Documenting Evidence

By Rispoli Law, PPLC

Serious personal injuries can happen under a variety of circumstances and can cost you money, both now and in the future. In addition to your immediate medical expenses and lost wages you suffer, any permanent impairments may require ongoing medical treatment while jeopardizing future income and benefits. Carefully documenting your injuries and the financial costs you incur plays an important role in ensuring you get what you are entitled to as part of an insurance or personal injury claim.

Documenting Losses for an Insurance Claim

If you have been involved in a car, bike, or pedestrian accident or suffered a slip, fall, or other type of accidental injury, you may be able to file an insurance claim against the at fault party or property owner. It is important to immediately report any accidents or injuries to local law enforcement or security at the scene, as accident reports play an important role in proving your claim.

While the insurance claims adjuster assigned to your case will conduct an investigation into what happened and the extent of your damages, there are steps you can take on your own to help your case. The following tips can apply to any type of personal injury:

  • Take photos of the accident site and your injuries
  • Get the names of all doctors, nurses, or diagnostic technicians involved in your treatment
  • Keep all discharge instructions and any paperwork you receive from your doctor
  • Keep receipts for your expenses, including doctor visits, medications, medical devices such as wheelchairs, braces, or crutches
  • Keep copies of your pay stubs and any correspondence from your employer regarding lost wages and job impacts

Documenting Damages for Personal Injury Lawsuits

Depending on the situation, your interests may be better served by filing a personal injury lawsuit rather than relying on an insurance company settlement claim. Under State law, damages you may be able to include in your petition include: 

  • Economic damages, which relate to actual costs such as medical expenses, property damage, and lost wages
  • Non-economic damages, which are estimated amounts for the pain, suffering, scarring and disfigurement or loss of enjoyment in life you suffered due to your injuries
  • Punitive damages, which is an additional amount awarded by the court in certain circumstances in which the at-fault party acted in a particularly wanton or reckless fashion

Your attorney will gather evidence to use in court, including statements from witnesses, videotape recordings, and testimony from medical experts. Keeping your own journal in which you record the process of recovery and the impacts suffered by you and your family members can play an important role in your case.

Contact Us Today for Help

Contact a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer in Chicago, IL, to get the professional legal representation you need when accidents and injuries occur. We can arrange a consultation with our personal injury attorneys to discuss the best course of action in your situation.

Thank you to the experts at The Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian, for their input into personal injury law.