Mike Thompson Mike Thompson

The Pre-suit Playbook

Private investigation isn't just for criminal law — it's how plaintiff attorneys win before they ever file. Caleb Miller hosts Mike Thompson, founder of Ideal Intel, a Texas-based investigation firm. A former Liverpool police officer turned surveillance specialist, Mike now works with plaintiff law firms on personal injury and wrongful death cases.

The conversation covers evidence preservation windows, video footage disappears after 30 days, and Mike's "discovery before discovery" approach. A background check on a truck driver in a death case exposed incomplete employment records and a dishonorable discharge the company didn't know about. Mike identifies where lawyers most commonly fall short: reactive fact-finding and failing to vet witnesses and experts.

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