What starts out as a normal afternoon trip to the grocery store or to the gym in Louisiana may quickly become a trip to the hospital for the treatment of car accident-related injuries that end up plaguing you for years. In some cases, a car crash is the result of the negligence of another driver. In these types of cases, you may have recourse through the civil justice system.
Taking notes
Writing down exactly what took place in your motor vehicle accident is helpful for creating an accurate record of events versus depending on your memory alone. Taking notes might be the last thing on your mind after you have been hurt in an accident. However, solid notes may end up helping you to achieve a speedy recovery process rather than a drawn-out, painful legal battle in the aftermath of your unfortunate accident.
Accident Details
Before you take accident notes, ensuring your safety is obviously your top priority. Once you have established your safety, you can start recounting every step of the accident as though you are a sportscaster or observer. In your written observations, it can be helpful to include the date and time of the accident, who was involved in it, the location of the collision and who may have seen the accident occur.
Other critical information to note includes the weather conditions at the time of the crash as well as conversations that occurred at the time of the accident or after the crash. You may also want to try to take photographs of the crash and the scene surrounding it to help to corroborate your story.
Injury Details
Notes about any injuries you sustained in the motor vehicle collision can also come in handy in court. The notes should ideally include plenty of details about your injury and how it has affected you. The injuries you detail may not only be physical injuries but also depression, loss of sleep, mild discomfort and anxiety. The sooner you can document your injuries, the higher level of credibility your records will have. Courts usually favor those records that were taken closer to the time of the accident.
Where to find the support you deserve
A knowledgeable attorney in Louisiana can guide you the process of filing a personal injury claim against the individual thought to have caused the car crash. Liability has to be established to the court’s satisfaction, based upon a showing of negligence, before the court will determine claims for damages. A successfully litigated lawsuit can provide you with much-needed compensation to help with rehabilitation costs, medical bills and lost wages from missing work.