4.30.2020

7 LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION NEEDED FOR AN INJURY CASE


Anyone can get into an accident and be injured at any time. Whether you’ve been injured at work, on private property, on public property, or the road, you might be able to make a claim and receive compensation for your sustained injuries and lost income, as an injury could require medical attention and may even keep you out of work for some time, depending on how severe it is.

Making an injury claim involves taking legal steps to prove you were not the one at fault. Typical claims include car accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, faulty products, and more. Each case is different and dictates the amount you can be awarded in compensatory damages. There are several documents you need to present to receive compensation for an injury, and these 7 documents are crucial to every case.

1. Official Report

When an accident happens, an official report must be filed, and it must be filed within a specific timeframe, or else, you can ruin your chances of receiving any compensation because the statute of limitations will have passed. This official report is usually a police report or an accident reconstruction report. Law enforcement can write up a report of the accident as it happened, so get in touch with the police department that is handling the case. These reports are considered public records and can be accessed by anyone.

2. Victim Statement

After an accident, it’s all too common for the victims to make statements that could harm their case. You might admit guilt when the fact is, you were not the one at fault. You will realize very early on that a personal injury lawyer is essential to help you in this matter and all other legalities of the case. If you have been injured, Justin Kimball from PreszlerLaw-NS.com explains that it will be your responsibility to prove that your injuries were caused by a negligent property owner and not some other reason. Most people can’t prove this on their own. Also, the party you are bringing the case against probably has a lawyer to defend them, so you need to counter this by also having legal representation. shea and shea

The first people usually involved in these types of cases are insurance companies. It can be tricky dealing with them, so it’s best not to make any statements to them, nor sign any settlement papers without having an attorney present. You should also report any communication between you and an insurance company to your lawyer and inform them of all previous communication and statements made.

3. Witness Statements

If there were people around who witnessed the accident, you’ll want to collect their names and contact information. You can then submit the list of witnesses to your lawyer who will contact them and collect their statements. It’s best not to communicate directly with anyone else who was involved in an accident, especially in a road accident. If you’re not seriously injured, you can also write down everything you remember concerning the accident.


4. Pictures and/or Videos

It’s easy for evidence to be erased after an accident. With people coming and going and causing a commotion, it’s crucial to collect evidence of the accident as soon as possible. The evidence could be in the form of pictures or videos. Not only should you take pictures of the scene of the accident, but also of the injuries you sustain. These images can be used for your medical records as well as your legal records. When it comes to documenting the accident, take pictures of the scene from different angles, and be sure to take pictures of any broken equipment or gear as well.

5. Medical Documents

Medical documents are essential to your case, so you must keep a record of them. These documents must be collected from the very beginning. It’s more than possible that an insurance agency will claim that the injuries you suffered are not related to the accident and were present previously. So, get statements from the doctors who are treating you and record what those treatments are. Besides the information regarding the kind of injuries you sustained, you also want doctor statements detailing the types of treatments you are receiving and the expected duration of your treatment. All types of treatments need to be backed up by official documents obtained from the doctor, hospital, or clinic treating you.

6. Work-Related Documents

After an accident, even a minor one, you might have to stop working for a certain period of time. The more serious the injury, the longer you will have to stay out of work. In many cases, people may often lose their job. But even if you don’t lose your job, you may witness a big cut in your earnings until you’re able to return to work. Most people don’t have the money to keep them afloat as they recuperate from an injury. This is why you need documentation to show how much you earn to determine your expected earnings so that you are compensated for both. The work documents will provide a realistic estimate of how much you have lost in terms of earnings.

7. Damaged Property Report

Depending on the type of accident, you have the right to claim compensation for the damages caused to your personal property. You will usually find a need for this in road accidents. Images will help you prove the damages that happened to your vehicle, home, or any of your properties. Say, for instance, you suffered an injury in your home due to a faulty repair job. A professional lawyer can directly correlate the repair job to your injury, which would allow you to receive compensation for the injury as well as the damages caused to your property.

Injury cases are serious. Without a lawyer to guide you, you can lose your right to receive compensation and you may not be able to hold the person accountable for causing your accident. It’s already a difficult situation for you and you don’t need more problems on your hands. So, if you ever find yourself a victim of an accident, get in touch with a lawyer and present them the above-mentioned documents to get the maximum compensation for what you’ve been through.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

addtoany