In order to file a claim for an accident or injury caused by another’s negligent actions, the injury victim must be able to provide evidence that his or her injuries were directly caused by the other party’s actions.
When building your claim, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible to prove your claim so you can get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.
Although every case is different, and the types of evidence you will need can vary, the information listed below provides a starting point for helping prove your claim.
Copies of the Accident Report
Accident and police reports are vital for providing an objective and professional perspective on what caused the accident. Most car accidents will have a police report, which can be obtained from the Windsor Police Service Collision Reporting Centre. If no accident report was filed for your car accident, you should report it to the centre.
Other types of accidents, such as slips and falls in public places and nursing home abuse, may also have incident reports that can be vital for your claim.
If you have not already done so, our lawyers can help collect these reports for you.
Medical Records
You should request copies of your medical records from the emergency responders, hospital, physical therapists, psychologists, and all other medical professionals and healthcare providers who provided you medical care after your accident. This documentation will demonstrate the severity of your injuries and make a connection to your accident.
It may also be beneficial to request your medical records from your primary care physician from before the accident to show how healthy you were before your injuries.
You should also keep detailed records of all of your medical bills, prescriptions, treatments you have received, receipts and discharge information.
Documentation of Lost Wages
In many cases, an injury will prevent an individual from being able to return to work, either for a short period of time or indefinitely. In order to prove that you lost wages from your injuries, you can obtain a note from your doctor detailing the specific dates you were unable to work because of your injuries. Your employer should also be able to provide similar documentation.
It is important that you have evidence of your pre-accident earnings in order to determine exactly how much pay you lost because of your injuries.
Communication Records
You should keep detailed records of all conversations you have with the insurance company and anyone else you speak with about your accident and injuries. Email is the best way to ensure transparent and accurate communication.
Witness Statements
After an accident, it is always best to collect the contact information for anyone who witnessed your accident. Our lawyers can contact them to get their statements about what they saw and what caused the accident.
Photos of Injuries, Property Damage and the Accident Scene
Photographic evidence serves as an important visual representation of your injuries, damage to your property and the accident scene.
Photos of the accident scene can also play an important role in putting together the details of what caused the accident.
Insurance Policy
Because you will likely be dealing with an insurance company after an accident, it is helpful to obtain a copy of the details of your policy. Our lawyers can review the details of your policy with you in order to determine what is and is not covered.
Daily Journal
Pain and suffering can have a significant impact on your life after an accident. This type of injury, however, is not always as easy to quantify as other types of injuries. Because of this, you should keep a daily journal where you write down what you are experiencing and how your injuries and medical treatment affect you. This is a valuable way to demonstrate the day-to-day impact of your injuries.
You should also share this information with your doctors so they can include it in your medical records.
The Windsor personal injury lawyers at Greg Monforton & Partners are experienced in handling a variety of personal injury claims and can help you gather all of the necessary evidence to build your claim. Contact us today to get started through a free consultation.
Call (866) 320-4770 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form.