Dr. John O. Spengler

Over 23 years of experience as an expert witness, having provided testimony both at trial, with favorable outcomes, and by deposition on numerous occasions, as well as providing case consultation and written reports.

Extensive experience in a wide variety of cases on topics and venues which include supervision, instruction, warnings, communication, accessibility, facilities and equipment, standard of care, and emergency medical care in the context of playgrounds, basketball, tennis, baseball participants, softball participants, baseball spectators, speedball (modified games), gymnastics, movable soccer goals, dodgeball, football, track, ATV use, ropes courses, ADA, state parks, inflatable slides, fixed slides, winter sledding, physical education activities, municipal parks, schools, pool drowning, diving, park aquatic areas and trails, batting cages, scuba, canoeing, boxing, lightning strike while at camp, fitness and personal training, and various other topic areas.

 Safety Consultation and Inspections

 Experienced sport and recreation facility safety inspector having conducted municipal playground inspections, as well as sport and recreation facility safety inspections for the Florida Independent Colleges and Universities Risk Management Association (FICURMA) member schools (private k-12, colleges, and universities) across the State of Florida.

Extensive experience conducting sport and recreation facility safety inspections across many venues to include: playgrounds and play areas, ballfields (all types), tennis courts, docks and waterfront areas, indoor and outdoor courts (all types),   bleachers, indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities, climbing walls and structures, track and field facilities, challenge (low ropes) courses, fitness facilities, wrestling facilities, weight rooms and various other related sport and recreation facilities.

Consultant to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center/Delaware North on safety issues relevant to entertainment and the visitor experience.

 Other Background and Experience

 Author of three popular university textbooks that address loss prevention and safety in sport and recreation settings covering numerous topical issues as well as risk management models and protocols.

Author of numerous academic and practitioner-focused articles on sport and recreation safety addressing issues such as sudden cardiac arrest, concussion, drowning, heat illness, and physical injury.

University professor and teacher to over seven thousand university students on the topic of sport and recreation safety and loss prevention while at three top teaching and research universities: Indiana University, the University of Florida, and Texas A&M University.

Invited and selected presenter at numerous meetings and national conferences on the topic of sport and recreation safety, loss prevention and risk management.

Leader in sport and recreation safety and health having served as the President of the Sport and Recreation Law Association, member of the Science Board of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, head of the SHAPE America Safety and Risk Management Council, member of the advisory board, and research partner for the Aspen Institute's Project Play.