What to do After Suffering a Personal Injury

Sustaining a personal injury can be life-changing. Whether a car accident or defect product has caused your injury, you may find yourself overwhelmed with medical bills, pain, handling simple day to day tasks, and planning your future. A personal injury can change the trajectory of your life forever. 

If someone, something, some place, or a government entity was responsible for injuries, you may be able to hold the party responsible in the court of law. Prior to doing so, it is important to take care of yourself, your injuries, and preserve all evidence. After sustaining an injury, follow these guidelines to help improve your situation and optimize your ability to recover compensation. 

Seek Medical Care

Whether a personal injury feels moderate or severe, immediately seek medical attention. After an accident, the stimulation to your body can cause an influx of adrenaline to flood your system, causing several self-preservation responses such as increased energy and reduced or no pain.

Severe personal injuries can seem moderate at first, but later develop into more chronic and debilitating problems in the future. Common personal injuries can include:

• Broken bones
• Bone fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In addition to helping identify potential injuries and ailments, seeking medical care after sustaining a personal injury can help provide evidence should a lawsuit be necessary.

Understand Your Rights Under the Law

After seeking medical attention, speak with a personal injury lawyer. Even if you are unsure if you want to pursue an injury claim, a personal injury lawyer can inform you of your legal rights in your state, including your legal right to compensation. 

After sustaining a personal injury, a victim typically has two years to pursue compensation. This said, do not hesitate to file a personal injury lawsuit: “If you bring your claim within the statute of limitations, you are eligible to pursue economic and non-economic damages from the negligent party,” notes Seattle personal injury attorney Remington Fang. If you decide you want to recover damages through a lawsuit, do so immediately.

There are special circumstances where a victim may have more than two years, such as discovering the injury later, in which case, the victim has two years from the discovery date.

Gather Evidence

Whether or not you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit, gathering evidence after an incident or accident can prove incredibly important. Evidence can help medical professionals handle your case with more accuracy and help while you discuss with the insurance company.

After an incident, collect all evidence possible. Common types of evidence can include:

• Photographs
• Videos
• Phone records
• Medical records
• Contact information for credible witnesses
• Dashboard camera footage
• Police reports
• Security camera footage
• Any other important details you remember at the incident scene

Moving Forward After an Injury

Suffering from a personal injury can go far beyond physical pain: it can include financial disaster from property damage and medical costs, mental distress, and wondering how your life will ever return to “normal”.

 If you or a loved one suffered a personal injury, seeking medical care, speaking with a professional, and gathering evidence should be your priority. By taking such action, you can help preserve the integrity of your case should you decide to move forward with legal action or contacting the insurance company to start rebuilding your life.