How to Document Your Injuries for Your Accident Claim
Request Free ConsultationA sudden serious car accident can feel like the carpet was pulled out from under your life. When the accident was caused by someone else’s careless, reckless, or wrongful action, you have the right to seek compensation for your economic damages, pain, and suffering.
A successful car accident claim not only requires evidence of the at-fault party’s liability through an investigation and the accident report, but also requires medical evidence of your injuries, proof that the injuries occurred in the accident, and compelling evidence of your injury-related economic damages.
A car accident lawyer in Renton, WA, will represent your best interests throughout the process, but compiling evidence often begins with the injury victim’s documentation of their injuries.
Documenting Evidence of Your Injuries at the Accident Scene
Under Washington’s pure comparative negligence laws, you have the right to seek compensation from the at-fault party, but as the claimant, you also have the burden of evidence.
It can be difficult to keep a cool head and take purposeful action during the traumatic aftermath of a crash, but preserving evidence can be accomplished at the accident scene if you or an uninjured companion can use a cell phone to do the following:
- First, call 911 to report the accident and apply emergency first aid
- Then, use the cell phone camera to take photos of the accident scene and the damaged vehicles
- Take photos of any visible injuries
- Add the contact information of the other driver and any eyewitnesses
- Go directly to a hospital from the accident scene, even if you think your injuries are minor
Going straight to a hospital from the site of the accident not only ensures that you receive the care you need but also documents evidence that your injuries occurred in the accident. This protects against the common insurance company tactic of questioning whether your injuries occurred in the car accident or happened elsewhere.
Working with a car accident attorney early on in the process can help ensure critical evidence is preserved, and they can help you address any challenges that may arise.
Obtaining Medical Documentation of Your Injuries for an Accident Claim
At the hospital, the emergency room physicians will treat your emergency injuries. It’s crucial that you also request a full medical evaluation. This sometimes diagnoses injuries with delayed symptoms, such as whiplash and some types of internal injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and internal organ damage or internal bleeding.
By requesting a thorough medical assessment, you can ensure that you’ll receive treatment as soon as possible and also obtain clear documentation of every injury.
Ask your medical provider for a detailed medical report, listing your injuries, the doctor’s recommendations for a treatment protocol, and your overall prognosis for recovery. Then, carefully follow your doctor’s orders throughout the process of your recovery. Your Renton car accident lawyer will rely on this documentation to support your claim.
Keep a Pain Journal to Document the Effects of Your Injuries
When you’ve suffered a serious injury, it impacts all aspects of your daily life, including your ability to work and accomplish daily routine tasks. You can document these adverse consequences of your injuries through careful journaling. Write down your daily pain level and track every medical or physical therapy appointment in your journal.
By documenting the times and dates of all injury-related medical appointments, you provide evidence not only of the pain of the injury but also the full impact of the injury on your life as a whole. A car accident attorney can use this information to demonstrate the extent of your damages.
Keep Copies of Medical Bills and Related Expenses
It’s important to attend every appointment, fill all prescriptions, and keep copies of your medical bills and receipts for related expenses. Then, hire a personal injury attorney in Renton to represent your best interests throughout the process of your claim. Your careful documentation of your injuries and related medical expenses is key to ensuring you obtain the full compensation available to you in your claim.