Being involved in any kind of accident is traumatic enough, without the daunting thought of filling out a personal injury claim.
Personal injury claims encompass a vast range of injuries that have been sustained as a result of negligence. This can include traffic accidents, accidental falls and even faulty products.
Before we start with our tips for a stress free personal injury claim it is important that you know that third party or litigation funding is not available for personal injury claims. So, it is very important to get advice on how to pursue your claim from a reputable solicitor and enquire about other options for legal funding.
Seek Medical Attention
The first thing that you should do after an accident is to seek medical advice to get any injuries diagnosed and recorded.
Many accidents happen as a result of non compliance of the health and safety laws, particularly in the working environment. However, if you do not report any sustained injuries straight away you could be held responsible for the level of your injuries.
File a Police Report
Often with a personal injury claim written evidence is required. A police report of the incident will give a detailed review so it is important to give as much detail to the police at the scene of the accident, including any names of others involved.
If the police are not called to the scene of the accident it is important that you call them as soon after the incident as possible.
Take Photographs
There is nothing strange about people taking photographs at the scene of an accident these days. With most of the population owning camera phones it is quite normal behaviour.
Personal injury claimants that have photographic evidence have the upper hand when it comes to making a claim. If the photos show that the accident wasn’t your fault it is very difficult to prove otherwise. The camera never lies.
Keep a Record of Expenses
If your injury has caused you loss of earnings or you have had to pay for medicines, private treatments, such as chiropractors or physiotherapist, or repairs to damaged property, keep a record.
These expenses will be refunded to you as part of the personal injury claim settlement, provided you have receipts.
Engage a Personal Injury Solicitor
It is important that your pursue professional advice when entering into a personal injury claim. A personal injury solicitor will be able to negotiate your settlement on your behalf which can improve your settlement. They will also be able to guide you through any legal jargon, and make sure you don’t sign anything without fully understanding it.
Legal letters can be imposing and often scare you off of making your claim at all.
Learn about the Legal Procedure
Although your personal injury solicitor will deal with any legal procedures on your behalf it is useful to swat up on the personal injury legal procedure yourself. This will help you to understand what is going on and improve communication between your and your legal adviser.
A basic understanding will help you to provide all of the correct details and information regarding your claim so that it runs smoothly and stress free. It will also make you much more confident in seeing the case through to a successful personal injury settlement.
Are you in the process of making a personal injury claim? Tell us about your legal experiences, good or bad, in the comments.