7 Important Documents in a Personal Injury Claim

If you get injured in an accident that was not your fault, you are entitled to compensation. A personal injury claim can help you get the money you need to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. However, you may wonder what documents you need to file and secure your claim. Here are seven crucial documents to have on hand.

An accident report details the location, time, and involved parties in an accident. In a work accident, the accident report is an incident report that the human resources manager or other supervisor fills. In a car accident, the police report serves as the accident report.



Also, witness statements provide a third-party recount of what happened at the incident scene. Witnesses can back up any evidence you provide to help prove the defendant's fault in the claim.

An injury diary can build a backlog of information that details the transactions, conversations, and interactions between you and other parties after the incident. Rather than relying on memory, notes can give you immediate and accurate information that you can use to testify. You should record notes whenever you interact with attorneys, insurance companies, police officers, physicians, witnesses, and other significant parties in the claim.



Also, you can include the official records of these interactions. Notification letters, claim and policy numbers, retention letters, and demand letters serve as documented proof of your interactions with lawyers, policymakers and holders, and the insurance company during the claim period.

An essential element in a personal injury claim is to prove any physical and economic injuries you suffered. You should visit a doctor after any accident or incident to get a complete analysis of any visible and hidden injuries.



The doctor can help prove the legitimacy of your injuries. Also, they will present you with the medical bill you can use to ask for compensation. If you suffered a psychological condition due to the incident, you should include it in the claim.

Suppose you get involved in an accident that damages your property. In that case, you should include assessments done by property experts, like a car mechanic or a building technician. Just like physical and psychological injuries, property damage provides a basis to determine your loss.



The damage statement will provide an accurate analysis of the costs involved to restore your property to its previous condition.

You should take photographs and videos of the accident scene as soon as possible. Photos and videos visually represent the incident, which can help you show your attorney and a court judge the damage. Print hard copies of the photographs and back up the digital copies of the videos and photos.



If you notice unclear media, do not attempt to edit them. While you might artificially enhance the photograph or video to make it clearer, it can disprove or raise doubts about the legitimacy of the media you present.

Suppose your injury affected your ability to work or get any future work. In that case, you should compile a collection of your previous wages. Speak with your human resource manager to gain access to all your records and present them in the personal injury claim as part of your compensation.

The statute of limitations provides a hard date by which you should file your injury claim. Any filing past that date becomes null and void, and you cannot pursue any compensation related to your injury. An injury calendar can help you track the days spent after the injury and help you remember the final deadline.



You should involve your attorney throughout the personal injury claim process. They can help you sort through these documents and advise you on how to proceed with your claim. Contact us today at Frank Penney Injury Lawyers to get started on your claim.