to every engagement, every time.

01
◆ Case Intake & Triage

Assignment & Scope Confirmation

Adjuster contacts TGG with claim details, insured information, and scope. Availability, budget, and engagement type confirmed within one business day. Desk reviews begin immediately from provided documentation.

02
◆ Medical History Review

Records & Documentation Review

OEM documentation, service history, insured statements, and prior repair invoices reviewed before any site visit. Understanding the equipment’s history before examining the failure is the same discipline an ME applies when reviewing a patient’s chart before the autopsy.

03
◆ Physical Examination

Site Inspection & Evidence Documentation

On-site inspection with photographic and video evidence capture. Physical indicators — arcing, soot traces, bearing surfaces, thermal discoloration, structural deformation — documented and analyzed against reported loss mechanism and OEM specifications.

04
◆ Forensic Analysis & Market Research

Cause Determination & Replacement Valuation

Evidence synthesized against OEM documentation and live marketplace data including active secondary market channels and Customs auction pricing. Replacement value range established. Depreciation, betterment, and business interruption analysis completed where applicable.

05
◆ Official Findings Report

Certified Report Delivery & Case Management

Formal written report — structured to carrier standards, signed by Greg Deeter CMEA SBA — delivered to the adjuster. Includes photographic evidence, market analysis, depreciation worksheet, period of restoration estimate, and cause of loss ruling. Supplemental reports issued as the case develops.

Equipment Categories

What We’ve
Put on the Table

Twenty-plus equipment categories across a decade and a half of active engagements. If it can fail, it has likely come through this examination room.

Electronic Disturbance / Power Surge

AC transformer failures, utility restoration surges, multi-leg power loss. HVAC, controls, audio, lighting, medical imaging, production machinery. Physical evidence: arcing, soot trace, thermal discoloration.

◆ External Trauma — Blunt Force (Electrical)

Direct Lightning Strike

Distinct methodology from AC surge investigation. Physical evidence: back-feed energy paths, ribbon cable discoloration, component-level burn patterns. Weather data corroboration. Broadcast towers, amusement structures, remote facilities.

◆ External Trauma — High Voltage Penetration

Mechanical Breakdown

Spindle seizure, bearing failure, lubrication pump failure, clutch breakdown. Industrial machinery, boring mills, milling systems, production platforms. Distinguishes sudden breakdown from wear and tear.

◆ Internal Organ Failure — Natural vs. Accelerated

Medical & Imaging Equipment

Digital radiography systems, RF nerve generators, orthopedic imaging systems, cosmetic lasers. Complex obsolescence and replacement pathway analysis. Betterment differential when platform changes are proposed.

◆ Specialty Pathology — Complex Etiology

Broadcast & Telecommunications

FM transmitters, tower systems, antenna feed lines, peripheral broadcasting equipment. Lightning vs. AC surge differentiation. Two direct lightning strike investigations with confirmed findings. Deep background in telecom from USAF and 20-year private sector career.

◆ External Trauma — Energy Induction

HVAC & Building Systems

Blower motor failures, relay transformer damage, elevator control panel damage, radiant heater failures, fire alarm and intercom systems, brownout events. Legacy lift modernization analysis and code compliance documentation.

◆ Multi-System Trauma — Cascade Failure

Textile & Carpet Manufacturing

Tufting machines, warpers, cross-cutting tables, production wrappers, conveyor systems. Custom-engineered legacy equipment with unsupported OEM status. Full Titan International case: seven equipment categories, five supplemental reports, active salvage brokering.

◆ Multi-Organ Failure — Industrial Cascade

Precision CNC & Machining

Contact lens lathes, CNC lathes, milling machines. Operator error vs. mechanical failure determination. International secondary market sourcing. Obsolete OEM situations with international rebuild vendors identified and vetted.

◆ Precision Instrument Failure

Printing & Document Processing

Booklet makers, numbering machines, graphic processing systems. Live used-market comparables identified during research with vendor coordinates, pricing, and copy counts provided in report.

◆ Production System Failure

Entertainment & Amusement

Amusement ride lighting and control systems. Custom-engineered, large-scale installations. The Smokey Mountain Observation Wheel: 200-foot Ferris wheel, back-fed lightning strike confirmed through driver board and ribbon cable evidence.

◆ High-Energy External Event

Auto Service & Commercial Vending

Wheel alignment systems, commercial ice vending machines. Desktop review methodology for thermal breakdown scenarios. Defunct manufacturer research and dealer network vetting for LKQ replacement sourcing.

◆ Environmental Degradation & Thermal Failure

Legacy & Obsolete Equipment

Discontinued, end-of-life, and unsupported equipment across all categories. OEM cessation analysis, secondary market scarcity documentation, international sourcing. Defensible replacement value established even when no domestic comparable exists.

◆ Cold Case — No Existing Reference Standard
Carriers & Clients Served
Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB)
The Hartford
Sentry Insurance
Arbella Insurance
State Farm
AMRISC
Equipment Breakdown Carriers
Commercial Property Carriers
Inland Marine Underwriters
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Ready to Submit
an Assignment?

Contact TGG directly to discuss scope, timeline, and budget. We respond to all adjuster inquiries within one business day and can typically confirm availability for on-site inspections within 48 hours.

Phone / Text
404-271-1339
Office
2607 Grist Mill Road
Marietta, GA 30068
Response Time
Within 1 business day