Family Formation
If you have been injured in a car accident caused by another party, state law allows you to pursue legal action against that party to recover damages for the losses your injuries have caused you. As a family formation lawyer knows, car accidents can be major issues for families causing serious injuries that change lives. In most of these situations, car accident victims file their claims against the at-fault driver’s vehicle insurance policy and the insurance company pays the actual damages.
Although you are not legally required to have a car accident lawyer representing you, your chances of successfully obtaining the full amount you deserve are greatly increased. Your lawyer can deal with the insurance company, negotiating a settlement and even litigation if necessary, allowing you to focus on recovering from your injuries.
The following is a brief overview of the type of documents you will need to ensure you’re successful in your claim from a car accident lawyer from the Law Office of Daniel E. Stuart, P.A.
Medical Records
Of all the documentation that you should have for your car accident claim, medical records may be the most critical. These records will prove in detail what the injuries are, how long the injury and symptoms lasted, and if the injuries left permanent damage or disability. Although you may be able to describe all of this information, without medical records to back this up, there is no way to prove you have been injured.
You also want to save all of your medical bills since these expenses are part of your car accident claim.
Log of all Expenses and Losses
There are certain expenses associated with your injuries that you are entitled to be reimbursed for. Make sure to keep track of all the money you pay out for these expenses, including any money for medications and other medical expenses. You are even entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses for all of your medical appointments.
You may also have expenses associated with your job. For example, if you are not working as you recover, then you may be responsible for paying out-of-pocket for some of the benefits you receive that are normally deducted from your wages or associated with how many hours you work.
In order to receive these funds back, you need to provide documentation to the insurance company. Details for each expense should be written down, including what the expense was, the date, and the amount. Additional proof for any money that you needed to pay to cover benefits, such as doctors’ letters that stated how long you should be out of work, paycheck stubs, and even employee manuals that explain how benefits, such as vacation time, health insurance, and retirement accounts work.
These reimbursements are separate from your loss of income costs. Any wages you lost because you couldn’t work are also recoverable from the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Journal
In addition to the quantifiable losses listed above, the law also allows you to pursue damages for other losses which do not have a definitive dollar amount attached to them. You can be compensated for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and loss of life enjoyment.
In order to pursue those damages, it will be helpful to your attorney if he or she can provide documentation of these losses to the insurance company or present to a jury should your case go to trial. Keeping a journal that includes the dates and descriptions of how you were feeling and how the injuries affected your ability to function.
