If you have been involved in an automobile accident and are planning to file a personal injury claim, you could be wondering what you can do to help ensure that your claim goes smoothly and successfully. Working with a personal injury lawyer is a great way to start, and another great idea is to keep an injury journal. Basically, you can keep a handwritten journal or you can create it on your computer; it really doesn't matter as long as you use it to document information related to your injuries. These are a few things that you should keep in your after-accident injury journal:
1. Day-to-Day Entries about Condition and Treatment
Make regular entries in your injury journal in the days and weeks after your accident. This can allow you to jot down what is going on with your injuries, such as how you are feeling, whether or not you had a doctor's appointment, and what you have been doing for treatment, such as seeing a physical therapist or taking pain medication. You might think that you will remember all of these things, but details can get blurry as time goes on.
2. Documentation Related to Your Injury
Your injury journal is a great place to keep any documentation that is related to your injury. For example, you can keep copies of your medical bills, doctor's notes, receipts, and other documents that are related to your injury and its treatment. This will help you keep track of these things all in one place; plus, if you place them in your journal with your accompanying entries, it can help paint a bigger picture of your injury and its treatment. You can also scan these documents and keep them in a folder on your computer.
3. Photographs
Even though the words in your injury journal will be useful, photographs can be even more handy. Take pictures of your visible injuries along the way. Hopefully, your injuries will have healed by the time that you go to court, so these pictures can help you provide visible evidence of what you have been through.
If you have been through an automobile accident and are working on a personal injury claim, it's a smart idea to keep an injury journal. In fact, your personal injury lawyer might have even suggested that you do so. In your journal, keep track of the three things listed above, and you will probably be shocked by just how helpful they can be in making your case and proving the extent of your injuries.
If you're currently looking for a personal injury attorney, contact an establishment such as the Law Office of Michael Braun in your area.
