If you have been injured in an accident, you are probably wondering what you can do to help protect your claim. Keeping a personal injury journal is a step in the right direction. Keeping this record of the details means you do not have to rely on your memory. Even if you have a good memory, you may struggle to recall specific things about your accident and injuries. A journal can be a crucial piece of evidence that can be used to validate your injuries and may even help increase the value of your case.
If you or someone you care about has suffered a personal injury, it is in your best interest to a have a knowledgeable Knoxville personal injury lawyer at Greg Coleman Law assist you with your claim. We can explain why keeping a journal is important, what entries should be included in the journal and how it can increase the strength of your case.
What is a Personal Injury Journal?
A personal injury journal is a first-hand account of the victim’s problems, difficulties and experiences after an accident. It should have details about the pain and suffering the person has endured and how he or she is dealing with the symptoms This is often a handwritten record, but many may feel more comfortable keeping the journal on a computer. It should keep explicit information about the injury and all aspects of it. It should also contain answers to the following questions:
- What caused the accident?
- How was the weather during the incident?
- How was the victim feeling afterward and was there any pain?
- What details did the medical provider give after the checkup?
- How did the victim’s injuries progress after the accident? Did they get any better or worse?
- How did the accident affect the victim’s life?
- What has the victim lost because of the accident?
This injury journal should stay confidential without any information shared with any other party other than the lawyer. The attorney will determine how frequent updates should progress and what to include for these entries.
What Should I Include in the Journal Entries?
Journal entries should provide detailed answers to the questions above. For example, you can discuss the following information:
- Appointments with the doctor
- Time spent in these doctor’s appointments
- Medication names, dosage and frequency of intake
- How the victim feels daily
- Medical bills for all treatment
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Loss of work time
- Inability to keep up with tasks at home
- Not being able to go on vacations
- Property damage and repair bills
Other entries can discuss pain and suffering and how this progresses throughout the recovery period. The journal may also include details about how the accident has impacted the victim's ability to do his or her job.
How Does This Help My Case?
The personal injury journal can help explain major details that the injured person may not remember, particularly if he or she suffered a head injury. The individual may use the journal to explain the effects of prescription medications and how the injury has affected another section of the body. Your lawyer can use the entries to calculate damages and to determine how to present the claim to an insurance carrier.
Contact a Qualified Lawyer for Assistance Today
When a personal injury affects you or a loved one, you should contact a skilled lawyer at Greg Coleman Law. We can explain how to proceed through your claim and assist you with every aspect of the case. We will review the elements of your case and calculate damages, so we can determine the range of possible compensation you may be entitled to receive. Additionally, we can make recommendations on what to include in your personal injury journal and how often you should update it.
We work on a contingency fee basis and will not charge you unless we are successful in recovering compensation for your claim.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
