Midstates Investigations - Fire & Insurance Claim Investigation, Training, Consulting and Review Services

For over 30 years we have been investigating fires and reviewing fire investigation files.

Fires are often handled by new fire investigators who frequently have not been exposed to the rigors of proving their case when it comes time to present it to a jury. They forget things like scientific methodology and Daubert. They depend on the jury buying into their opinion which is not properly backed up or documented.

Many fire investigators come from the public sector where their opinions are accepted with little argument. They depend on the same acceptance when they enter the private world of insurance and contracts. They depend on Ipse Dixit. (A declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting evidence were necessary) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ipse+dixit .

Many Claims Managers and Property Claims Representatives fail to understand that what they get from their expert is not necessarily going to make it through trial. When that happens, the client insurance company may be facing extra-contractual damages or punitives for accepting and acting on bad information improperly presented.