After you have been involved in an accident, you will likely be caught up in all of the necessary medical appointments and determining treatments moving forward. It can be shocking to discover that your condition may be severe and may keep you out of work for days or even weeks.
If this applies to your recent car accident, you need to consult with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney as soon as possible. There are several different reasons why you want to stay organized for the duration of your personal injury claim. Taking notes and organizing your materials first of all, makes it easier for you to recall information.
You’d be surprised at how much taking various medications to handle your pain and going through medical treatment can distract you and make it easier for you to forget some of the key elements of what happened in the car accident.
This is why as soon as possible, after you’ve been involved in an accident, you need to organize your thoughts and consult with a Tampa personal injury attorney.
Having your materials organized will make it easier for your personal injury attorney to determine the elements of your claim and help you determine what to do moving forward. What follows are several tips to keep track of your materials.
Things You Need to Write Down
After the accident happens, as soon as possible, you need to keep track of following four elements:
- What you say?
- What you do?
- What you hear?
- What you can see?
These rules will help you gather supporting evidence and to collect all information that you can recall about the accident. If you are not able to recall all of the details associated with the accident, this is okay and you are not alone. Some people are suffering from shock immediately after a car crash happens and others may sustain head injuries that ultimately impact their memory.
This makes it all the more important to identify the right personal injury attorney, who can work hard on your behalf to collect relevant evidence.
Relevant evidence outside of your own personal memory can include information such as statements from witnesses, photographs and videos from the scene of the accident and insight from accident reconstruction or medical expert witnesses.
Good notes can make the difference between receiving a typical personal injury settlement and a substantial one that helps you move on with your life.
Notes to Take at The Accident Scene
Although it is not always possible to gather comprehensive evidence at the scene of the accident, where you do have the physical capability to do so, it is strongly recommended that you keep information about:
- Names of paramedics and police officers at the scene.
- Complete contact information for individuals involved.
- Any statements made to passengers, drivers, and witnesses.
- Contact information for all witnesses and passengers.
- The weather conditions, time of day and the date when the accident happened.
- Any damage to areas surrounding the accident like guardrails or road signs.
- A chronological summary of the events leading up to the accident and the aftermath.
Information to Take Note of After the Accident
In the event that you are driven to the hospital after the accident or transferred via ambulance, you also want to keep track of your notes.
At the hospital for example, you will want to keep track of the name and telephone number of the hospital, the names of any nurses or ER physicians who treated you, the name and details of any pharmacies that your medications were transferred to and your doctor’s name and contact information.
It’s a good idea to purchase an accordion file to keep track of all these materials. You should have several different sections outlined in order to keep track of all of your notes and evidence associated with the accident. These include:
- The at-fault driver’s information.
- Insurance company details for you and the other driver.
- Letters of protection.
- Medical diagnosis and medical records.
- Witness details.
- Photographs and videos.
- Any settlement negotiation communications.
- Police report.
- Lost wages.
- Legal research.
- Property damage.
- Out of pocket expenses.
When you have these materials organized, make sure you make a copy for your personal injury attorney. He or she will likely evaluate this in determining your next steps.
Consult with Florida Car Accident Lawyer Today
Having things organized can give you more opportunity to have your questions answered during an initial consultation with a Tampa car accident attorney. Your attorney will evaluate these details as much as possible and recommend next steps.
In the event that a personal injury claim is filed, your lawyer may work hard to represent you in settlement negotiations or take your case to trial.
Learn More: What Your Need to Know Before Hiring a Car Accident Attorney
