Personal injury attorneys often suggest their clients keep a detailed injury journal following an accident. This recommendation is made for several important reasons, all of which contribute to building a strong case and ensuring fair compensation.
One of the main reasons personal injury attorneys recommend keeping an injury journal is that it provides concrete evidence of the pain and suffering endured. It’s one thing to tell your attorney or the court about your injuries; it’s another to have written documentation detailing the day-to-day effects of those injuries on your life. This can include physical pain, emotional distress, sleep disturbances, changes in mood or behavior, and any other ways in which your quality of life has been affected.
Memory can be unreliable, especially over time or under stress. An accident can be a traumatic event that affects memory recall. By maintaining a daily record immediately after the incident, you ensure that important details are not forgotten or misremembered later on. The more specific you are with dates, times, symptoms experienced and their severity – the better.
An injury journal also helps provide context for medical records and bills. Medical reports often focus solely on clinical findings without delving into how these injuries affect one’s daily life or personal experiences with pain and discomfort. A detailed account from your perspective complements these medical documents by providing additional insight into how these injuries have impacted you personally.
Furthermore, this journal serves as an effective tool during settlement negotiations or trial proceedings. Opposing counsel may attempt to downplay your injuries’ severity or dispute their impact on your life – having a comprehensive record challenges such attempts with tangible proof.
Moreover, it aids in quantifying non-economic damages like pain and suffering which are subjective by nature but constitute an essential part of compensation claims in personal injury cases. While economic damages such as medical expenses are relatively straightforward to calculate based on bills received and income lost due to inability to work; assessing non-economic damages requires understanding individual experiences which vary greatly from person to person. A well-kept injury journal can provide a clear picture of your personal struggle, thereby assisting in assigning an appropriate monetary value to these damages.
Lastly, maintaining such a journal also demonstrates your proactive involvement in the case and commitment to obtaining justice. It shows that you take the matter seriously and are not merely seeking an easy payout.
In conclusion, keeping a detailed injury journal following an accident can significantly strengthen your personal injury claim. It offers concrete evidence of your suffering, provides context for medical records, aids in quantifying non-economic damages and serves as a valuable tool during legal proceedings. Therefore, if you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, starting an injury journal should be one of your first steps towards ensuring fair compensation for all that you’ve endured.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
606 Court St, Reading, PA 19601
16108314234
