If you suffer serious injuries in a car accident in Florida and are planning on filing a personal injury lawsuit, one thing that you have to prove is the nature of the injuries and how the injuries have affected your life since the accident. The nature of the injuries can usually be proven by using medical records and testimony from medical personnel. However, sometimes it may be helpful to the case to also present personal information on how the injuries affect your day to day life. It is for this reason that it is advisable to keep a post-accident journal.
Recording how the injuries suffered in an accident affect your daily life in an accident gives an accurate timeline of the progression of your injuries, the level of pain and suffering you experience, and how the accident generally affects your life. You can also use your diary to help you in your recovery process. By noting symptoms and developments, you can present a full picture during doctor visits, and ensure that the doctor is addressing your injuries and any deterioration in your condition. You should also note any missed days from work caused by your injuries in order to support a claim for lost wages.
Any progression or deterioration noted in post-accident journal and reported to the doctor will become part of the medical record, which can be very helpful in filing your claim. It is not always possible to remember all the symptoms that come with your injuries and writing down this information to share with your doctor can be very helpful.
You can also use the post-accident journal to note your recollections of the accident. This can help order your thoughts about how the accident happened.
Remember that the journal may not always remain private. The journal may be viewed by the defendant’s insurance company or defense team in order to try and challenge your claim. Therefore, try to limit any recollections of the accident and all notations about your injuries and symptoms to the facts. Do not exaggerate the facts or lie about the accident or your injuries. If the defense can prove that your statements are inaccurate or exaggerated, they can undermine your case about your legitimate claims of injury.
You should use simple words that describe your symptoms in detail. Writing general statements about pain is also not as helpful as writing specific statements about your pain and how it limits activities. Making certain emotional notations about the accident or writing about what you could have done differently to avoid injury can be used to undermine your personal injury claim.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
If you are seriously injured in a car accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. There are time limits within which a claim should be filed, and you should act before you lose the ability to file your claim. For more information on whether you can file a personal injury claim following a car accident in Florida, contact Vocelle & Berg, LLP, in Vero Beach, Florida for a free consultation with an experienced car accident injury lawyer.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.737.html