Any type of accident can lead to injuries. These are known as personal injury accidents. The injuries you suffer in a car accident, workplace accident, slip-and-fall accident or accident on someone else’s property can put you out of work for an extended time. The injuries could also alter your life permanently. If you are ever involved in a personal injury accident it’s important for you to preserve the evidence at the scene as much as possible so the police can document it and file an appropriate report. Here are some important tips for preserving the evidence after a personal injury accident.
Write Down the Details
As soon as you possibly can it’s best that you write down the details of the accident. This might be right after the accident if you weren’t severely injured or it could be while you are sitting in the emergency room. Either way, it’s important to write down as much as possible about the accident, including a description of the scene. Be as detailed as possible because the further you get from the date of the accident the more difficult it will be to recall certain aspects of the accident.
Take Pictures
Pictures are worth a thousand words. Guess what, they might be worth a million more in a personal injury case. If you can take pictures of the accident scene you will give yourself an advantage when you file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. Take pictures of the vehicles involved, the work equipment involved, the conditions of the area, your injuries, the debris field and anything else you think is pertinent and an attorney would want to see. Pictures will help prove if evidence or the accident scene was tampered with by anyone in the aftermath.
Talk to Witnesses
If you are still at the scene of the accident with witnesses and haven’t been transported to the hospital yet you need to speak with those witnesses. They can help put the pieces of the puzzle together for you and the responding emergency personnel. They will become especially helpful when it’s time for them to provide a statement to authorities or to be deposed by your attorney during a lawsuit. Tell the witnesses to write everything down that they saw when the accident happened because they too will forget as time goes by in the case.
Keep a Log of Medical Care
It doesn’t matter how severe your injuries are from the accident you should keep a detailed log of medical care. This can include description of pain each day, the medication you have been prescribed, how often you visit the doctor, medical expense receipts and much more. Make copies of all medical bills, explanations of benefits, doctor reports, x-ray results and any other documents your attorney might need to build a case against the at-fault party.
Call an Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in any type of accident you should speak with an experienced attorney. Call the office of Dennis A. Lopez & Associates in Tampa at 813-670-3296 to schedule an appointment to discuss your case today.
For More Information
PERSONAL INJURY IN TAMPA AND THE TRUE COSTS OF A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS AND SAFE DRIVING: ALL INTERSECTIONS ARE LEGAL CROSSWALKS