Posted by: Henness & Haight Team

The time following an accident that resulted in a serious injury can be chaotic. However, it is vital that you take action to document every aspect of your injury to secure your chances of being compensated after filing a personal injury claim.

Insurers will often require evidence that proves the extent of your injuries are as serious as you claim. If you do not have sufficient proof that you suffered an injury that justifies the damages you are pursuing, it may affect the outcome of your claim.

Below, our experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorneys discuss some of the most effective methods of documenting your injury and the conditions that may have caused the accident. If you believe your injury was caused by another’s negligence, do not hesitate to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our qualified legal team.

Seek Medical Attention Immediately

The first thing you should do after an accident caused by another’s negligence is immediately seek medical treatment for your injuries. Your first priority following any accident should be to focus on your health and recovery.

Even if you do not believe that you have been severely injured, many conditions have delayed symptoms that could appear days or weeks after the accident. Promptly seeking medical attention after an accident may identify possible unknown injuries or convey the seriousness of ones that you initially believed to be minor.

Also, seeking medical attention establishes that you were, in fact, injured after the accident and provides evidence of your intention to treat your injuries. If you neglect to immediately visit a healthcare provider, you may have no definite way to prove to an insurer that your injury was directly caused by the accident.

Create and Organize a Medical File

After your initial visit, ask your treating physician or healthcare provider for a copy of every medical record that details the medical care you received after the accident.

Although there may be many forms associated with your medical treatment, each one provides a valuable piece of evidence that your attorney can use to prove the seriousness of your injuries and justify the value of your claim.

Your medical file should contain forms such as:

  • Initial treatment report
  • Medical bills
  • Insurance questionnaires
  • Benefit letters
  • Medical test results
  • Copies of medical imaging results

Medical expenses are an important part of the compensation you can receive through a personal injury claim, and any piece of information you have will provide you and your personal injury attorney with a significant advantage.

Take Pictures and Video of the Accident Scene

During the course of your recovery, you should carefully photograph your injuries, regardless of how minor they may seem.

If possible, you should begin taking pictures of your injuries as soon as you acquire them. Be sure that you carefully store and save each picture and make copies, if you are able. Take note of the date the pictures were taken.

It is also useful to carefully document the accident scene where you acquired your injury. For instance, if you were injured in a car accident you should take pictures of anything that could indicate how you acquired your injury, such as:

  • The damage inflicted on each vehicle involved
  • The lighting on the street that the accident occurred
  • Road hazards that were present in the area of the accident

If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, try to take photographs of the area that you were injured to show others that a dangerous hazard was the cause of your fall.

Talk to Witnesses

Witnesses can be a vital factor in a personal injury claim. If someone was present during your accident, ask for his or her account of the events that occurred and carefully document anything that he or she says.

If you are able to speak to someone who witnessed your accident, ask for his or her contact information, including:

  • Name
  • Phone number
  • Home address
  • Email address

Our attorneys may be able to use information provided by witnesses to construct an accurate interpretation of the events that occurred before and during your accident.

Keep a Journal of Your Injuries

Another useful method to document your injuries after an accident is to record your thoughts and impressions throughout your injury, treatment and recovery.

Routinely keeping a journal will help you to provide detailed information of your condition when you visit a doctor, who will keep records of every change in your condition.

Maintaining a journal also allows you to document any mental issues that you may be experiencing during the course of your treatment. This can include elements of mental trauma, such as:

  • Stress
  • Restlessness
  • Sleepless nights
  • Anxiety
  • Confusion
  • Difficulty remembering the accident

Although this may seem tedious, documenting your thoughts and feelings could help you recover additional damages that are not included in a personal injury claim and can only be obtained through a lawsuit, such as pain and suffering or mental distress.

Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys in Las Vegas

Documenting your injuries and medical condition during the course of your recovery after an accident is an essential part of a personal injury claim.

Our attorneys will use any evidence available to create a strong case that helps support your chances of recovering the compensation you deserve for your injury and losses.

If you believe you were injured by another’s negligence, we are ready to review your claim to determine if you have a valid case that entitles you to pursue legal action against the at-fault party. All of our services are provided on a contingency fee basis, which means we only charge you legal fees if we recover compensation for your claim.