If you're injured in a car accident as a result of another person's carelessness, then you're going to want to begin working with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible; by doing so, you can get the legal advice and professional assistance you need when it comes to handling a car accident claim. Along the way, however, there are some tips you can follow to help strengthen your personal injury claim and make the process go as smoothly as possible.
DO Request a Police Report
Hopefully, you had an official police report taken at the time of the accident. However, there are many reasons as to why this may not have happened; perhaps you were injured badly enough that your first priority was getting the medical assistance you needed, or maybe the accident occurred on private property (such as in a supermarket parking lot), so you weren't able to get police to come out and take a report. Either way, you'll want to take the time to at least get something official from your local police--even if it's after the fact. Stop by your local police department and request a report at the counter, if you need to.
DO Start Keeping a Diary
If you plan on pursuing any compensation for "pain and suffering" or other losses related to emotional damage, then you'll also want to begin keeping a journal or diary as soon as you can after the accident. In your journal entries, be sure to document exactly how your injuries have impacted different aspects of your life. From making it difficult for you to prepare a meal to something as major as requiring you to miss work, these are things you'll want to have on paper.
DON'T Miss a Doctor Appointment
Finally, understand that you'll need to attend all of your follow-up doctor's appointments following your accident. If you miss or reschedule even one appointment, this can and will be used against you by the other party's insurance company; they may try to say that you're either faking your injuries or embellishing them, since you're not taking your medical appointments seriously. If, for any reason, you do need to skip or reschedule an appointment, be sure to speak with your personal injury attorney.
With so much to keep in mind as you go through your personal injury claim, these tips can help you get through the process more easily. For more tips, contact a company like Boucher Law Firm.
