If you’ve been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may be wondering what to do next. It can be difficult to know where to turn, especially if you’re dealing with pain and other medical issues. Perhaps you’re worried about money and a loss of earnings, or the other party’s denying responsibility. In this article, we’ll discuss the steps you should take if you’re injured due to the fault of another.
Know How To Prove Negligence
Negligence is the legal term for when somebody fails to take reasonable care to avoid causing injury or loss to another person. To prove it, you must show that the other person owed you a duty of care and that they breached this responsibility. You’ll need to prove that you were injured or suffered some other type of loss as a result (known as causation).
An attorney is the best person to help you prove negligence. They’ll explain what are your rights and guide you through the legal process of claiming compensation. The online visitors to https://olsonlawfirm.com confirm people’s desire for free case reviews and live chats, and to access client testimonials. People seek guidance from lawyers for everything from slip and fall accidents and wrongful death to vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and premises liability.
Let The Medical Profession Help You
Even if you don’t feel like you were injured, it’s still important to get a check-up. Many times, people think they’re fine after an accident when in reality they’ve suffered some type of injury (such as whiplash). Adrenaline can mask pain and some symptoms will take a while to manifest. A medical professional will be able to properly assess your condition and give you the appropriate treatment.
They’ll also create a file containing all the details of your injury/ies. This is useful because:
- It will help you in case you need to take legal action.
- It will serve as a record of what happened in case you need to make an insurance claim.
- If your employer requires it, you may need this documentation to get workers’ compensation.
Gather The Evidence
Besides your medical records. there’s other evidence you can gather when submitting a legal claim. First, get the contact and insurance information from the other driver if possible. If there were any witnesses to the accident, try to get their names and contact information too. They could later be called upon to provide a witness statement as to what occurred and why. This could be crucial in order for you to win the case.
If they attended the accident scene, the Police will later be required to produce a report. Make sure you get their contact details so you can request this. The document could contain important information such as which driver was at fault and what caused the accident to happen. Without this, you could be missing key evidence to support your claim.
Take Plenty Of Photos
These are great ways to document what happened and create additional evidence. If you have visible injuries, take close-up pictures. Photos can refute any claims by the liable party that your injuries were not as bad as you say, or denying that they occurred at the accident scene.
Other photographic evidence to collect include:
- The road (for vehicle incidents)
- Any damage to your belongings/vehicle
- Any road debris
- Nearby road signs or landmarks
- Any signs the road was poorly maintained (such as loose gravel, overhanging trees, potholes, or a lack of lighting).
If you can’t take pictures yourself, ask a friend or bystander to do it for you.
Know What To Claim For
You can usually claim for medical expenses, loss of earnings, and pain and suffering. If the accident has resulted in a disability, you may also be able to claim for future loss of earnings and the costs of any necessary adaptations to your home or vehicle.
You may additionally be able to claim for loss of quality/enjoyment of life, damage to property, or punitive charges. Speak to your lawyer and let them tell you what to claim and how much money to seek in compensation. Let them liaise with the insurance companies on your behalf.
If you put these things into practice, you’ll take the most appropriate actions. In turn, you’ll achieve the outcome that you desire, in terms of finance and justice. This will enable you to concentrate on making a full physical recovery so you can resume your life in the best way you can.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.