Any time that you suffer an injury as a result of an accident, you should carefully consider whether the accident or the injury justifies an injury claim. If the injury is serious enough to require medical attention, then it probably incurs some cost, and if the accident occurred because of some other party's actions or negligence, then that party may hold legal liability for those medical costs and other losses that the injury causes.
Once you decide to file an injury claim, then what? If you're attentive to detail and have a great deal of time, and if you do not need to settle your claim very quickly, and if you are fine with receiving less than your claim is worth, then you may consider pursuing the claim on your own. There is nothing illegal about this, and many people do it with varying degrees of success.
However, if you do not have the time, energy or attention to devote to the claim, then you may cause yourself serious problems by pursuing it on your own. This is especially true when it comes to serious injuries that require significant recovery time. The recovery process is often more draining and time-consuming for victims than they realize at first, leading to poorly constructed claims that do not yield strong payouts. However, you choose to build your claim, make sure that it is built carefully to seek full compensation for your losses while keeping your rights secure.
Collecting evidence and building a claim
If you had the foresight to call an attorney to the scene of the accident or to document your accident when it happened, you've done yourself a favor. The more evidence that you have from the scene of the accident at the time it occurred, the easier it is to reconstruct a narrative of how the accident occurred and why.
If you did not collect this evidence at the scene, you must seek out as much as you can find. Take pictures of the site of the accident, and look for any homes or businesses nearby that may have security footage of the accident they are willing to share. Do this as soon after the accident as you can, since most places only keep security footage for a few days.
With the evidence you collect at the scene and documentation you gather through your medical treatments and income statements, you can put together a picture of how the accident occurred and the damages it caused.
Take care of yourself first
Unless the accident is very minor, it is wise to undergo a full medical examination as soon as you can to identify any injuries that do not yet cause any pain. Many of these injuries have long-lasting effects, and a few are even deadly, so do not put off this important step.
As you work on your recovery, make sure that you put your own physical well-being and recovery first instead of focusing on the legal side of the matter. If you find that you cannot focus on your recovery and also handle the legal issues, you may consider bringing in a professional to represent your interests and protect your rights in the case and seek a fair resolution.
