If you’ve been injured in an accident that looks like it’s going to turn into a personal injury claim, it’s important that you be very detailed in your record-keeping. Everything may be extremely fresh in your mind right now, but as time passes, memories and details fade.
One of the single most effective things you can do is write down every detail of the accident, and that includes details of the accident, your injuries, who you talk to, what people say, and how the injuries impact your daily life.
These notes may seem unimportant right now, but I assure you, down the road when your personal injury attorney puts together a demand letter for the at-fault party’s insurance company, the notes will help you remember the details of what happened, all the headaches you had to go through, and how your injuries impacted your life. Plus, it will be much easier than relying on your memory alone.
Make Notes Throughout the Process
My advice to clients is to get in the habit of making notes throughout the claims process. What do you make notes about? You make them about anything that could possibly affect your case. Did you talk to witnesses? Write that down. Did you have to take a couple of weeks off work because you were in too much pain? Write it down. Did you have to have your spouse help bathe you for a month? Make a note. Did you stay awake for a week straight because the pain kept you up at night? Jot that down too.
Always keep a notepad handy. You never know when you’ll think of something that might impact your personal injury case. Usually, thoughts come to people’s minds at the strangest times, like when they’re sitting down to breakfast or after they’ve settled in bed for the night. Here are some good places to start:
- Describe exactly how the accident happened from beginning to end
- Describe the injuries
- Describe how the injuries affected your daily life
- Describe the pain and how it affected your work and your loved one’s schedules
- Describe the economic losses incurred from the accident
- Summarize all in-person and phone conversations with witnesses, other drivers, insurers, chiropractors, and doctors
For more in-depth legal advice about navigating the claim process, contact my firm to schedule a free consultation. To get started, call (720) 809-8262.