Accidental injuries are the 4th most common cause of death in the US. Victims who survive accidents have a hard time carrying on with their lives. Accident victims will sustain many types of losses, both financial and non-financial, which makes their lives pretty hard.
One way to overcome these losses is by filing a personal injury claim. Through a personal injury claim, the victim can obtain compensation for all their losses. However, to obtain compensation, the victim has to prove the following things:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty of care
- Causation
- Damages
These are the four elements of personal injury law that a victim has to prove. You can learn more about personal injury claims by speaking with a lawyer.
If you are an accident victim who is thinking about filing a claim, remember that you bear the burden of proof. It means you have to provide substantial evidence to prove the defendant was negligent.
You can collect the following evidence to prove your personal injury claim:
- Medical records
- Police reports
- Photos and videos
- Witness statements
- Expert opinions
Medical Records
Medical records are the best way to show that you have sustained injuries and have spent money to treat them. This is why personal injury lawyers advise victims to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
You must document all the medical expenses you incur as a result of the accident. An additional perk to documenting your expenses is that it makes the damage calculation process much easier.
Police Reports
You should always report your accident to the police, even if you think your injuries are minor. Filing a police report can benefit you in many ways. The police will investigate the accident scene and make a report of the accident.
This report will contain things like:
- Location of the accident
- Date and time of the accident
- Statements of the involved parties
- Witness statements
All the above information is necessary when it comes to proving your case.
Photos and Videos
Photos and videos can help prove your case. Take photos and videos of your injuries and damage to your property. Through photos, you can prove the extent of your damages.
Photos and videos can also prove your non-economic losses. You can document your recovery process by taking videos and photos of yourself. This can prove your pain and suffering too.
Witness Statements
Without witness statements, your case will just be your words against their words. Witness statements can give a different perspective on the case.
You can collect witnesses’ contact information at the accident scene itself if you are not severely injured. You can give these contacts to your lawyer. Your lawyer will contact the witnesses and get their statements.
Expert Opinions
One of the most important reasons you should hire a lawyer is because of the connections they have. They will have connections with many private investigators and expert witnesses.
Expert witnesses are people who are experienced in a certain field and can provide insights that no one else can. They can provide insights just by looking at the case facts. For example, a doctor can explain how long a victim needs to recover fully by looking at the medical records.
Final Thoughts
Evidence is necessary to obtain fair compensation. Some evidence is easy to collect, but some isn’t. You need the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer to collect the hard-to-collect evidence.
A lawyer will have the necessary resources to conduct an investigation and collect evidence. Insurance companies will outright reject your claim if you don’t have enough evidence. So if you are injured in an accident, hire a lawyer without giving it a second thought. They will help you obtain fair compensation.