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Personal Injury - First Steps
Writing Down Details

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Writing Down Details

The first step following a personal injury of any kind is to write down details. As soon as the trauma of the moment has past, it is advisable to record everything that you remember about it. This record should be continued until the claim is completed. A written record is far more reliable than your memory and will become more and more valuable if the claims process is extended. There are two issues that are at stake: -What is the basis of the claim? That is, what caused it to happen? -What injury and/or damages resulted? These should be kept in mind as you are writing because they will be the most relevant to attorneys, insurance companies, medical professionals, the court, etc. The first thing that should be written down is the exact details of the injury itself. These should include all you remember about: -The circumstances immediately preceding and following -Time and place -Weather -All those present -Anything that was said -The incident itself -Anything you felt -Anything you think may be relevant You should also attempt to capture the extent to which you were injured. This should include: -Physical and mental harm -Treatment received (on the scene and in the weeks and months following) -Effects of the injury on all aspects of your life (work, home, social etc) -Any effect the injury had on your life, particularly areas of economic loss (time missed from work, vacations cancelled, etc). It is advisable to continue writing throughout the claims process. Even minor injuries have a surprisingly large effect on daily life. The more detailed your writing, the greater likelihood of a favorable result in your claim.
If you think you might have a Personal Injury case, Contact our Personal Injury Lawyers Immediately for Help.

Personal Injury Resource Center

First Steps
Actions one should take immediately following an injury or accident

The Language of Accident and Injury Law
A glossary of common terms and their meanings.

Stages of a Case
Outline of the stages of a personal injury case. This includes contacting a lawyer, finding facts, settlements, trials, and collecting damages.

Fault and Damages
An overview of fault and damages in a Personal Injury lawsuit.

Find an Personal Injury Attorney

We offer many ways to find Personal Injury lawyers in order to best match up our lawyers with prospective clients. Detailed Personal Injurylawyer videos help you learn more about different attorneys and their Personal Injury practices.

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