How to Start a Personal Injury Claim
If you are injured due the negligence of someone else, they may be liable for your injuries and responsible for paying you compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, damaged property, and more. Incidents may include car collisions, slip-and-fall premise liability accidents, physical altercations, and more.
To get compensation for your related expenses, you can file a personal injury claim against the other party. Keep reading to see the different types of evidence you should gather to ensure a successful claim.
Gathering Medical Evidence
Medical expenses will most likely make up the majority of your personal injury claim settlement evidence. Be sure to request medical records and bills from every doctor’s office, hospital, and clinic that treated you for your injuries. Bills covering hospital stays, treatment at the emergency room, ambulance transportation costs, nursing and rehabilitation services, and more will all be applicable in your claim. You must also be able to prove that these expenses are related to the medical conditions and injuries resulting from the incident.
Gathering Lost Wages
Lost income from the time you were in treatment for your injuries and the time when you couldn’t work because you were recovering for your injuries are both applicable for your claim. Also, it doesn’t matter if you used any sick or vacation pay during this time. That will not affect the damages of your claim.
To document lost wages, you can have a supervisor or the HR department of your place of employment write a letter with the following details:
- Your name
- Your position
- Your pay rate
- The hours you usually work
- Hours or days you missed because of your treatment and injuries
If you hold an irregular or freelance job, you can compile a calendar with your missed appointments or gather evidence of lost invoices and wages. This process can be more complicated than with a traditional job, but if you document as much as you can, you should be able to prove your lost income.
Future Expenses
If you believe that you will require additional medical treatment that relates directly to your injuries, you can provide testimony from your treating physician that outlines the medical procedures and anticipated costs.
The same process can account for any additionally anticipated missed work. If you are still in recovery, you can have your supervisor or HR department outline the future missed wages you will experience due to your injuries.
Lost Property
Lost property can also be accounted for in the damages of your personal injury claim. Provide receipts or bills for large pieces of property, such as your car, house, or phone that were damaged in addition to your injuries. For smaller items, say your glasses or watch that were damaged along with your injuries, you usually do not need to provide receipts, although if you have them, provide them. Requesting damages for too many small items could incite suspicion and cause the other party to start disputing your claims.
Contacting an Attorney
Retain a personal injury lawyer to help you gather the necessary evidence you need for your claim. A lawyer will help you throughout the process to ensure that you get the settlement you deserve for your injuries.
