Accident Advice: Document Pain for Legal Gain

Accident Advice: Document Pain for Legal Gain

No doubt, it’s a pain to be in pain. And it’s especially discomforting when the pain is related to injuries resulting from an accident that wasn’t your fault.

But if you’re wise, you’ll document your pain and make the best out of a bad situation.

How Do You Document Pain from an Auto Accident?

Most accident victims know they need to keep good records: doctor bills, prescription receipts, physical therapy guidelines, etc. But many don’t realize you should also keep a written record of your struggles with pain in a pain journal.

This means you should detail in writing the discomfort you feel—location, intensity, duration, etc. A pain journal accomplishes some important functions:

• It provides accurate and detailed facts the victim will most likely forget.

• It shows the overall extent of the pain journey.

• It exemplifies the type of professional documentation required to win a personal injury case.

The key to a maintaining an effective pain journal is accuracy, consistency, and completeness. Here are some initial steps to remember:

• Start it now. You’ll forget later and the details will be less reliable

• Make documentation a regular habit at a consistent time. Routines keep us accountable.

• Over-report rather than under-report. Better to have too much information.

• Use collaborative methods like photos, videos, and even audio recordings.

• When it gets monotonous, do it anyway. The stakes are too high.

What Details Should You Record About Auto Accident Pain?

Pain can be difficult to measure, and each person experiences it differently.

For example, a broken leg may hurt and incapacitate a sufferer in vastly different degrees. Keeping a pain journal, especially for injuries that are long-lasting or may result in chronic pain, is only as good as the detailed nature of it.

Here are the types of entries you should consider:

Amy Witherite, truck accident lawyer and founding partner of Witherite Law Group, says, “In personal injury cases, information is everything: police records, medical records, personal statements. It’s the individual who uses the most complete and best information in the most strategic way who reaps the greatest benefits.” She adds, “Keeping a consistent and complete pain journal is an immense amount of work, but it’s well worth it.”

And that’s the potential legal gain you don’t want to ignore.

The accident attorneys of Witherite Law Group help those who have been injured in a car or truck accident. Get legal help today by calling 1-800-CarWreck® or 1-800-TruckWreck or visiting www.WitheriteLaw.com. We’re available 24/7.