Especially immediately following an accident, it can be hard to remember everything you need to do in order to prepare for a claim. In fact, it is completely reasonable to not even know if you want to file a claim right after an accident occurs. However, it is very important that you preserve evidence, when possible, whether it is at the accident scene or at home. Preserving evidence can help give you a better idea of how all of the pieces fit together and it can help you provide the information necessary when you begin filling out the paperwork to submit an injury claim. It is also very important to begin speaking with lawyers in your area to determine if you have what you need for filing a personal injury claim and begin working with them on the process of getting your paperwork into the insurance company on time.
What can you do after the accident has occurred?
If you have already left the scene or if the accident was not quite so recent, one of the best things you can do is to return to the scene of the accident. For example, if you were in a car accident, going back to the scene can be beneficial when it comes to looking at the evidence. You may be able to:
- Take photographs of the scene
- Get in touch with witnesses who may have seen what happened
- Find evidence like broken glass on the road
- Take pictures of signs or a lack of signs
Especially if you are coming back to the scene fresh, you might be surprised to find out that there are things you never noticed that made the accident worse or that could have caused the accident to happen. A lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer from a law firm like Barry P. Goldberg, understands that it can be difficult to gather and preserve evidence immediately following the accident. It is recommended that you do not wash your clothes from the accident, that you seek medical attention, and that you get any police records if a police officer responded to the scene of the accident.
Keeping a Journal
It can be incredibly valuable to keep a journal of your injuries to document how they are progressing and what kinds of medical treatment you need. With your journal, you can also take photographs of your injuries to see how they are healing. This can be hard to do, especially for people who have more extensive injuries. However, you can ask friends or family for help when it comes to jotting notes down or taking pictures if you are unable to do so.
It can be imperative to your personal injury claim to preserve evidence, so make sure to get medical attention quickly and speak with a local attorney to see what you may need for your injury case. For more information, reach out to a local law office now.
