Personal injury law covers any harm that you or your property suffer due to someone else. This includes things they do as well as things they fail to do.
For example, personal injury law would, of course, cover an attack. However, it would also cover an injury you sustain from falling down the stairs at a restaurant because the property owner failed to make repairs.
If you suffer a personal injury, there are things you need to do immediately to ensure you are taken care of. These include the following:
Report It
In most cases, this will mean calling 911 right away. They’ll send out the proper response teams depending on the event, including EMS and police. Medical care is the priority, of course, but you also need to file a police report as soon as you possibly can.
Visit a Doctor
Even if you are checked at the scene of the injury, it’s important that you seek care at the hospital or your doctor’s office. Sometimes, symptoms of injuries don’t show up for days or weeks. This is especially true if your body is still in shock.
Seeking medical care – even if you don’t feel anything – gives you the opportunity to catch issues early on. It also provides documentation of the results of your injury for legal purposes.
Write It Down
Once you have been checked out and all immediate danger has passed, take out a pen and sheet of paper. Write down everything you can remember about the incident. As time goes on, you might remember things more clearly and be able to add details, so keep this paper close by.
The police will take pictures, but it’s better for you to have your own. It can help both you and your lawyer through a personal injury case.
You’ll also want to obtain a copy of the police report. These can sometimes take a few days or a week to be completed, but it’s important that you get it as soon as it’s available.
Seek Legal Counsel
You’ll need to find a lawyer who is experienced at managing personal injury claims. If you don’t know of one, ask for recommendations from friends, family, or members of your community’s page on Facebook.
Meeting with an attorney as soon as possible is important as there personal injury statute of limitations. If you don’t file a claim within this time, you won’t have a case to make.
When you meet with your attorney, take everything you have pertaining to your case. Bring the photos you took, the notes you wrote down, the police report, hospital and doctor reports, records of missed work due to the incident, and any other information you have.
Don’t put off getting an attorney due to money. Most personal injury lawyers start with a free consultation. Additionally, many of them only charge you if you win a court case. Therefore, you can get the ball rolling without any money upfront.
