Personal Injury Case Checklist
Posted on Saturday, October 1st, 2022 at 3:05 pm
Getting injured in an accident is always a shock. Because of someone else’s wrongdoing, you are suddenly in immense and possibly debilitating pain. You may face tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, weeks or months of forced time off work, and the challenge of knowing that you cannot participate in the activities that give you a reason to enjoy life.
Filing a personal injury claim can help you manage the stresses that have occurred since the accident. It can give you a chance to recover compensation for your financial losses and the pain and suffering you have experienced due to your accident-related injuries.
You must gather evidence demonstrating the extent of your injuries to build a successful case. You must also prove that the other party is at fault for them. Understanding what documents you need for your claim will put your claim in a strong position.
Medical Records
One of the key elements of a successful claim is a detailed set of medical records. These will help your legal team, the insurance company, and (if necessary) the court determine the seriousness of your injuries. These records will also show whether you have suffered any disabilities that might temporarily or permanently prevent you from working.
Some of the specific documents you will want to gather include:
- Records relating to emergency room visits, doctor’s office and specialist appointments, and surgical procedures
- Doctors’ assessments and prognoses of your injuries
- Results from diagnostic tests
- Images from scans such as MRIs, x-rays, and CTs
Medical Bills
In addition to your medical records, documents detailing your medical expenses can help your attorney understand how much they should seek to recover the amount of money you have spent or will spend on injury-related medical treatments. Include records such as:
- Ambulance or EMT bills
- Emergency room bills
- Doctor’s office invoices
- Receipts for medical devices or equipment (wheelchair, crutches, braces, slings, etc.)
- Prescription and non-prescription medication
Receipts for Other Expenses
In addition to medical bills, keeping invoices and receipts for other expenses you have incurred because of your accident-related injuries is essential. These can include:
- Car repairs
- Rental cars
- Alternate transportation expenses
- Hotel stays if you need to travel to seek treatment
Photographic Evidence
If you can, taking photos of the accident scene is helpful. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, you should try to take pictures of the crash from various angles. This can also be helpful for other types of accident scenes, such as the hazardous equipment that caused an accident at work or the dangerous place where you had a slip and fall.
Having photographs of your injuries can also be helpful. This type of evidence can demonstrate the extent of the harm you have suffered to insurance companies and, if necessary, to the court.
Police Report
Any time someone is injured in a car accident, the responding law enforcement officer fills out a police report at the scene. It is essential to obtain a copy of the accident report so that your attorney can see the officer’s assessment of the crash.
Pay Stubs
If your injuries prevent you from working, your attorney will need to see copies of recent pay stubs from your employer. This can give them an idea of how much income you have lost due to being unable to work. They will also be helpful when determining how much the accident and your resulting injuries might have reduced your future income capacity.
How to Get a Lawyer to Take Your Case
When a personal injury lawyer decides whether to take on a case, one of the main things they will think about is how likely it is that they will be able to recover compensation for your claim. If you have begun to build a strong case by gathering the materials on this checklist, you have already made it easier for an attorney to make that determination.
When consulting with your attorney, it is also essential to be honest, frank, and realistic. If they sense that you are not telling them the whole truth, or if you expect to recover an unreasonable compensation amount, the lawyer will not feel encouraged to take on your case.
Finally, contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident is essential. Ohio has a statute of limitations that allows two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a lawyer does not have enough time to file and win your case, they will probably not take it on.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If you have been injured in an accident, the experienced Cincinnati personal injury lawyers at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC will help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Call our team today at (513) 351-5997 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
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