Imagine that you or a loved one is driving home from work when all of a sudden there is a car accident. You or your loved one suffers a serious injury and needs to be hospitalized as a result.
Recovering damages may be the last thing on your mind at this point, but there are some very important steps to go about to recover a personal injury settlement.
The first important step in this process is to take notes about what happened as soon as you can. This will help you remember everything that occurred. Write what happened before, during and after the accident. Jot down who was there as well as what was occurring. Also, it is important to note how severe your injuries are.
The next thing that should be done is that photographs should be taken of the scene. This is much easier to do if it is a slip and fall accident than a car accident in most cases. By taking pictures of the scene, especially in a slip and fall or premises liability accident, you can gather more evidence to help prove your case.
The third and final important thing to do after an accident occurs is to try to get a police report. If your injuries were severe enough where you had to go to the hospital, there should be a police report. You should make an attempt to get a copy of the report. It is almost never admissible in a lawsuit, but it could be used in negotiating purposes to win a personal settlement.