Why attorneys work with PIs
Attorneys frequently rely on licensed private investigators to gather evidence, conduct surveillance, locate witnesses, and document activities relevant to civil and criminal litigation. Paramount Investigative Services Inc., led by Los Angeles private investigator Ken Childs, works with attorneys and law firms throughout Southern California to provide reliable investigative support in personal injury cases, workers’ compensation fraud investigations, insurance claims investigations, and complex litigation matters.
With more than 28 years of investigative experience, Ken Childs has conducted thousands of hours of surveillance and has served as a designated expert witness in court proceedings involving general investigative matters. Attorneys working with “ParamountPIS” benefit from experienced investigators who understand the evidentiary standards required in litigation and court proceedings.
Why Attorneys Hire Private Investigators
Private investigators often assist attorneys by uncovering evidence that cannot be obtained through traditional legal discovery alone. Experienced investigators can document activities, locate individuals, and verify information critical to building or defending a legal case.
Attorneys Commonly Hire Investigators For
Attorneys often rely on licensed private investigators when additional evidence or independent verification is needed in a legal matter. Experienced investigators can assist with a variety of litigation-related tasks that help attorneys better understand the facts surrounding a case.
Common investigative services requested by attorneys include:
• Pre-litigation investigations: background checks, social media investigations, and pre-surveillance case assessments.
• Surveillance investigations: documenting claimant activity in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases.
• Witness location and statements: locating individuals with knowledge relevant to the case and documenting their statements.
• Insurance fraud investigations: gathering evidence related to suspicious injury claims or fraudulent insurance activity.
These investigative services provide attorneys with independent documentation and factual observations that may assist in evaluating claims, preparing for litigation, or presenting evidence in court.
Surveillance Investigations for Civil Cases
Surveillance investigations are one of the most common investigative services requested by attorneys. Surveillance is frequently used in personal injury litigation and workers’ compensation cases to document an individual’s daily activities and determine whether those activities are consistent with claims made during litigation.
Experienced investigators conduct discreet surveillance over multiple days when necessary to capture accurate documentation of activities such as physical labor, recreational activity, driving patterns, or other behavior activities relevant to the case.
Workers’ Compensation Fraud Investigations
Insurance carriers and defense attorneys frequently request surveillance investigations when fraudulent injury claims are suspected. Surveillance may reveal physical activities inconsistent with reported medical restrictions or uncover evidence that a claimant is working while receiving disability benefits.
Ken Childs has spent decades conducting surveillance in workers’ compensation and insurance fraud investigations throughout Southern California. Properly documented surveillance evidence can significantly impact litigation outcomes and settlement negotiations.
Workers Compensation Investigations
This image was captured from actual surveillance footage of an individual climbing down from a roof and later lifting large sheets of plywood inside a lumber depot—days before testifying in court that he could not lift his baby.
The Jury came back with a zero dollar award saving the insured 6 million dollars!
Insurance Fraud Investigations for Attorneys and Insurance Carriers
Insurance fraud investigations often require careful documentation of claimant activity, background research, and detailed reporting suitable for legal review. Investigators may conduct surveillance, analyze public records, or locate witnesses relevant to the claim.
Paramount Investigative Services regularly assists attorneys and insurance professionals investigating suspicious claims involving staged accidents, auto collisions that don't align with the injuries to exaggerated work injuries.
Insurance fraud investigations
Witness Location and Interviews
Witness testimony can play a crucial role in litigation. Paramount investigators are often hired to locate individuals who may have knowledge relevant to a case but cannot easily be found through conventional methods.
Investigators can conduct background research, locate difficult-to-find witnesses, and document statements that may later assist attorneys during depositions or trial preparation.
Family Law Investigations and Spousal Support Cases
Family law attorneys often hire private investigators when questions arise regarding cohabitation, spousal support, or child custody arrangements. In these cases, surveillance investigations can provide objective documentation that helps attorneys better understand a party’s living arrangements or daily activities.
Paramount Investigative Services works with family law attorneys throughout Los Angeles to conduct discreet investigations related to spousal support and custody matters. These investigations may include documenting cohabitation patterns or observing activities relevant to a custody dispute.
Attorneys frequently request assistance with:
• Cohabitation investigations
• Child custody investigations
• Surveillance investigations
Each investigation is conducted lawfully and documented carefully to ensure the evidence can withstand legal scrutiny if presented during family court proceedings.
Expert Witness Testimony from a Private Investigator
In certain cases, experienced investigators may be asked to testify regarding investigative methods, surveillance procedures, or evidence obtained during an investigation. Ken Childs has served as a designated expert witness in court proceedings involving surveillance investigations and investigative evidence. -Ken Childs was recognized as an expert witness in the Santa Monica Superior Court case Mendoza v. Beachum in 2017.
Attorneys working with Paramount Investigative Services benefit from investigators who understand how investigative findings must be documented and presented to withstand legal scrutiny.
Experience Matters in Litigation Support Investigations
Investigative evidence used in litigation must be carefully documented and obtained using lawful investigative methods. Courts closely scrutinize surveillance evidence, and poorly conducted surveillance, unstable or unclear video footage, or improperly obtained evidence can result in that evidence being excluded from court proceedings. Even seemingly minor investigative mistakes—such as trespassing or violating reasonable expectations of privacy—can jeopardize the admissibility of critical evidence.
Paramount Investigative Services has built a reputation throughout Los Angeles for conducting professional surveillance investigations that produce clear, well-documented evidence suitable for litigation. With more than 26 years of investigative experience, Ken Childs and his team understand the importance of discretion, accurate reporting, and investigative procedures designed to withstand legal scrutiny in court.
Our investigators also have courtroom experience and have testified in legal proceedings ranging from Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board hearings to matters heard in California Superior Court. This experience provides valuable insight into how investigative evidence is examined in legal proceedings and ensures that every investigation is conducted with litigation standards in mind.
Frequently asked Questions of litigation support investigators:
When do attorneys hire private investigators?
Attorneys often hire private investigators when the facts surrounding a claim do not fully align with the reported circumstances. In personal injury and workers’ compensation cases, investigators may be retained when a claimant’s reported injuries appear inconsistent with their observed activities or when an attorney suspects a claim may be exaggerated or fraudulent.
Private investigators may also be hired before a claim is filed to gather background information, during active litigation to document activities relevant to the case, or even during trial preparation when additional investigative work becomes necessary. Surveillance investigations are frequently used to document a subject’s daily activities and determine whether those activities are consistent with statements made in court or during medical evaluations.Can surveillance evidence be used in court?
Yes. Surveillance evidence is frequently used in court proceedings, particularly in workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. However, surveillance evidence is closely scrutinized and must be obtained using lawful investigative methods.
Evidence can be challenged or excluded if it appears to involve trespassing, violates a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy, or if the footage appears to be altered or manipulated. For this reason, experienced investigators follow strict documentation procedures and ensure that surveillance evidence is obtained lawfully and preserved in a manner suitable for court review.How do investigators document surveillance activity?
Professional investigators typically use high-definition video equipment capable of producing clear, time- and date-stamped footage. Investigators often begin by recording a short arrival video to document the start of surveillance at the location. Periodic documentation may also be recorded throughout the day to establish that the investigator remained on site during the surveillance period.
When relevant activity occurs, investigators record continuous footage documenting the subject’s actions. For court presentation purposes, investigators will likely provide video that clearly show the relevant activity, along with an investigative report explaining the events recorded. The original video footage is preserved and securely stored, often through cloud storage or archived media, to ensure the evidence remains available if further review is required during litigation.How long do surveillance Investigations usually take?
Most surveillance investigations are conducted over multiple days to establish a clear understanding of a subject’s daily routine. In many cases, investigators begin with two to three consecutive days of surveillance to observe patterns of activity.
Additional surveillance may be conducted later in the investigation depending on the needs of the case. Surveillance schedules often vary based on the nature of the claim, the subject’s known activities, and the strategy developed with the attorney or client handling the case.
