How You Can Help Your Personal Injury Claim

Posted on behalf of Jeff Pitman on March 30, 2018 in Personal Injury
Updated on February 24, 2022

smartphone taking pic of carIf you were hurt in a car accident, slip and fall, or other accident that you think was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim to try to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

At PKSD, we believe that our clients can play a critical part in the success of their personal injury case. Below, our Milwaukee personal injury lawyers discuss the many ways you can help build a strong case and possibly help maximize your compensation award. Contact us to schedule a free, no obligation consultation so we can discuss how our lawyers can assist you throughout the legal process.

1. Seek Medical Treatment

Many injuries are not obvious after an accident. This is often because victims have a surge of adrenaline that masks signs of an injury. This is why it is crucial to seek medical treatment immediately after an accident, even if you do not notice signs of an injury. A doctor can do a thorough examination to discover unknown injuries and prevent complications.

When you seek medical treatment, it is important to explain to your health care providers that you were involved in an accident. Provide details about any pain or other symptoms that you are experiencing and make sure to follow your doctor’s orders and treatment plan.

Taking these steps after a personal injury helps establish a link between the accident and your injuries. Seeking medical treatment also helps document the extent of your injuries, which will be important when attempting to get a fair settlement offer from the insurance company.

2. Take Pictures

If possible, take pictures of the accident scene and your injuries. Try to get pictures from different angles and make sure they are date- and time-stamped. Make sure to capture factors that may have contributed to the accident, such as road debris in a car accident case or unevenly stacked boxes in a slip and fall case.

Try to take pictures as soon as possible after the accident, before things are cleaned up or repaired. Once this happens, you may forever lose the opportunity to get pictures of what the scene looked like after your accident. If you are unable to take many pictures or any at all, our attorneys can also visit the scene to do so.

3. Keep Physical Evidence

Physical evidence from the accident helps to show exactly what happened and the severity of your injuries. This can help strengthen your case as our attorneys pursue the fair compensation you deserve.

This is why it is so important to preserve as much physical evidence as possible. For instance, if your phone was damaged during the crash, keep it. Do not get your vehicle repaired before talking to a personal injury lawyer because valuable evidence may be destroyed if you do not take steps to preserve it. You should also keep any bloody clothing from the accident.

4. Keep Records

You may start to accumulate many records after an accident. Keep the original documents that you receive, such as:

  • Police report regarding the accident
  • Names of eyewitnesses at the accident scene
  • Accident report
  • Medical records
  • Medical bills
  • Diagnostic test results and lab reports
  • Employment records that show you lost time from work after the accident
  • Prescription pill bottles

If you lose any of these records, your personal injury attorney may be able to request them on your behalf.

5. Do Not Discuss Your Case

Our personal injury attorneys often tell victims to avoid discussing their case, particularly on social media. Insurance adjusters are trained to check victims’ social media pages to find any reason to deny claims or offer low-ball settlements. A picture of you traveling or exercising may be used to show that you are exaggerating your injuries. Saying that you are fine after the accident may indicate to an insurance adjuster that you were not actually hurt. Commenting about your health or talking about what your lawyer said can give the insurance company confidential information it would not have received otherwise.

Your personal injury attorney will also likely recommend that you do not discuss your case with the insurance company. He or she can handle these communications on your behalf in a way that protects your claim.

6. Contact a Lawyer

It is important to contact a personal injury lawyer as quickly as possible after your accident. We can help preserve evidence before it is destroyed and make recommendations to ensure that you protect your claim. Contacting a lawyer quickly also ensures that your claim is filed within the appropriate statute of limitations.

If your case goes to trial, your personal injury lawyer can help prepare you for this process and present your case to a judge or jury. We know how to build a customized legal strategy based on the strengths of your case.

The attorneys at our firm take cases on a contingency fee basis, so your consultation is free and you will not be charged for our services unless we obtain compensation.

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form today.

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