Using A Journal To Ensure Personal Injury Success

Even though being injured in a car wreck can cause profound changes in your day-to-day life, failing to take action soon enough could prevent you from being fairly compensated. Your personal injury attorney can easily take the bulk of the burden to pursue a claim for you, but the way that the accident affected you personally is an important part of your case that only you can provide. For this reason, you should take steps to ensure that you use everything you can to preserve your memories of the accident. Read on to learn more about using a journal to enhance your chances for personal injury claim success.

The Day of the Accident

Once you feel well enough, you should begin to use your journal. It should be noted that the word "journal" can be used describe any means of capturing your thoughts; it may be just a spiral notebook, a tablet computer, your cell phone or even a recording device. There are several easy-to-use recording apps available for smart phones. If you must, enlist the help of a family member or friend, particularly if you are severely injured. A car accident is a very traumatic event, and traumatic events can cause memory problems, so be patient with yourself and be prepared for the memories to come and go. The important point is to try to record your memories of:

1. Your destination, the route you were taking and who was with you in the car. Try to remember the location of the sun or any weather conditions or road conditions.

2. Just before the moment of impact, what you were doing, and what you may have observed other drivers doing, particularly the other drivers involved in the accident.

3. The exact moment of impact and what you heard and felt.

Right After the Accident

These memories are often the most difficult, since the brain attempts to protect you from reliving the trauma, so you may only remember this time period in fits and starts.

1. Whether or not you needed assistance to exit the vehicle and whether or not the air bag inflated.

2. Pay particular attention to your memory of the actions of the at-fault driver: did they say or do anything after the accident? Drivers often admit fault and express remorse at the damage and injuries that their actions caused.

3. Note what you can remember about the actions of those who responded to the accident, such as the police, emergency medical personnel or fire personnel, especially their comments about what caused the accident.

Injuries and Medical Treatment

1.  Your surgeries, tests, therapies, medications, etc.

2. Your doctor's opinion of your condition, such as a prognosis of a full recovery or the possibility of a permanent injury.

3. How the accident affected your emotional well-being and that of your family. You are entitled to be compensated for the mental effect of the accident just like the physical effects.

Talk to your personal injury attorney for more ideas to help enhance your case with memory aids.