It is perfectly normal to feel lost and confused after an accident. It’s scary to have such an event suddenly take hold of your life, and there are many challenges you will face if you decide to pursue an accident claim. Keeping an injury journal is one of the most important things you can do to help your accident case.
You will need to take time to recover from your injuries and focus on getting better, so don’t hesitate to reach out to McCoy & Sparks to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
There are many ways in which keeping an injury journal will come in handy. It will give a detailed explanation of your accident and the injuries you sustained. If you decide to pursue legal action against the person responsible for the accident, an injury journal may serve as indisputable evidence supporting your case. In this blog, we explain what an injury journal is and the many ways it can help an accident case.
Things to Remember
You can think of an injury journal in much the same way as you would a normal everyday journal. Instead of detailing the events in your daily life, you are providing an account of the injuries you sustained in the accident. Be sure you are not focusing on solely the physical injuries you sustained but on the emotional damage you experience as well.
Journaling doesn’t necessarily mean you must write this all out by hand, especially if the injuries you experienced affect your ability to write. You can type this account out or even voice record it if you want. Whatever process is most comfortable for you is best, so long as you are providing a clear and detailed description of your injuries.
Under no circumstances should you ever share this journal with anyone except your attorney. They are the only party bound by attorney-client privilege and will not share the details of any aspect of your case with anyone. Your attorney will also advise you on what information to include in the journal and which parts to keep out.
What to Include
The first thing you should include in your injury journal is a complete summary of the accident. Some things you should focus on might include:
- The other driver’s name, contact information, and insurance information
- When, how, and where the accident took place
- The name of the agency that investigated the accident and the officer’s name and badge number
- Any present witness’s contact information
- Any statements made by the other party at the scene of the accident
- Whether or not you took any photos or videos of the accident
- If any nearby security cameras might have caught the accident
Make sure you share this information with your attorney as soon as possible so they can get to work on preserving any remaining evidence.
The second thing you should notate in your injury journal is any and all specific information regarding your injuries. Some questions you may consider answering in your journal include:
- All injuries you sustained
- When you first noticed symptoms
- What these symptoms include
- If you took an ambulance after the accident and where it took you
- Names of your medical providers
- The dates of your medical treatments
- All medical bills
- How your injuries have progressed over time
- Any side effects as a result of your treatment
You should definitely include any time you might have missed from work as a result of your injuries. Write down all days you missed and the reasons why, such as going to a medical appointment, being under your doctor’s orders not to work, or experiencing too much pain.
Contact a Kentucky Personal Injury Lawyer Today
At McCoy & Sparks, we have extensive experience with personal injury cases. Our experienced legal team understands Kentucky law, liability insurance, and has a track record of success maximizing the recovery of damages for our clients. Our job is to fight for you. We’re here to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact McCoy & Sparks, PLLC, your Central Kentucky car accident lawyers at 1-844-4KY-WINS or fill out our online form to set up a free consultation. Our offices are located at 212 W. Stephen Foster Ave. in Bardstown, Kentucky.