Civil Matters

What are Civil Investigations?

A civil investigation helps uncover and assemble the information needed for a civil trial. A civil trial is the opposite of a criminal trial. In most cases, this type of court case involves two individual citizens who are arguing about an issue that relates to their rights as citizens. It is crucial to uncover every important piece of information, document the findings accurately and provide the necessary expert reports in order to win the case. Proving the strength of validity of your civil case often involves due diligence and solid evidence that only a detailed, professional investigator can uncover.

Whether your case centers on fraud, wrongful death, workers’ compensation or a life changing automobile accident, our investigators have the expertise and training to provide professional, high-quality investigative services. From witness interviews and background checks to domestic investigation and trial preparation, we offer the tools you need to prove your case. The experts at the Ingenium Consulting Group carry out a number of civil investigations every year to help uncover and assemble the information needed for a civil trial.

Investigation

Documentation

We at the Ingenium Consulting Chicago understands the importance of excellent documentation. From following due process to establishing an evidentiary chain-of-custody, our investigators are familiar with the legal requirements regarding evidence, which must be followed to preserve the integrity of evidence. We uphold the strictest forensic and ethical standards in our work to ensure that your evidence will withstand the scrutiny of the courtroom.

Expert Reports

With extensive credentials and experience, the Ingenium lead investigators can support your trial appearance with expert reports and testimony. Our reports conform to the requirements of the court and can include easy to understand visual formats, such as 2D and 3D animation, to ensure the judge and jury fully understand your argument. Each of our expert witnesses has both the qualifications and trial experience to present the evidence and provide testimony in their specialized areas of expertise.

Criminal Defense Investigations

What is a Criminal Investigation?

A criminal investigation is an undertaking that seeks, collects, and gathers evidence for a case or specific purpose. A criminal investigator looks for clues and evidence to determine whether a crime has taken place. If a crime has been committed, criminal investigators may look into the background of the accused and may try to uncover who committed the crime. Criminal investigators undertake several investigation techniques in order to find the necessary evidence for a case. Police agencies and law enforcement are committed to criminal investigations of every kind, but a growing number of individuals are choosing to launch their own criminal investigations with the help of professional investigators.

What is a Crime?

A crime is an intended action that is against the rules of law for a community. In most communities, sexual assault, physical assault, murder, theft, property damage and vandalism are all crimes. If a crime is committed, investigators will work to determine what happened and who is responsible. After evidence collection, it is presented to the police or to courts in criminal defense investigations. If the perpetrator is found, he or she may be brought to court and accused.

Why Should I Use Ingenium Consulting Group Investigators?

Our criminal investigators operate within the law to find evidence
Our criminal defense investigators can gather evidence of wrongful conviction or accusation
Law enforcement investigators are often busy with other tasks
Criminal investigation divisions can be too short on resources to conduct a proper investigation
Exclusively dedicated criminal investigators are more persistent than law enforcement so they can provide better results
Our Criminal investigators are not limited by jurisdiction

The criminal investigators at the Ingenium Consulting Group are highly trained and have the resources to a wide variety of tools that might not otherwise be available. These tools can include networks of investigators, surveillance, records checks, and other sources that can help them solve crimes. The Ingenium investigator’s experience allows them to know how to find the evidence that you are looking for and the best practices to perform their investigations effectively. Ingenium investigators also adhere to laws and regulations surrounding investigations to ensure that your information is obtained in a legal manner. Ingenium investigators can find useful evidence that others might overlook. We also keep evidence preserved so that it is admissible in court. Since we take cues from you, we will generally continue to investigate until you are satisfied so that the chances that you will get answers and evidence are quite high.

Bankruptcy Investigations

Bankruptcy fraud is a federal felony offense that may include concealment of assets or debts from the bankruptcy petition. Failure to include an asset when filing bankruptcy is one of the most common forms of bankruptcy fraud, and often includes “giving” a valuable asset such as a car, to a relative or friend to protect it from liquidation or to obscure the asset from a judgment creditor.

There are two types of fraudulent transfers in bankruptcy law. The first, actual fraud, involves the intent to defraud creditors, the other, sometimes is called constructive fraud, it involves a transfer, which is made in exchange for grossly inadequate consideration. Actual fraud is committed when 1) a transfer is made within two years before the date of the filing of a bankruptcy petition and 2) is made with the intent to hinder or defraud a creditor.

If you are owed money or have a judgment against a debtor that filed a petition for protection in bankruptcy court and you believe the debtor is collectable, The Ingenium Consulting Group investigators can investigate your claim and provide you with an accurate accounting of the debtor’s assets and financial holdings. It the investigative process identifies assets that were fraudulently conveyed, the report would then be forward to the trustee assigned to the bankruptcy case for further sanctions against the petitioner.

Personal Injury Investigations

Utilizing the experts at the Ingenium Consulting Chicago on a personal injury cases can be a major advantage to your firm, the case and most importantly, your client(s). Using our services can save you time and money, but also help identify facts in the accident (or other personal injury case) that no one else knew existed.

It is important to note that the investigator will not distort facts in the case, and will bring back the evidence (good or bad) for the case. However, knowing that a State Trooper is going to testify that your client was clearly at fault and contributory is very valuable information to have early in the case as it saves your client (and your firm) time and money pursuing the matter further.

Services routinely offered in personal injury investigations:

Client interviews to determine exact details of auto accident or incident
Labeled photographs of auto accident or incident scenes
Location investigation of witnesses or other involved parties
On-site inspections in search of security camera systems / additional witnesses
In-depth witness interviews focusing on reports and inconsistencies
Detailed witness statements or notarized affidavits (Spanish or English)
Video surveillance of defendants or property owners (Proving continued negligence)
Accident or incident scene diagramming
FOIA requests presented to all agencies to obtain histories of complaints / claims

Insurance Investigations

Claims Investigations

Insurance Fraud is a problem that costs billions of dollars each year. All insurance companies feel the strain of exaggerated or false claims. It’s an industry-wide problem. At Ingenium, we conduct thorough investigations to uncover fraudulent claims for both insurance companies and individuals falsely implicated in accidents. We handle insurance investigations for virtually all industries, including:

Health Insurance
Workers Compensation
Auto Insurance
Home Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance

Workers’ Compensation Investigations

Workers Compensation helps ensure a safe and healthy workplace, but it only works when everyone plays by the rules. We work hard for both employers and claimants to help ensure integrity and a level playing field. Everyone is adversely affected by frivolous or fraudulent claims. Ingenium can evaluate the merits of a claim and even provide surveillance of subjects to ensure they are compliant with the workers’ compensation doctor’s orders. We also assist employees in determining liability and ensuring they receive any benefits to which they may be entitled.

The investigators at Ingenium have proven to be successful with fraud investigations. Our investigators can provide information on the following: workers’ compensation fraud, employers who believe that their employees are faking a work related injury, personal injury adjusters or workers’ compensation adjusters that want information about the validity of behavior patterns or surveillance of physical activity.

Interview and Interrogation

Typically, investigators have only one single opportunity to conduct a proper and effective witness or suspect interview. If this event becomes a missed opportunity, valuable information may be lost forever and otherwise successful cases may go awry.

One of the most critical stages of many investigations, both in the private and police sector is the subject’s interview and interrogation. Many cases are won or lost on the basis of this critical stage of investigation.

The seasoned investigators at the Ingenium Consulting Group use the latest interview techniques designed to uncover the true facts of the matter. We compile evidence through the responses an individual provides during a statement either, verbal, non-verbal or written in addition to the tone and manner in which they speak. Their reaction to questions and the physical characteristics in how they present themselves provides critical details to follow up on. Our interviews may be recorded on audio tape or videotape upon your request. You have the right to know the truth!

Statements and Affidavits

The Ingenium Consulting Group has extensive experience in executing statements and sworn affidavits for the legal community. We know every aspect of obtaining the highest quality statements from witnesses. Whether the need for a witness statement is for a civil or criminal case, we have the experience and expertise to get the best possible results. We have investigators who are proficient in the Spanish language should that be required.

Affidavits and witness statements are similar documents but they have one important difference. The difference is not in how they are written but rather in how they are signed.

An essential part of an affidavit is that it is a statement made on oath or affirmation. An affidavit must be signed in front of a witness who is specifically authorized by the law to administer an oath or take an affirmation. The affidavit is signed by both the person making the affidavit and the authorized person at the time of swearing the oath or making the affirmation.

A witness statement does not require an oath or affirmation to be made, and does not usually need to be signed before an authorized person. The only person who usually needs to sign a witness statement is the person making it. However, sometimes the person making a witness statement will have a second person also sign the statement to witness the fact that the first person actually signed the statement (rather than somebody else). Rules or procedures in particular jurisdictions may also specify ways in which a witness statement should be signed.

Our investigators are authorized in the State of IL to administer oaths and affirmations. Get the answers you need, call the professionals at Ingenium Consulting Chicago for a free consultation.

Litigation & Disputes