Winning personal injury lawsuits requires evidence of a variety of claims. The plaintiff must prove a duty of care on the part of the defendant. They must also prove that the defendant breached that duty of care. They must prove that that breach caused the accident and resulting injuries at the center of their claim. They must also prove the extent of those injuries and their medical costs with regard to recovery. If there are other losses resulting from the accident, they must also show evidence of those damages as well. For instance, if injuries have caused a drop in income, they must provide evidence of that and evidence revealing the amount of that loss.
(Reasons to Consult a Personal Injury Attorney in the Aftermath of an Accident)
For this reason, it’s vitally important for any plaintiff bringing a personal injury lawsuit to set about documenting their entire claim from the very start of the accident.
Keeping track of all records associated with your accident will help build your personal injury claim and provide an arsenal of ammunition to your attorney during settlement negotiations or when your case goes to trial. How much documentation is too much? Well, it’s better to err on the side of caution than to come up short in providing evidence in your case. So when in doubt, keep any documentation related to your accident or treatment for injuries.
Generally speaking, however, it’s probably best to include the following in your library of records to retain for your claim:
- Police reports
- Any communication from the insurance company
- Any emails or correspondence regarding your accident claim
- Phone records for anyone involved
- Medical records and billings
- X-rays and MRIs
- Photos and/or videos from the accident scene
- Medical treatment protocols or plans
- Test results
- Payroll records
- Receipts for all out-of-pocket expenses
In order to ensure your attorney has all of the details of your accident, write down what happened immediately after the accident and once you have received medical attention. This is an important step many people fail to take when involved in an accident. From weather conditions at the time of the accident, road conditions at the scene, direction of travel for all cars involved, visibility conditions and more, there is really no detail that’s unimportant. Don’t assume you’re remember everything exactly as it happened at a later time. Documenting all of the details immediately after the accident can provide a much more detailed accounting of events than anything you can remember a month thereafter.
Organizing your records by accident injuries and treatment, medical costs, employment and income is a good start. Your attorney, however, will want everything that might be associated with your accident claim, so anything you’re unsure of can be categorized as miscellaneous.
Share all of the documentation you are able to collect to your attorney and be sure to add anything that you may think of related to your claim at any time during the process.
If you are looking for a Chicago personal injury lawyer who will fight for your right to recover the full scope of damages (see our verdicts and settlements to get a sense of our track record of success) you’re entitled to in the aftermath of an accident, call Bizzieri Law Offices at 773.881.9000. The case evaluation is free and there is no cost for our services unless we recover damages for you.