Personal injury cases are among the most commonly filed lawsuits all across the country. Pennsylvania law states that every victim of a personal injury has the right to seek compensation for their losses, but doing so requires you to carefully document the personal injury accident and all relevant evidence.
If you want to seek compensation for a personal injury, it’s essential that you act as quickly as possible to document everything that could help you make your case. Whether you’ve been involved in a recent accident or simply want to ensure that you’re prepared just in case, here is everything you need to know about how to document a personal injury accident.
Seek Medical Attention as Soon as Possible
No matter what type of accident you're the victim of, it's essential that you seek medical attention before you worry about doing anything else. You can't seek compensation for your injuries if you succumb to them, so it's always essential to either call an ambulance or go to the hospital as quickly as possible to ensure that you are safe and able to recover to the best of your ability.
Report the Accident to All Relevant Authorities
Once you receive first aid, the first thing that you want to do is report the accident to the relevant authorities. If you are documenting a car accident, this would involve calling the police and filing a police report. If it is a work accident, you should report the incident to your supervisor, and if the accident occurs on someone else property, you’ll need to report the incident to whoever owns or manages the property.
Take as Many Pictures as Possible
The next step is to start gathering evidence for your personal injury claim. This should include taking as many pictures of the scene of the accident as possible. You should also be sure to take photos of your injuries as well as any hazards, warning signs, or lack thereof that could have contributed to the accident. The more pictures you have to support your case, the better.
Gather Witness Contact Information
Witnesses are crucial in any type of legal case, and personal injuries are no different. If there were people around when the accident happened, they may be able to testify on your behalf, so it’s essential that you gather all the contact information of any and all witnesses present at the scene of the accident.
Write a Detailed Personal Report
In addition to filing the proper reports with all the relevant authorities, you should also write your own personal report about the incident as soon as you can. This report should include all the details of the accident, including how it happened, the injuries that you sustained, the pain levels you are experiencing, and any medical expenses you incurred, as well as how the injury affects your work life.
Gather and Preserve Any Physical Evidence
When it comes to personal injury cases, the more physical evidence you have, the better, so you should try to gather as much evidence from the scene of the accident as you can. This could include the potentially damaged clothing and personal items that you had with you during the accident, as well as any physical evidence that may have contributed to causing the personal injury accident.
Keep Track of All Relevant Bills and Expenses
In order to receive compensation for your financial losses, you’ll need to record precisely what financial losses you incurred during and after the accident. This should include everything from medical bills and receipts for property repair and replacement costs to transportation costs, lost wages, and any other expenses that came as a result of the accident.
Keep Track of All Accident-Related Communication
Documentation of accident-related communication can also serve as strong evidence that supports your case. Whether the communication is between you and the at-fault party or with medical professionals, witnesses, family members, or friends, if it has to do with the personal injury accident, you need to save it to ensure that you can use it as evidence later.
Record How the Accident Affects Your Job
Personal injuries often leave their victims unable to work for a period of time. These lost wages count as financial losses, just like any other medical or property expenses, so you need to make sure you record exactly how the accident has affected your work. Record how many hours you lost while in recovery, how the accident has affected your overtime and bonus pay, and whether or not you will be able to continue performing your job once you recover.
Seek Legal Representation Immediately
After you document your personal injury accident, you should seek out legal representation as soon as you can. You will undoubtedly need a legal expert on your side if you want to get the compensation that you deserve, and the sooner you are able to contact a lawyer, the better the chance you have of achieving your compensation goals.
Contact HoeyLegal Today
Are you the victim of a recent personal injury? Are you looking for an experienced Chester County personal injury attorney that you can trust with your case? Give HoeyLegal a call.
Here at HoeyLegal, we're proud to be Chester County's most trusted personal injury attorney, specializing in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, and many more. We understand just how much pain and stress personal injuries can cause, and we're always here to be an advocate that you can trust to fight for you to the very end.
Our expert legal team is always available to answer your questions and will happily tell you more about what we can do for you. We'll even help you schedule a free legal consultation at a time that's convenient for you. Don't take on your personal injury case alone. Contact HoeyLegal and take the first step toward getting the fair and just compensation you deserve today!