Talking About Personal Injury Cases

Posted on: 13 April 2015

One of the most common causes of personal injury in the United States is automobile accidents, so you aren't alone when it comes to facing medical bills, loss of work, and pain after a collision. Filing a personal injury case is an effective way to get compensation for your vehicle repair costs, loss of work, health problems, and mental suffering. A lawyer is your best ally when filing a claim, but your friends and family can provide you with valuable support too. Here's how:

Taking Photos

Taking personal photos of the scene of the accident, your vehicle damage, and any injuries you've suffered is an important part of putting together your personal injury claim. To provide in-depth insight into the situation and to help officials verify the actual cause of the accident, have your friends and family take photos of your injuries and vehicle damage themselves. This will allow you to gather multiple angles, exposures, and points of view that paint the big picture about how the accident happened and what the extend of your pain and suffering is.

Documenting Progress

In addition to documenting your progress in a daily journal or online entry system, ask your friends and family to document how they perceive your progress as time goes on. For example, your spouse can document any noticeable sleep problems or troubles you may have taking care of yourself due to injuries.

Friends can document noticeable pain they see you in and hardships you experience while managing your social and work life. The idea is to provide plenty of documentation with your claim that helps to prove the pain and suffering you experience.

Those who are closest to you can also write and sign notarized letters to go with the progress reports they compile that detail the ailments and hardships you experience after your accident. These letters should document their perception of:

• How often you have to use braces, crutches, or other tools for physical rehabilitation.
• How often you have to rely on over the counter or prescribed medication to manage your pain.
• How much time you have to take off from work.
• How your injuries are affecting those who are close to you.

Things like depression, lack of mobility, and financial stress should also be noted in the letters when applicable.

Creating Receipts for Rides

If friends and family have to provide you with rides to work, the grocery store, or to run errands, ask them to create a receipt for the gas and time they've used to help you out if you are to pay them. After all, there is no reason that you're loved ones can't be compensated through your claim for going out of their way to help you! Your lawyer may be able to use these receipts to come up with a reasonable compensation amount to ask for while filing the initial claim.

These receipts can also help produce a bottom line that can be used to negotiate when your lawyer deals with the other party. Receipts should be based upon the average gas prices in your area and an hourly rate that can be used to calculate an overall fee for each excursion.

Attending Counseling Sessions

Having friends and family attend group counseling sessions with you is a great way to get them involved in your recovery process and to figure out the best ways they can help you in your every day life. These sessions will also provide your friends and family with some insight into your mental stress and physical limitations, which can be used to compile progress reports on your behalf that can be passed along to your lawyer.

Make copies of letters, photos, and other paperwork as you collect it from friends and family, and store them for safekeeping at home – they may come in handy if the originals are misplaced or damaged in some way. Click here for more information.