The Importance of Keeping Accurate Records in an Auto Accident Case
Accidents happen—but when they involve automobiles, they tend to be painful, expensive, and time-consuming. From minor rear-end collisions to catastrophic head-on accidents, car crashes often leave victims swimming in medical debt and unsure of what their next step should be.
A big part of getting through this challenging time is maintaining accurate records. Learn more about how you can build your claim with accurate documentation, and to start your personal injury claim, call Reeves & Mestayer at 228-300-2754.
Establishing Liability
In auto accident claims, establishing liability is an important part of determining who is at fault and who is entitled to compensation. Accurate and up-to-date records can play a crucial role in proving liability and helping you start your claim. Consider this: many accident victims never sit down to write what happened to them, what they experienced, and what they observed.
Those memories and details fade with time and can make it much more difficult for an attorney to build their case. By writing down key details of the crash as soon as possible, victims can build a solid foundation for their claims.
Additionally, documenting the conditions at the time of the crash may help you get the compensation you deserve. Photos and video footage showing weather conditions, the condition of the road, and traffic signs or lights can help prove exactly what did or did not contribute to a collision. Writing these details down is helpful, but it’s even better to have physical evidence like video footage and photographs.
Getting the Right Treatment—and Getting It Paid For
Proper documentation and record keeping can help you when it comes to your medical treatment. Insurance companies don’t want to pay for anything they don’t have to, and in fact, they don’t even like paying for the things they have to cover. To prove that your treatment is related to your car accident, you’ll want to have thorough documentation on your side.
Medical records prove when you started your treatment and how it progressed until you reached maximum medical improvement. Proper records will include all consultations, diagnostic tests and subsequent diagnoses, treatments, and prescription medications. You should also note symptoms, pain levels, and limitations that keep you from working or taking care of your home.
Your medical expenses should make up a significant part of your documentation. They are often the largest part of a personal injury settlement, so it’s recommended that you have full documentation of your bills and fees.
If your injury is particularly complicated, you may want to go above and beyond when it comes to your medical record keeping. For example, if you try multiple treatments that fail before you ultimately find one that helps you improve, make sure you document those. You may want to keep logs of your physical therapy exercises and your efforts to comply with your doctor’s treatment recommendations. This can help push back against any claims that you were non-compliant in your treatment and that you intentionally dragged out your recovery.
Boosting Your Compensation
When it comes down to it, accurate record-keeping can help you fight for more compensation and demand every bit of what you deserve. As we said earlier, insurance companies won’t pay for anything they aren’t forced to cover. The more documentation you have to support your claim, the harder it is to deny wrongdoing on the client’s part or claim that they have no obligation to compensate you.
Thorough records will include proof of your accident-related damages and losses, the extent of your pain and suffering, and any expenses you’ve incurred as a result of the other party’s negligence. This is one reason we recommend talking to an attorney as soon as possible after your accident. They can help you understand what types of records you need to keep and their benefits.
Choose Reeves & Mestayer for Your Personal Injury Claim
The sooner you reach out to our team to schedule your free consultation, the sooner we can begin working on your personal injury claim. Let’s sit down and talk about your next steps now. You can call us at 228-300-2754 or send us a message online right now.