You’ve been involved in an accident and it is clear there are damages to your property, your physical body, and your psyche – now what?

The first step is always to get the care you need and then take the next step of documenting what you are going through. Whether or not you choose to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, capturing the details of the accident and/or injury is of high value.

Why Medical Record Keeping for Personal Injury Lawsuits is Important

 

It is important to capture accurate accident information for:

• Details that you may forget
• The impact on your daily life
• Accurate reporting of your injuries
• Talking to your doctor about symptoms

Relying on your memory isn’t the best way to capture the details of the injury. This is particularly true if you are using medications that could cause you to forget, or you are facing an extended recovery time. Your notes will help you in the future to reflect back on the accident and how it has impacted your daily life.

This information will help you be more objective and accurate in the reporting of your injuries for the insurance company or for a personal injury lawsuit. Often after an accident, there are immediate injuries, while others develop further down the line. Keeping notes will help you talk to your doctor about when certain symptoms began to help with diagnosis, whether or not they are related.

What to Record

Before the Injury

Make some notes about how you were feeling and your activity levels before the accident in regards to the current injury. For example, if prior to the injury you went to the gym three times a week and rarely suffered from neck pain, make note of that. We want to have a picture of what life was like, and what “getting back to normal” would look like for you.

 

The Accident Details

From a bird’s eye view, record the details of the scene, the best that you can remember them. Start at the beginning with the circumstances prior to and leading up to the accident. Use your senses to take you back to that moment.

• What did you see?
• What did you hear?
• What did you feel?
• Who witnessed the accident?
• Where is the closest intersection?
• What direction were you facing?

Draw a diagram to help explain the scene.

 

Questions to Ask Yourself After the Accident

• What were the results of the accident?
• What did you immediately feel?
• How did you feel in the first few days after?
• How are you feeling now?
• What impacts were there to your day-to-day life?
• Did you experience work delays or restrictions?
• Was time off for appointments needed?
• When were you able to return to work at full capacity?
• Were you able to return to the same type of work, or did that change?
• What damage was there to your property?
• How did this impact you?
• How has the accident impacted your mental health or psyche?
• How has it impacted your relationships with those close to you?
• Are there any events you have missed, whether work or personal, that need to be notated?

Any impact the accident has had on your life should be documented to help support your personal injury lawsuit.

 

When Others Are Involved

Document others involved in the accident and recovery including any witnesses, medical professionals who have seen you, and other parties involved in the accident itself. Keep information about any insurance adjusters and those you have spoken to about your injuries, accident, and damages.

Considering a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Don’t go through the court system alone. Contact Hull and Zimmerman today to help you compile your Medical Record Keeping and injury documentation and we will support your case. The initial consultation is always free and our personal injury attorneys are here to help. Contact Hull and Zimmerman today for a free consultation