Taming The Personal Injury Paperwork Monster
Paperwork may be the last thing your mind after a car accident, but if you fail to keep up with it, you might have no way to prove your damages. When it comes to personal injury damages, you will come into contact with many documents, reports, receipts, correspondence, and more. Identifying important documents and understanding how they might benefit your claim could help ensure that you are paid the money you deserve. Below, you will find a list of common forms of paperwork that will come your way after a car accident. If you plan to take action against the other driver, be sure you pay attention to the documents below.
Medically-related Paperwork – This might be the most important category of paperwork you encounter during your quest for compensation from the at-fault driver. Your medical treatment costs have a direct connection to how much you can be paid for pain and suffering. That means keeping up with your medical appointment receipts after visits, the explanation of benefits statements, medical treatment denial of coverage letters, and more.
Police or Accident Report – The law enforcement agency that responded to your accident will be issuing a report. You might be provided with this report at the scene, or you might need to ask for it. Be sure to take this report with you when you visit your personal injury attorney for the first time since it contains a lot of useful information. Reports can list contact and insurance information for both parties, the exact location and time of day of the wreck, and more. One of the most useful parts of an accident report is undoubtedly the law enforcement officer's opinion as to who caused the wreck and why.
Your Job Information – Lost wages may be returned to you, but only if you can provide proof of your salary. Set aside some pay statements, get a letter from your human resources department or be ready to show your most recent tax return to prove any time missed from work due to accident-related issues.
Witness Contact Information – There are few more convincing forms of evidence than that of an eyewitness to your accident. Be sure to find out who saw what happened by reviewing the accident report or by returning to the scene to canvas nearby homes and businesses. Some accident victims have good results with placing notices in a local paper or using social media to solicit witnesses.
Speak to your personal injury lawyer to learn more.
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