Five Things To Do Before Claiming For A Personal Injury
Suffering an injury is a terrible thing and while often the cuts and bruises will heal and fade in a matter of days, there are occasions where the pain becomes chronic, the injuries become debilitating and the psychological trauma becomes unbearable. In these situations you may start thinking about claiming for a personal injury.
Is it worth a claim? What will it cost? Where do you start?
Research
Your first step is to research as much as you can. In no time at all you will find stories and testimonies from people who have suffered similar injuries to you. Read their stories and take heart from the successes and learn from the failures.
During your research you should also start to seek out the right injury lawyers. The right lawyer, someone who will take on your case with care and strive to get you the right amount of compensation, is invaluable and care should be exercised to choose the one for you.
Take Advice
Another part of the research process is taking advice. There is no lonelier place than the feeling of being injured and alone so don’t try and do it all yourself!
Again, once you’ve found the lawyer for you they should be able to advise you and answer each and every question you have. Claiming can be a long process but they will guide you through every step.
Don’t Settle
As we said, claiming can be a lengthy process and you may be tempted to settle as early as you can. More often than not early settlement offers are made at a fraction of the true recompense deserving of the injuries.
Your research should back you up here as you will know how much compensation you should expect. Remember, it’s not greedy to ask for what you deserve.
Keep a Record
It will help your case greatly if you keep a diary as soon as you are able to after the accident. Keep a record of all of the pain you feel, tasks that you found difficult or were not able to do and any problems you have with sleeping or panic attacks.
Your medical records will show when you visited your Doctor and there will be a list of all hospital appointments but a personal diary can also be a powerful thing.
Don’t Panic!
Don’t panic at any point. As you start the process you are likely to be beset with worries that it all might not be worth the time and the effort. If that happens, speak to your lawyers for reassurance, talk to your friends and return to the success stories you found in your research.
