blog home Personal Injury How do you prepare for a personal injury claim?

How do you prepare for a personal injury claim?

By John Singleton on April 12, 2020

Whether you’ve tripped and fallen down a flight of broken stairs or you were hit by a car while crossing the street, the weight of your injuries is probably pressing down on you. It can be difficult to brush off a broken leg or chronic back pain, especially when it’s difficult to play with your kids or hold down a job. Add in the cost of medical bills, and the stress from an accident can be overwhelming. You may not want to take legal action, but filing a personal injury claim may be your best chance of moving past this traumatic event.

Beginning a personal injury claim

Once you have decided to file a personal injury claim, you want to contact an attorney. We can provide an objective view of your situation, and help you sort through the facts of your case to discover if negligence occurred, who can be held liable for your injuries, and what you can recover in a claim.

In the early stages of your claim, your attorney will begin collecting all the necessary paperwork and documentation to support your case. This investigation will be handled by your attorney and legal team, allowing you to focus on recovering. However, you may have some key pieces of evidence you want to share at the start.

Proving the cost of your injuries

Each personal injury case is unique and may require specific investigations or reports to win a settlement, but police reports, medical evaluations, and photographic or video evidence are often involved in all of them.

Report every vehicle accident with injuries, whether a highway pile-up or a collision with a bicyclist, immediately to the police. Law enforcement will take statements from everyone involved and review the scene of the accident to determine the cause. This information is key when negotiating with insurance companies, because it will be difficult for them to refute a police officer’s assessment, especially if it includes a liable party. If you have the foresight to take photos or videos of the accident and collect the contact information of any witnesses, your attorney can build a strong case for full compensation.

In addition to a police report, the opinion of a medical professional will be a major factor in proving the cost of your injuries. Emergency room visits, while anxiety inducing, will provide a basis for the price of your claim, and any additional appointments, such as surgery, physical therapy, and check-ups, will add weight to your case.

Finally, if you are taking time off work because of your injuries, you will want to make copies of your old and new pay stubs. Your lost income can be added to the price of your compensation; and if you have to change careers because of your injuries, your attorney can also argue that you lost future wages, which need to be recovered in your claim.

Calculating how much a case is worth

Not only will these pieces of evidence support the validity of your claim, but they will also increase the value of it. If there is a link between your injuries and any financial costs, you are owed compensation for your out-of-pocket expenses or unpaid bills.

But the total cost of your claim will not just include bills or wages, but also the psychological toll of your injuries. Emotional trauma, including anxiety and depression, are real injuries that occur following an accident and can follow long after your physical wounds heal. Courts may often refer to these costs as “pain and suffering,” and while they are rather intangible, they can be included in your case. If you are seeing a psychiatrist to work through trauma related to the accident, those medical bills can also play a factor in your compensation, particularly if you are prescribed medication.

Contacting a compassionate law firm

Along with giving sound legal advice, a personal injury attorney can also alleviate the anxiety you have about the legal system and work with you to find a fair solution to your situation. Your attorney will handle the majority of the investigation into your claim and the subsequent negotiations. We at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys will also handle all communications with the insurance adjustors, ensuring you are free from distractions and can focus on recovering.  We will also communicate often with you to make sure you are aware of everything that’s happening and that you’re involved in all decisions. 

No one should go through an accident alone, especially when serious injuries are involved.  Contact a Virginia personal injury attorney particularly if you suspect negligence was involved.

Finding the right attorney for your case may seem daunting—that’s why we at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys offer a free consultation to help you decide. Schedule an appointment with us today by calling (804) 413-6777 to learn how to move forward with your personal injury claim.  We promise to treat you like our neighbor, not a number.