The first steps after personal injury are often critical to the outcome of your claim and defense as well as impacting your compensation award. While the most common type of personal injury claims and resulting lawsuits in the United States involve automobile accidents, the other most commonly seen personal injury lawsuits include slip-and-fall accidents, defective products, medical malpractice, construction site accidents, and dog bites.
First Steps After Personal Injury
Since the first steps after a personal injury are so important, utilizing a check list may affect the strength of your case, your reimbursement and compensation awarded, and help to protect your rights during any legal proceedings. While each case is different, the steps you take after you have receiving a personal injury may impact compensation awarded for:
- Hospital and medical expenses
- Therapy and treatment expenses
- Cost of any medical devices or aids
- Lost wages and ability to earn a living in the future
- Cost of alternate transportation (rental car, taxi, medical transport)
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Personal Injury Check List
Following the check list, try to complete all the pertinent sections to give your case a good legal foundation. Consultation with a personal injury attorney for specific guidance and direction with your case is first and foremost following your accident injury.
- Seek medical attention first and foremost. Your injuries may not seem serious at the time; however, symptoms may appear days later. Receiving immediate medical attention will strengthen your claim and provide documentation that your injuries are the result of the accident.
- Call the police and/or 911 as appropriate as soon as possible after the accident or injury
- Obtain a copy of any police report filed
- Take detailed notes of any medical treatment including doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors, other professionals consulted following the accident injury
- Obtain any reports of diagnostic tests you may have had such as X-rays, MRI’s or CT scans
- Keep receipts for all medical expense, co-payments, travel expenses to medical appointments, hotel charges, any medications, slings, walker, crutches, cane, or wheelchair that are needed
- Keep a daily journal describing amount of pain you are experiencing, what you are having difficulty doing due to pain or injury
- If possible take photos at the time of accident of area, hazards, any pertinent information; take multiple pictures from various angles and distances.
- Take photos of your bodily injuries as soon as possible. Take photos before and after any surgery you may have needed to have.
- If a vehicle was involved, write down license plate number, VIN number
- Names and addresses, contact information of any witnesses
- Proof of any financial loss involved (lost wages, lost time at work, out-of-pocket medically related expenses)
- Obtain a copy of automobile insurance policy, and/or health and medical insurance policy for your attorney to review
- Name and address of all facilities treated in, doctors seen, specialists consulted
- Consult with a personal injury lawyer for professional direction and legal guidance
Personal Injury Attorney
Call the law offices of Joel Baskin, for a confidential evaluation of your injuries and let the expert in personal injury claims put your needs first and foremost in seeking full compensation and settlement for your injuries.