Suffering injuries due to someone else’s action is frustrating enough. But if you wish to sue for damages, you’d also need to establish that the other person was at fault and liable for your injuries. This can involve gathering various kinds of documentation to back up your claims.
Although no two personal injury cases are the same, there are vital documents that are almost always present.
Medical records and expenses
Medical records are essential for filing a personal injury claim. You should provide your attorney access to all of your accident-related medical records, such as charts, x-rays and any other documentation of treatment. They can use this information to fight for a more acceptable settlement on your behalf.
You may need to provide even more documentation if you already had health problems or injuries before the incident.
Additionally, you’ll want to keep track of all accident-related personal expenses. This might include your medical bills, the cost of therapy, lost wages or travel expenses for receiving treatment. These records can help illustrate the financial toll your injuries have cost you.
Police reports
After an accident, it’s a must to call the police. They will come to investigate and note their observations, identify witnesses and help determine fault. Moreover, an official police report might include details that you missed. Outside of pursuing a lawsuit, most insurance policies also require a police report before you can file a claim.
Photos
Photos of the scene, surrounding areas and potential witnesses can be crucial in building a solid case. Human memory can be fickle, but photos can capture details that you or a witness might’ve forgotten.
Besides helping refresh your memory, photos can provide a more accurate and detailed account of what happened. They might show the position of people and objects around the scene and other valuable information that may be valuable to your case.
Gathering evidence can be very taxing as there is so much to consider. It’s also reasonable that, due to the stress of the situation, you could have overlooked some key pieces of evidence. Though you can handle this case on your own, having an attorney may relieve some of the burdens of pursuing a lawsuit.