Dustin Simpson – RV Expert Witness & Industry Specialist
My name is Dustin Simpson, and I serve as an independent RV Expert Witness with extensive experience supporting litigation matters across multiple states throughout the United States. I have been retained on both plaintiff and defense cases, including RV Lemon Law claims, dealership fraud, consumer fraud disputes, warranty litigation, and complex RV defect investigations.
With more than 25 years of hands-on RV industry experience, I provide objective, documentation-driven analysis focused on RV defects, failures, recalls, and standards of care. I am independent and non-dealer affiliated, manufacturer-neutral, and experienced in producing defensible opinions suitable for deposition and trial testimony.
My work emphasizes clear technical explanations, thorough documentation, and practical industry insight to assist counsel in understanding complex RV systems and failure modes.
Types of Matters Addressed
- Improper repairs and standard-of-care evaluations
- Manufacturing defects
- Structural and frame-related failures
- Water intrusion and mold-related claims
- Electrical failures and fire-related investigations
- Chassis-to-house integration issues
- Warranty disputes and RV Lemon Law cases
- Recall-related failures and compliance issues
Consultation & Case Review
Selecting the right RV expert witness can be critical to the outcome of your case. I offer confidential consultations to review your case facts, discuss scope and expectations, and determine whether I am the right expert to assist.
Interrogatories & Discovery Support
We help attorneys navigate discovery with expert technical guidance, including:
- Reviewing and analyzing interrogatory responses for accuracy and completeness
- Examining repair records, inspection reports, and technical documents
- Summarizing complex findings clearly for legal use
- Assisting with document requests and admissions
Our support ensures that critical technical details are accurate, well-documented, and effectively presented for your case.
Contact California RV Specialists to schedule a consultation and case review.
We work with a wide range of clients, including:
- Plaintiff attorneys (including RV Lemon Law matters)
- Defense attorneys representing RV dealerships and manufacturers
- RV insurance defense attorneys and insurance carriers
- RV owners and individual claimants
- Arbitrators and mediators
Our expertise supports a broad range of RV-related legal matters, including lemon law claims, misrepresentation, warranty disputes, service negligence, valuation disputes, and other complex RV litigation issues.
There are circumstances in which we may be unable to assist due to the specific technical requirements or scope of a case. Examples may include matters that require:
- Accident reconstruction experts
- Specialized materials or metallurgical engineering
- Chemical testing or manufacturing design engineering beyond the scope of RV repair and standards-of-care analysis
Important Notice:
Our role is limited to areas within our professional training, experience, and industry expertise. When a case requires specialized disciplines outside that scope, we are happy to identify those limitations early and, when appropriate, recommend the involvement of additional qualified experts.
Expert Witness Fee Schedule
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Retainer: Standard Case | $5,000.00 (no travel anticipated) |
| Retainer: Travel Case | $7,500.00 (travel maybe required at any point) |
| Preliminary Case Evaluation: | $350/hour |
| Email Correspondence Review: | $350/hour |
| Consultation Call (Phone / Zoom / Teams): | $350/hour (billed in 0.25 hour increments) |
| Field Inspection | $750.00 (Flat fee) – Plus $350/hour |
| Document Review / Research / Report Writing | $350/hour |
| Court Appearances / Depositions / Arbitrations | $350/hour (Zoom or in-person) |
Travel Related Fees
| Travel Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Travel by Car | $200/hour + rental car reimbursement including fuel, insurance, parking & tolls fees |
| Mileage: | Reimbursed at current IRS mileage rate |
| Travel by Air | $200/hour + First Class or Business Class airfare (direct whenever possible) |
| Overnight Stays | $500/night + lodging costs |
Additional Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Rush / Priority Turnaround (Inside 5 Business Days) | 1.5x hourly rate |
| Weekend / Holiday Work | 2x hourly rate |
Terms
All professional time, including calls, texts, emails, messaging, review, consultation, research, prep and travel is billable.
Case Resolution Success Through Documentation
Due to the depth and quality of our field inspections, combined with detailed written reporting supported by photographs and video documentation, the majority of cases I have been involved in have settled prior to depositions, arbitrations, or court appearances. When the facts are accurately documented, presented clearly, and supported with real physical evidence at the beginning of a case, the legal teams involved are able to make informed decisions much sooner.
This level of documentation saves attorneys, clients, and insurance carriers significant time, stress, and expense — and often results in faster resolution without extended litigation.
Expert Witness Engagement Information
An Expert Witness Retention Agreement may be required prior to beginning work on any case matter.
If you are interested in retaining me as an RV Expert Witness, or would like to discuss the case to determine availability and qualification, please contact us directly:
Phone: (209) 263-7040
Email: expertwitness@calrvspecialists.com
Once initial contact is made, we will review the details of your case, confirm whether services are appropriate, and provide any required documentation needed to formally begin the engagement.
About Us
Dustin and Ashley Simpson are the owners and operators of California RV Specialists in Lodi, California. Our independent repair facility has been serving RV owners at the same location since 2003. We are not a dealership — we do not sell RVs. Our focus is to repair, maintain, inspect, diagnose, and protect the RV you already own.
Ashley Simpson
Ashley obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Simpson University in Redding, California. After more than ten years of advancing in the health insurance industry, she transitioned into the RV industry full-time. Ashley currently serves as the Office Manager of California RV Specialists where she manages accounting, HR, customer service, scheduling, social media, content production, and business operations.
Dustin Simpson
With over 25 years in the RV industry, Dustin has worked in multiple roles including RV Technician (in-shop and mobile), Warranty & Parts Administrator, Service Manager, Instructor/Trainer, Brand Ambassador, Author, Content Creator, and Business Owner. He also serves as an RV Expert Witness and has provided expert services in cases in California, Washington, Idaho, and Texas.
Today, Dustin spends most of his time operating and overseeing daily shop operations at California RV Specialists (CALRV). Our facility specializes in RV maintenance, repair, upgrades, inspections, and real world failure analysis. As an independent repair shop, CALRV is not tied to any manufacturer, allowing Dustin and the team to provide honest, unbiased evaluations and recommendations.
Dustin has inspected and evaluated thousands of RVs throughout his career — diagnosing issues from structural failures and water intrusion to suspension problems, electrical failures, design flaws, and more. He has also worked directly with RV manufacturers on engineering changes, product feedback, design improvement and recall concerns.
In addition, Dustin manages multiple online platforms including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Business, YouTube, Yelp, and the CALRV website — sharing RV education, repair knowledge, and maintenance advice with RV consumers across the country.
Current Professional Experience
Owner – California RV Specialists (Lodi, California)
Dustin is the owner and operator of California RV Specialists, overseeing a staff of 12 employees which includes service writers, parts department, RV technicians, and lot support personnel. With 3–5 units arriving daily for repair, Dustin manages workflow, quality, scheduling, parts sourcing, diagnostic priorities, and customer relations to ensure financial performance and exceptional service standards are met. Dustin routinely performs on-lot inspections of RVs coming into the facility which not only identifies repair needs and upgrade opportunities, but also provides valuable ongoing training material for his team and educational content for RV owners across multiple media platforms.
Contributing Author – RVtravel.com
RVtravel.com is a national RV consumer publication averaging nearly 2.5 million views per month. Dustin contributes educational articles focused on products, repairs, maintenance and real-world RV issues. He has written more than 200+ published articles and continues to write weekly. Dustin has also participated in multiple RVtravel.com livestreams (Talkin’ RV Tech) as well as audio / video podcast features with other RVtravel.com contributing technical writers.
Content Creator & Industry Educator
Dustin is a recognized RV industry content creator with a focus on consumer education and real-world repair transparency. He manages multiple Facebook groups with an active combined membership of over 250,000+ members and more than 5,000,000+ monthly views across these platforms. His YouTube channel “Your RV Specialists” features over 1,600+ RV educational videos and has exceeded 7+ million total video views to date. Dustin continues to leverage content to educate RV owners on proper maintenance, preventable failures, and repair best practices.
Business Website Articles by Dustin
YouTube Channel
Dustin and Ashley Simpson, release weekly videos and currently over 1600+ videos available on his YouTube channel (Your RV Specialists), Dustin has garnered over 7+ million views and counting.
https://youtube.com/@yourrvspecialists
Prior Professional Experience
Regional Parts Manager – Pan Pacific RV Center (French Camp, California)
Dustin was responsible for overseeing the parts department across three retail locations. He reorganized and corrected neglected inventory issues, performed full store resets with new product lines, and ensured inventory accuracy controls were restored across all locations. In addition, Dustin trained all parts department personnel, supported service department efficiency by managing parts sourcing and fulfillment, and attended multiple RV distributor shows. He also attended RVIA and RVDA national shows and technical training.
Service Manager – Camping World (Vacaville, California)
Dustin oversaw all service operations, led weekly RVIA and RVDA in-house training sessions for RV technicians, sales staff, and service writers, and trained warranty administrators and back counter parts personnel. He implemented process changes to improve service dispatch, structure, workflow, and cross-department operations. Dustin also performed regional multi-store training involving product training, safety training, sales support and customer walk-through education.
Owner & Operator – Central Valley RV Repair, Inc.
Dustin owned and operated a service center and mobile repair fleet of three vehicles. The facility was the top-rated authorized Alfa repair center in the State of California. The team completed customer pay repairs, insurance work, extended warranty repairs, and manufacturer warranty repairs for Alfa and numerous additional RV manufacturers. His team was invited annually to both Alfa manufacturing plants to tour production lines, evaluate design concerns, and provide technical feedback to help reduce warranty failures and improve manufacturing quality.
Automotive Industry Background
Geweke Auto Group – Chrysler | Dodge | Jeep | Ram
Dustin served as Assistant Service Manager supporting daily service operations, customer relations, technician dispatch coordination, and service workflow management within a franchise auto dealership environment.
Zamora Automotive Group – Honda | Mazda | Lincoln | Acura | Toyota | Mercury
Dustin served as a Service Advisor assisting customers with repair recommendations, scheduling, and warranty processing. During this period, he also held an active Vehicle Salesperson License, giving him additional exposure to consumer retail sales, dealership processes, valuation discussions, and consumer transaction practices within the automotive industry.
Education, Certifications & Technical Training
Dustin has completed extensive training throughout his 25+ year RV industry career, including service technician training, product certification training, parts training, safety training, and professional RV management courses.
Formal Education / Industry Training
- RV Training Institute
- Florida Gateway College – RV Service Technician Training
- RV Industry Association (RVIA) Technical Training
- RV Dealers Association (RVDA) Training
- Spader Business Management Courses (Service Manager, Service Advisor & Parts Manager Development)
Authorized Service Center Training / OEM Relationships
Throughout ownership of California RV Specialists, Dustin’s repair facility served as an authorized service center performing manufacturer warranty repairs for numerous OEMs, which required annual / ongoing training. Brands include:
Winnebago, Alfa Leisure, Keystone, Thor, Forest River, Fleetwood, Weekend Warrior, Airstream, Jayco, Four Winds, Outdoors RV, Grand Design RV, Monaco RV, Tiffin Motorhome, Coachmen, Renegade, Safari, East to West RV, Alliance RV, CrossRoads RV, Genesis RV, Heartland RV, Lance Camper, Starcraft, Northwest Mfg, VanLeigh RV, Eclipse RV, Newmar Corporation, Intech RV, KZ Inc, Newell Coach — as well as various horse trailer, utility trailer and boat trailer manufacturers.
Vendor / Component Manufacturer Certifications & Training
Dustin has completed training or certifications from numerous RV component manufacturers and suppliers including, but not limited to:
Lippert Components, Dometic, Suburban, Atwood, Coleman RVP, Carefree, King, Blue Ox, Winegard, Southwire, WFCO, Thetford, Norcold, LaSalle Bristol, Furrion, Victron Energy, Battle Born Battery, Interstate Batteries, Progressive Dynamics, Hughes Auto, MORryde, Dexter, Roadmaster, Reese, Demco, SnapPad, B&W, Pull-Rite, Curt, Fastway, Solera, Onan Generator, Honda, Generac — and many additional suppliers and vendors throughout the RV industry.
Summary Statement
RVs are complex systems built from hundreds of third-party components. Because of this complexity, ongoing training is essential. Dustin has completed thousands of training hours over decades of work, spanning suppliers, distributors, OEMs, and industry education providers — providing the technical foundation necessary for expert witness evaluation, failure analysis and testimony.
RV Industry Insurance & Extended Warranty Experience
Over the last 25+ years, Dustin has assisted thousands of RV owners with insurance claim repairs, damage analysis, adjustments, and extended warranty claim management. He has extensive experience communicating with adjusters, warranty administrators, underwriters, and claims departments across multiple national providers.
Insurance Companies Worked With Include:
Progressive, AAA, State Farm, Geico, Nationwide, USAA, Good Sam, Safeco, National General, The Hartford, American Modern Insurance, GMAC Insurance
Extended Warranty Companies Worked With Include:
United States Warranty Corporation, Wholesale Warranties, CSP Claims, Good Sam, American Guardian, EasyCare, Cornerstone, Portfolio Protection, Protective Asset, MBA Insurance, Phoenix American — and numerous additional third-party service contract providers throughout the industry.
RV Industry Trainer & Instructor
Dustin has provided professional RV repair training throughout his career — both inside and outside his own repair facility. He has trained RV technicians, service advisors, and parts personnel at multiple dealerships and independent shops including:
- Geweke RV
- Camping World
- Pan Pacific RV
- Central Valley RV Repair, Inc.
Dustin has conducted safety training, product orientation, maintenance instruction, and technical coaching at RV shows, consumer events, Good Sam rallies, and local campground events. Additionally, he has provided industry software training on Reynolds & Reynolds, IDS, SNI, and QuickBooks.
Publications Featuring California RV Specialists
Dustin, Ashley and California RV Specialists have been featured and recognized across multiple national and regional publications within the RV industry and business community.
RV PRO Magazine – April 2021
6-page feature spotlight on California RV Specialists in their RV dealers / repair facility industry section.
Herlife Magazine – March 2020
Entrepreneur issue featuring Dustin & Ashley Simpson and the California RV Specialists business model.
RV Business Magazine – March 2020
RV industry news feature and business spotlight article.
Additional Background & Education
Cosumnes River College – Sacramento, CA
Relevant coursework: Business Administration, Management and Marketing.
San Joaquin Delta College – Stockton, CA
Relevant coursework: Architecture, Engineering, ICBO Building Inspection and Drafting.
California Army National Guard
Dustin proudly served his country as a member of the California Army National Guard.
Galt, California – Police Cadet Program
Dustin volunteered with the Galt Police Department (Sacramento County) as a Police Cadet during his high school years.
Statement
We provide education and clarity for RV buyers, sellers, current owners, insurance carriers, and extended warranty companies by offering in-depth, independent third-party inspections. Each inspection includes a comprehensive written report with supporting photos, documenting existing conditions, potential concerns, safety hazards, and developing issues that may impact value, usability, structural integrity, or long-term ownership.
Our goal is to inform and protect RV consumers by identifying issues early — before they become costly failures.
Additional Testing Methods Utilized
Air Quality Testing
Detects formaldehyde gases and other potentially harmful airborne contaminants within the RV.
Carbon Monoxide Testing
Tests fuel burning appliances such as furnaces, water heaters, and refrigerators for CO leakage during operation.
Propane Leak Detection
Checks accessible appliance gas connections for propane leaks.
Moisture Meter Testing
Used to detect moisture presence in walls, cabinetry, panels, carpet, framing and interior materials — useful for identifying hidden or developing water intrusion.
Digital Anemometer Testing
Measures heating and air conditioning output airflow and temperature at vents for HVAC performance validation.
Thermal Imaging Camera
Used for electrical panel inspection, identifying overheating components, diagnosing HVAC issues, and detecting hidden water damage, voids, insulation deficiencies, and structural anomalies.
Endoscope Inspection Camera (Borescope)
Flexible inspection camera with LED lighting for visual inspection in confined, difficult to access, interior spaces.